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Weekly topics covering life‘s challenges with a positive spin and a new perspective. It‘s time to connect, learn, and grow!
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4 days ago
4 days ago
SHOW NOTES:
On this show… we’re talking about how to have conversations that matter by taking surface chat to soul talk:, and why so many of us are craving deeper connection in a world that talks constantly but listens very little.
Have you ever walked away from a conversation that technically went fine… but somehow left you feeling empty? Like you exchanged words, updates, maybe even laughs, but nothing really landed?
Picture this. You’re standing in line somewhere. Or sitting across from someone you know well. The conversation starts the way it always does.
“How are you?”
“Good. Busy.”
“You?”
“Same.”
And just like that, the moment passes.
We’re surrounded by conversation. Messages. Posts. Voice notes. Podcasts. Hot takes. Opinions flying everywhere. We know what people ate for lunch, where they went on vacation, and how they feel about the latest headline. Social media gives us the illusion that we already know everything about everyone, so why ask more?
But our souls know better. Because knowing about someone isn’t the same as knowing someone.
There’s a quiet ache that shows up when conversations skim the surface too long. It’s not dramatic. It’s subtle. A sense that something meaningful was possible, but was never quite invited into the room.
And here’s the thing. This isn’t about forcing depth. It’s not about cornering someone with heavy questions or turning every interaction into a therapy session. It’s about learning how to notice moments where a conversation could go one layer deeper… and having the courage and curiosity to gently open that door.
CHALLENGE: Take one ordinary conversation this week and choose presence over pace. Ask one question that invites reflection, stay with the pause instead of rushing past it, and leave the chair open for something real to emerge.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Friday Jan 23, 2026
Friday Jan 23, 2026
SHOW NOTES:
On this show… we’re talking about building resilience when life feels hard, not as a mindset shift or a motivational push, but as the quiet practice of continuing on when you don’t feel especially strong or inspired.
Have you ever found yourself in a season where everything feels heavier than it should? Not necessarily falling apart… just harder than normal. Where getting through the day takes more energy than it used to, and the future feels a little harder to picture clearly?
A while back, my father-in-law shared an image that’s stayed with me. He said getting through a tough situation is a lot like driving at night. You can’t see the whole road. You can only see as far as your headlights reach. And sometimes that’s frustrating. Sometimes it’s tiring. Sometimes it’s enough to make you wonder how much farther you really want to go.
On long drives like that, you don’t just push endlessly. You stop. You stretch your legs. You grab a snack. Maybe some hot coffee. You check in with yourself and decide how many more miles you can reasonably make before the next pause. And you keep going, not because you’re motivated, but because you’re disciplined enough to trust that morning will come.
Resilience often looks like that. It’s not dramatic. It’s not loud. It’s not about powering through with a positive attitude. It’s about staying present long enough for the sun to rise so you can rub your eyes and realize just how far you’ve already come.
Some seasons don’t require more motivation. They require more honesty. An honest look at what you’re working with, what you can change, and what you might need to approach differently. And that kind of honesty is where resilience actually begins.
So today, I want to slow this conversation down. Not to fix anything, but to notice it. To explore what resilience really looks like when life feels hard, and why discipline, not motivation, is often what carries us forward.
CHALLENGE: Stop waiting for motivation and start honoring the discipline that’s already carrying you forward. Take an honest inventory of where you are, choose one small step you can take with integrity, and allow yourself to pause without quitting. Remember, just because the road feels dark doesn’t mean you’re off course.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Wednesday Jan 14, 2026
Wednesday Jan 14, 2026
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are exploring the difference between giving in and giving up, and why learning to tell the difference might be the very thing that keeps you moving forward instead of quietly walking away.
Have you ever been at that moment where you’re exhausted, frustrated, maybe even embarrassed to admit how much effort you’ve put in, and you’re asking yourself, “Do I keep going… or do I stop?”
Not because you don’t care. But because you care so much, you don’t want to waste any more energy if this isn’t going to work.
I think this is one of the hardest decisions we face, and it’s not because we lack grit or discipline. It’s because most of us were taught to think about effort in very black-and-white terms.
- You either push through or you quit.
- You either succeed or you fail.
- You either stay the course or you give up.
There’s not much space in that thinking for nuance. Not much room for learning. And definitely not much room for the messy middle where most real growth actually happens.
What often gets lost is the idea that modifying your approach is not the same thing as abandoning your goal. That giving in to reality is not the same thing as giving up on yourself.
Self-talk commitments you can carry with you this week:
“This does not have to work perfectly for it to be worth my effort.”
“I am allowed to change my approach without changing my commitment.”
“I do not need to decide everything today.”
“I am learning how I work, not proving what I am worth.”
CHALLENGE: Notice where you’re forcing an all-or-nothing decision in your life right now. Instead of pushing harder or walking away, try giving in just enough to adjust your approach and gather information. Stay engaged, stay curious, and let progress, not perfection, guide your next step.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Friday Jan 09, 2026
Friday Jan 09, 2026
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are getting back in our hula-hoop as we redirect worry into what we can actually control. Have you ever noticed how worry has a way of making itself very comfortable in your body? Like it doesn’t just visit your thoughts, it moves in, rearranges the furniture, and tightens your shoulders while it’s at it.
I’m not talking about the big, dramatic worries that show up once in a while. I’m talking about the everyday kind. The background noise. The constant mental tabs you keep open that never fully close.
What’s interesting is how often we don’t even call it worry. We call it being responsible. Being prepared. Being a good parent, partner, leader, or friend. We say things like, “I’m just thinking ahead,” or “I just care.”
Meanwhile, our bodies are clenched, our minds are racing, and it feels like we’re always on standby for something we can’t quite name.
Here’s the picture that kept coming to mind for me.
It’s like standing in the middle of your own hula-hoop, but spending all your energy reaching outside of it. Trying to manage outcomes, predict reactions, and control situations that aren’t actually yours to carry.
And the more time we spend out there, the more drained we feel in here.
So today, I want to look at worry from a few less popular angles. Not just whether it’s helpful or unhelpful, but what it does to us, where it comes from, and what might happen if we gently brought our attention back into our own hula-hoop.
Because when we focus on what we can actually work on, something shifts. We don’t suddenly stop caring. We just stop carrying what was never ours to hold.
Worry has a sneaky way of making itself feel productive. It shows up dressed as responsibility. As preparation. As being on top of things. And because of that, we rarely question it. We just assume that if we stop worrying, something important will slip through the cracks.
But here’s the thing. Worry isn’t the same as action. And it definitely isn’t the same as control.
CHALLENGE: Notice when worry pulls you outside your hula-hoop. Each time it does, gently bring your attention back to what you can actually work on within yourself. Invest that energy in your growth and trust that you are becoming more capable than you realize.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Friday Jan 02, 2026
Friday Jan 02, 2026
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re talking about perspective. Did you know that the way we see ourselves quietly shapes the way we live, the choices we make, and the stories we believe are possible for us? So let me start by asking you something. Have you ever noticed how quickly you decide who you are in a moment?
Something happens. A conversation doesn’t go the way you hoped. An opportunity slips by. A familiar pattern shows up again. And almost instantly, your mind fills in the story. Not just about what happened, but about what it means about you.
You’re the one who should’ve known better.
Or the one who always ends up here.
Or the one who just needs to stay in their lane and not expect too much.
It’s subtle, but powerful.
Because in that moment, you’re not just reacting. You’re choosing a role.
Most of us don’t consciously decide, “I’m going to play the villain,” or “I’ll be the victim in this scene.” But we quietly accept those parts anyway. And once we do, we start living in ways that match the character we believe we are.
- We lower our expectations.
- We hesitate when it’s time to step forward.
- We wait for proof before we give ourselves permission to change.
And here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. What if the story isn’t asking you to wait for proof? What if the proof comes after you choose differently?
CHALLENGE: Notice the role you’ve been playing and choose differently this week. Take one small, intentional step that reflects the person you’re becoming, not the version of you shaped by your past. Live like the story is still unfolding and that you matter in the next scene.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Friday Dec 26, 2025
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re pushing pause to reset the story we tell ourselves before we set the goal. Because goal setting isn’t just about what you want to accomplish. It’s about the mindset you bring into it. The beliefs you’re carrying. And the expectations you quietly place on yourself before you ever take the first step.
Have you ever said yes to a goal, a project, or a commitment simply because you could? Not because you truly wanted to. Not because it fit your life right now. But because you felt capable, responsible, or maybe even a little afraid of what it would say about you if you didn’t?
For a long time, I thought that was growth. If I could do it, I should do it. If I was asked, I should say yes. And while that mindset served me in some seasons, it eventually led to feeling stretched thin, overwhelmed, and disconnected from what I actually wanted.
Last year, that realization turned into a mantra for me. “Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should or have to.” It wasn’t about doing less. It was about choosing better. Giving myself permission to pause, evaluate, and decide instead of reacting.
More recently, my husband and I landed on another mantra that started as a joke but turned out to be surprisingly powerful. “I can do anything. Now, what do I want to do?” And at first, it sounds almost playful. But the more we sat with it, the more we realized how much it shifts the conversation in our own heads.
Instead of starting with doubt, it starts with belief. Instead of asking, “Am I capable enough?” it asks, “What actually matters to me right now?” That small change removes the need to prove anything. It creates space to choose instead of justify, to explore instead of second-guess.
When you begin with “I can,” doors don’t close before you even reach them. Curiosity replaces fear. Possibility replaces pressure. And suddenly, goals stop feeling like tests you have to pass and start feeling like options you’re allowed to consider.
CHALLENGE: Pause before setting your next goal and ask yourself one honest question: “Do I want this, and why?” Choose a mantra that reflects who you are now, not who you were trying to be, and let belief lead instead of doubt or obligation.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re going to slow down and spend some time with something we all carry, whether we admit it out loud or not. Stress. Not just the obvious stress. Not just the big, unavoidable stuff. But the quieter kind. The pressure we put on ourselves. The expectations we quietly stack on moments, conversations, and people we care about, hoping it will all somehow come together just right.
Have you ever walked into something already feeling tense, not because anything was wrong yet, but because you really wanted it to go well? You wanted it to matter. You wanted everyone to feel good. You wanted it to mean something. And somewhere in that wanting, the stress showed up first.
What’s interesting is how often we think stress is coming from what’s happening around us, when in reality, it’s coming from what we’re asking of ourselves inside the moment. The invisible rules we create. The standards we assume we have to meet. The idea that if it isn’t done perfectly, it somehow doesn’t count.
Today, I don’t want to talk about how to get rid of stress. That usually just creates more stress. Instead, I want to talk about how we get through it. How we move with it instead of fighting it. Because the truth is, stress doesn’t always mean something is wrong. Sometimes it means something matters deeply to us.
But here’s where it gets tricky. When caring turns into pressure. When effort turns into self-judgment. When we start believing that what we give is never quite enough.
CHALLENGE: Notice one place this week where you are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. Pause long enough to ask what you actually have to give, and then give that fully, without apology or self-judgment. Let that be enough.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re stepping back, not because we’re tired or unmotivated, but because sometimes you have to widen the frame to see the whole picture to give yourself credit while you look ahead. Have you ever been so focused on the next thing, the next goal, the next improvement, that you completely missed everything you’ve already done? It’s easy to do. Especially at the end of a year when life feels like a conveyor belt that never stops moving. One month folds into the next, and before you know it, you’re flipping a calendar and wondering, “Wait… did I actually make any progress this year?”
Some people are wired to always look ahead. They’re scanning the horizon, thinking about what’s next, what hasn’t happened yet, what they still need to check off the list. And while that drive can be motivating, it can also leave you feeling perpetually behind. Like, no matter what you do, it’s never quite enough. Other people look back on a year and think, “Well… nothing big happened,” and use that as evidence that they somehow fell short. But what if the “big thing” wasn’t the point at all? What if the beauty of your year was tucked into the smaller details, the things you barely noticed while they were happening?
That’s what I want to explore today. Because as the world moves faster and faster, it can trick you into believing that if you don’t move at the same speed, you’re somehow failing. But that’s not reality, that’s just noise. The truth is, you’ve done so much more than you think. You’ve shown up in ways that mattered. You’ve grown in ways you didn’t track. You’ve found clarity, endurance, compassion, and creativity in the spaces between the big milestones.
So on this show, let’s take some time to take stock. Let’s give ourselves credit, real credit, for what this past year brought and who we became along the way. And then, with a grounded sense of gratitude, we’ll talk about how to set goals for next year from a place of clarity and confidence, not pressure or comparison.
CHALLENGE: Carve out intentional space and take stock of everything your life holds. Pull out the moments you forgot, honor the quiet work you did, and give yourself the credit you’ve earned. Then, with that full picture in mind, step into the new year with clarity, confidence, and compassion for the person you are becoming.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Friday Dec 05, 2025
Friday Dec 05, 2025
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re talking about something most of us feel deeply but rarely pause long enough to examine: how we honor the gift of time. Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Wow… time is really flying by,” yet found yourself spending whole stretches of your life on things that don’t matter, don’t fill you, or don’t reflect who you’re becoming? It’s that strange contradiction; we feel time slipping, yet we still give so much of it away to worry, distraction, obligation, or drama that never pays back.
This episode was sparked by a conversation with a friend about entering a new season of life where time feels less like a resource and more like a gift, something to handle with care. I shared this year’s motto with him, “Just because I can doesn’t mean I want to or have to,” to which he said, “You’re preaching to the choir”. WOW, I wasn’t alone; we were both experiencing the same thing at the same time. There was a time when saying yes to everything felt like the responsible thing to do. It felt like proof that we were pulling our weight, showing up, and making things happen. Now, many of us want to choose more intentionally, not slowing down necessarily, but selecting the people, projects, and commitments that bring meaning.
And underneath all of that is the idea of stewardship: being entrusted with something precious and choosing to invest it wisely. If time is a gift, how do we honor it? How do we invest it in what truly matters instead of what simply demands attention?
That’s what we’re exploring today. Not from a place of guilt or pressure but from a place of awareness and gratitude. This episode is about shifting from simply spending time to investing it. And choosing what truly matters.
CHALLENGE: Honor the gift of time by choosing what aligns with your values and letting go of what doesn’t. Invest wisely. Protect what matters. And receive each moment with gratitude.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here:
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re talking about something that feels simple on the surface but has quietly gotten complicated over the years; the lost art of human connection. Let me ask you this. Have you ever caught yourself choosing the easier, more convenient option even when you knew the real thing would’ve felt better? Maybe it was sending a text instead of having a conversation. Maybe it was Googling an answer instead of asking someone for help. Or maybe, without even realizing it, you’ve replaced community with convenience.
I grew up in a time when your “search engine” was the person standing next to you. You needed directions? You asked someone. You wanted a restaurant recommendation? You talked to the locals. You had a random question or a big idea or a wondering moment? You pondered it. You reasoned it out. You let your mind chew on it. And in all those moments, even the small ones, connection happened.
But today? We can outsource nearly everything: information, support, company, and even our curiosity. And while convenience is wonderful, it’s also quietly replacing the face-to-face interactions that used to stitch our communities together. I don’t believe humans were designed to live isolated lives. We’re built for each other. To feel for others, to be felt by others, and to feel ourselves more fully because someone sees us.
So on this episode, we’re exploring the slow drift toward disconnection and how we can intentionally build bridges back to community, purpose, and genuine human interaction. Because convenience might be efficient. But connection? That’s what makes us feel alive.
Let’s take a moment to define what I mean by “disconnecting.” I’m not talking about running away to the mountains or deleting every app on your phone. I’m talking about when convenience slowly replaces connection until you look around and realize you’re not engaging with real people the way you used to.
Connection is more than being in contact. It’s being in a community where you feel known, seen, valued, and plugged into something bigger than yourself. It’s being able to walk into a room and feel the energy shift because you’re part of a group.
Where are people getting that today? For some, it’s online communities, and that’s not all bad. But many have drifted away from in-person spaces that used to offer grounding and belonging. Church is a big one. And I get it. “Organized religion” has become a loaded phrase. Many people stepped away from the institution and accidentally stepped away from the community too.
The real loss? Not just the rituals but the relationships. The potlucks. The check-ins. The encouragement. The sense of purpose that comes from helping, serving, or even just showing up. Without those touchpoints, it becomes easy to float. Easy to isolate. Easy to forget what it feels like to be needed or known.
And yet, most people say they want purpose. They want belonging. They want to feel plugged in. But those things require participation. They require interaction. They require us to be in the room. So how do we start finding our way back?
CHALLENGE: So, I challenge you… to intentionally choose one moment this week where you replace convenience with connection. Look for the conversation, the eye contact, the opportunity to help, or the open door to step back into community. Be brave enough to show up, be present, and let yourself be needed again.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
🎶 Music that Moves the Message
All original music featured in this episode—including the Encouragementology intro, outro, and interludes—was written and performed by Matt Martino. His work brings warmth and emotion to every episode.
Find more of Matt’s music here: