Your Odyssey Podcast

What if creativity isn't a talent reserved for a gifted few? What if it's part of what makes us human? In the final episode of our Joy & Aliveness series, Tara and Karen are joined by the founder of Stage & Spirit, Veronique MacRae, for a conversation about creativity, identity, and the courage to express what's already within us. Together, they explore how many adults slowly disconnect from creativity because they begin believing it belongs to someone else. They discuss the freedom that comes from redefining what it means to be an artist, the connection between creativity and emotional well-being, and why creating isn't about perfection or performance. In This Episode Why creativity belongs to everyone Releasing limiting definitions of "artist" Creativity as self-expression and healing The connection between play, joy, and expression Reclaiming imagination in adulthood Finding the courage to create without perfection Whether your canvas is a journal, a garden, a stage, a kitchen, a classroom, or simply the way you love people, this episode is an invitation to remember that you were created to create. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Renegades - X Ambassadors Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - Celebrating the Creative Process(00:03:11) - In This Season: Celebrating the Arts(00:04:55) - How to Be an Artist(00:07:41) - Chris: The Boxes of Creativity(00:12:33) - What Do You See That Surprises People Most When They Connect With(00:16:01) - Reasons to Create: Renegades by Ex Ambassadors(00:19:41) - Where in Your Life Are You Being Invited to Create?(00:22:10) - Yo Podcast: The Desire to Create

What brings you joy? For many people, that question is surprisingly difficult to answer. After years of responsibility, caregiving, achievement, and doing what needs to be done, it's easy to lose touch with what we actually enjoy, desire, or long for. We become experts at managing life while forgetting how to participate in it. In this episode, Tara and Karen explore the hidden cost of disconnecting from ourselves and why reclaiming joy often begins with a simple but powerful question: What do I want? Together, they discuss curiosity, desire, self-expression, and the small breadcrumbs that can guide us back to what makes us feel most alive. In This Episode Why many adults struggle to identify what brings them joy The hidden cost of suppressing who you are Relearning desire after years of responsibility Following curiosity as a compass Self-expression and emotional well-being Small ways to reconnect with yourself Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - What Really Brings Me Joy?(00:05:11) - What Do You Want For Your Life?(00:11:02) - How to Find Joy in Life(00:13:39) - How to Find More Joy in Life(00:16:37) - Dancing in the Moonlight(00:17:44) - What Breadcrumb of Joy Are You Following This Week?(00:19:10) - What Makes You Come Alive?

As part of our June series, Joy & Aliveness, we're revisiting one of the earliest conversations from the Your Odyssey archives. What if joy isn't something you have to earn? Many of us have been taught to treat joy as a reward—something that comes after the work is done, after the healing happens, or after life becomes easier. But what if joy was never meant to be a prize waiting at the finish line? In this conversation, Tara and Karen explore the idea that joy is a fundamental part of who we are. Not because life is always easy. Not because difficult emotions disappear. But because joy can exist alongside grief, uncertainty, challenge, and change. Together, they discuss the duality of joy, why we often lose touch with it, and simple ways to reconnect through gratitude, laughter, movement, presence, and wonder. In This Episode Why joy is more than a fleeting emotion The difference between happiness and joy How joy can coexist with difficult seasons Simple practices for reconnecting with delight Remembering what has always been available to you Why We're Revisiting This Episode Throughout this month's Joy & Aliveness series, we've been exploring the idea that joy isn't something we stumble upon after everything is fixed. It's something we return to. And this conversation reminds us that perhaps joy has been part of us all along. Whether you're hearing this episode for the first time or returning to it years later, we invite you to listen for what resonates now. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves

What if joy isn't something you earn, but something you need? In this episode, Tara and Karen challenge the belief that joy is frivolous, unproductive, or something to be put off until everything else is finished. They explore why play, curiosity, wonder, and delight are not distractions from healing but part of the healing itself. Through a thought-provoking conversation about our most essential human needs, they invite listeners to reconsider what it means to truly care for themselves. What if joy belongs alongside oxygen and water? What if making space for laughter, creativity, connection, and awe isn't selfish, but necessary? In This Episode Why joy doesn't have to be earned The connection between play and well-being How curiosity helps us stay open to life Releasing the belief that rest and delight are frivolous Why surviving and living are not the same thing Making room for wonder in everyday life If you've been postponing what brings you life until a "better time," this episode offers permission to stop waiting. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Joy - Voices of Fire Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey(00:00:58) - The Way Back to Joy(00:01:20) - When Did Joy Need Justification?(00:02:25) - Following the Breadcrumbs of Play(00:03:50) - Joy Is Essential(00:05:11) - Giving Your Nervous System What It Needs(00:06:35) - The Gift of Presence(00:07:10) - What Brings You to Life?(00:09:03) - The Power of Small Moments(00:10:16) - Joy and Grief Can Sit at the Same Table(00:11:28) - Joy Has Been Waiting for You(00:13:02) - Choosing Joy, Again and Again(00:13:22) - Song of the Week(00:15:07) - Question of the Day(00:16:07) - Wisdom to Carry With You(00:16:48) - Until Next Time(00:17:40) - Thank You for Exploring with Us

What if the reason you feel disconnected isn't that you've lost your purpose, but because you've lost touch with what makes you feel alive? In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore the quiet ways we drift away from ourselves through responsibility, achievement, survival mode, and the endless pressure to keep doing more. Together, they unpack why joy doesn't live at the end of a completed to-do list, how aliveness often shows up in ordinary moments, and what it looks like to reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been waiting for your attention. In This Episode Why many women feel disconnected despite doing "everything right" The difference between functioning and feeling alive How achievement can quietly pull us away from ourselves Why joy isn't waiting at the finish line Small ways to reconnect with aliveness in everyday life If you've been functioning but not fully feeling, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and begin finding your way back. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Alive - Sia Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - January Celebration: Joy(00:02:39) - What Comes First in Life?(00:08:22) - How to Find Joy in Your Life(00:11:59) - The Question of What Should I Do With My Life(00:15:54) - Thank You, Sia(00:16:56) - What is it about creativity that makes you most alive?(00:19:28) - Back to Joy(00:20:58) - Exploring Durham

What if the future of leadership isn’t hopeless after all? In the final episode of this 3-part series, Tara and Karen continue their conversation with Merry about culture change, emotional intelligence, and the future of leadership, and why, despite the instability we see around us, she remains deeply hopeful about people. Together, they explore: Why most people are already doing the best they can with the tools they’ve been given The connection between education, emotional intelligence, and healthier cultures What leaders actually need to create sustainable transformation How small acts of courage ripple outward into organizations and communities Why culture change begins with human beings, not systems alone The future of leadership in a rapidly changing world This conversation is a hopeful reminder that transformation becomes possible when people are given the right support, resources, and environments to grow. If you’ve been longing for a different way forward, for leadership, relationships, or culture, this episode invites you to imagine what becomes possible when we stop leading through survival and start leading through awareness, courage, and care. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Glory - Common featuring John Legend Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - Return to Leadership: The Third Part(00:02:03) - The need to let go(00:07:38) - On labels and the skills story(00:09:30) - The culture of the sports club(00:13:46) - Letting Go(00:17:47) - Wish for Yourself in the Rebuild(00:19:02) - What kind of culture do you want to lead?(00:24:15) - The Questions of Re-building the Community(00:27:40) - Coming soon: Finding Your Purpose(00:31:56) - The Balance of Leading and Being Seen(00:35:14) - Locking into the Joys(00:44:11) - What gives you hope about the future of leadership?(00:45:41) - Mary's VisionaryLeadership(00:50:54) - Exploring Durham

Why does transformation feel so difficult, even when we know change is necessary? In Part 2 of this 3-part leadership series, Tara and Karen continue their conversation with Merry Graham, exploring why to explore why so many visionary leaders find themselves caught between outdated definitions of success and the need for deeper transformation. Together, they explore: Why transformation often feels uncomfortable and uncertain Emotional intelligence and self-regulation in times of instability How fear and reactivity keep leaders stuck The emotional climate leaders create around them What visionary leadership requires in today’s world The tension between who we were and who we’re becoming If you’ve been feeling caught between exhaustion and expansion, certainty and change, this conversation offers language for the in-between—and a reminder that transformation is rarely linear. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Hold On - Alabama Shakes Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - Your Odyssey Podcast Welcome(00:00:36) - Explorers: The History of Visionary Leadership(00:01:52) - The Challenges of Being a Visionary Leader(00:12:26) - What does wisdom look like in leadership?(00:18:05) - The 3 Voice Theory(00:22:54) - Finding our voice in the present crisis(00:29:54) - Mind Management, Exercise(00:31:04) - What is my soul yearning for?(00:34:04) - Critical Parent in the Driving Seat(00:37:06) - What did I Get Out of the Exercise?(00:40:54) - Self- Mastery: The Journey to Self-Confidence(00:44:54) - A Little Outro(00:48:05) - Beyond Visionary Leadership: A Week in the Life

What if the biggest gap in leadership today isn’t strategy, but self-awareness? In Part 1 of this 3-part series, Tara and Karen sit down with Merry Graham, who has spent over 30 years working with leaders around the world to explore a powerful idea: that emotional and spiritual intelligence are missing from how we develop leaders. Together, they unpack what it means to lead as a whole human being and why individual dysregulation can ripple outward into teams, organizations, and even society. This conversation explores: What “whole-person leadership” actually means Why emotional intelligence (EQ) and self-regulation matter more than ever The hidden ways leaders become dysregulated How self-trust, not control, is the foundation of real leadership What visionary leaders understand that most systems overlook If you’ve ever felt like leadership requires more than what you were taught, this episode will help you begin to see what’s been missing and what becomes possible when you develop the skills to lead from within. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Saturn - Sleeping at Last Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - The Human Skills of Leadership(00:01:36) - Meet Merry Graham(00:03:30) - The Missing Education in Leadership(00:09:07) - Wonders of the World: The Whole Person(00:12:40) - Culture and Communication(00:16:52) - Motivation and Fear(00:25:34) - Skills Not Slogans(00:26:31) - Relationship 6: Trust and Skills(00:34:26) - Accurate Skill Story

You’re allowed to take up space. But what happens after that? In this episode, we move beyond the idea of visibility into something deeper… capacity. Because taking up space isn’t just about being seen or heard. It’s about what you carry into the rooms, conversations, and relationships you’re part of. Your presence is not neutral.Whether you realize it or not, it shapes the emotional climate around you. We explore: The difference between visibility and capacity How your presence influences every space you enter The subtle ways we show up with hesitation, avoidance, or clarity What it actually looks like to be more present in real time This isn’t about becoming louder. It’s about becoming more available to yourself and to the moment you’re in. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Show Yourself - Idina Menzel Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - A Choosing To Take Up Space(00:04:45) - Taking Up Space in Relationships(00:10:24) - How to Stay Present When You're Starting to Panic(00:16:28) - The Art of Choosing Differently(00:18:24) - Idina Menzel's 'Show Yourself' From Frozen 2(00:20:52) - What Are You Carrying Into the Rooms You're Part of Right(00:26:04) - There's a Reason Why Things Happen(00:26:17) - Exploring the World: Brene Brown

Who told you your voice was too much? In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, we unpack the message so many of us have internalized (that we’re too loud, too emotional, too intense) and what it’s been costing us. Because “too much” isn’t something you’re born believing.It’s something you learn. And over time, that belief shows up as self-editing, shrinking, and holding back before you’ve even had the chance to fully express yourself. But what if your voice was never the problem? What if it was the spaces you were in? This episode is an invitation to stop negotiating your truth, release the need to be more palatable, and trust that your voice was always meant to take up space. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "I Am Not My Hair - India.Arie Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Who Told You Your Voice Was Too Much(00:01:56) - The Fear That Your Voice Is Too Much(00:02:02) - Early Sensitivity (Karen's Story)(00:02:52) - Big Emotions + Learning to Hold Them(00:04:19) - You Were Meant to Feel the Full Spectrum(00:05:59) - How We Learn to Silence Ourselves(00:06:36) - Maybe You Were Never "Too Much"(00:07:54) - Your Voice Isn't Too Much, It's Reclaiming Space(00:08:32) - Discernment Isn't Rudeness(00:09:47) - The Parts of You You Learned to Bury(00:11:45) - Getting Quiet to Hear Yourself Again(00:12:00) - A Quiet Way Back to Your Voice(00:17:00) - The Song That Sounds Like Reclamation(00:18:46) - Editing Yourself Before You Even Speak(00:21:40) - Overexplaining (Even via Text 👀)(00:23:16) - Don't "Unmuch" Yourself (Glennon Doyle)(00:24:42) - Closing + Thanks for Listening

What if you didn’t lose your voice? What if it just got quiet for a reason? In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, we explore what it looks like to reconnect with your voice after seasons of silence: without rushing, forcing, or expecting yourself to be where you used to be. Because for many of us, staying quiet wasn’t random.It was protective.And when your voice quiets to keep you safe, finding it again isn’t about pushing harder; it’s about rebuilding trust. Through honest reflection and grounded insight, Tara and Karen walk through what it looks like to reconnect with yourself, start small, and let your voice come back in a way that feels safe, steady, and true. If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your voice, this episode is your invitation to gently come back to it. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "A Beautiful Noise" - Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - How to Come Back to Your Voice(00:03:21) - Karen on Silencing Her Voice(00:06:58) - Don't Lose Your Voice(00:09:23) - How to Reclaim Your Voice(00:12:25) - How to Speak Up Again(00:17:21) - Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlisle sing "(00:19:50) - Where Have You Feel Distracted From Your Voice?(00:22:36) - A message for voice reconnection(00:24:00) - Yo Podcast

What has your silence cost you? In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore the quiet consequences of the things we didn’t say, and how silence, while often protective, can slowly erode our identity, relationships, and sense of peace. From second-guessing yourself to feeling unseen in your relationships, they unpack how what goes unsaid doesn’t disappear. It gets stored. But this isn’t about blame or regret, and it’s not about forcing yourself to say everything at once.It’s about awareness. Because once you notice the cost, you also gain a choice. If you’ve ever held back, softened your truth, or stayed quiet to keep the peace, this episode is for you, and it’s an invitation to gently reconnect with what you know is true and begin honoring it, one small moment at a time. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles Playlists:Spotify - Volume 2YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome and Disclaimer(00:00:53) - What Happens to What We Don't Say?(00:01:58) - What Comes Up When You Think About Staying Quiet?(00:06:42) - The Moment You Stayed Quiet(00:09:23) - What Silence is Actually Costing You(00:12:39) - When You Can't Say Everything(00:15:04) - Truth Without Oversharing(00:15:56) - Stop Abandoning What You Know Is True(00:17:11) - Reclaiming Your Voice, Gently(00:18:30) - Starting Small (Low-Stakes Practice)(00:23:01) - QOTD: What Has Your Silence Cost You?(00:25:19) - Your Voice Is a Tool(00:26:40) - Closing + Thanks for Listening

What if you don’t need to feel ready before you speak? In this episode of Your Odyssey, we explore what it really means to find your voice, and why waiting for confidence might be the very thing holding you back. So many of us believe we need clarity before expression. But what if it actually works the other way around?What if your voice becomes clearer because you use it? Through honest reflection and real-life insight, Tara and Karen unpack what it looks like to speak from the wobble, showing up before you feel fully prepared, and trusting that your voice will meet you there. If you’ve been holding back, editing yourself, or waiting for the “right time,” this episode is your invitation to say it anyway. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "Speechless" by Naomi Scott Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - The Moment When Your Voice Doesn't Quite Show Up(00:01:50) - Speaking From the Wobble(00:02:24) - Readiness Myth and Practice(00:04:12) - Unlearning Perfectionism(00:05:41) - Say It Then Get Clear(00:06:36) - Fear in a Cute Outfit(00:09:05) - Body Cues and Holding Truth(00:11:01) - Safety and Self-Permission(00:11:48) - Wobble Talk and Courage(00:12:56) - Channeling the Message(00:15:01) - Say It Messy Anyway(00:15:14) - Grounding Tricks to Speak(00:16:14) - Be Authentic With Yourself(00:16:42) - Speechless(00:18:45) - The Body Holds Untold Truths(00:19:46) - When Did You Start Speaking Your Truth?

In this early episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore what self-love really means and what it truly requires. Not as a surface-level concept, but as a relationship. They reflect on self-love as the practice of meeting yourself with compassion, grace, and honesty, including the parts you’ve tried to hide, fix, or push away. The “icky bits” you’ve been taught to suppress are not separate from you. They’re part of your story, and they’re worthy of care. This conversation invites a shift inward. It gently guides you away from external expectations, people-pleasing, and perfection, and back toward a grounded sense of self. Because self-love isn’t something you arrive at. It’s something you practice.Through awareness.Through curiosity.Through choosing to stay with yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable. And over time, that practice creates something deeper than confidence.It creates internal safety. The kind that allows you to live, speak, and show up from what’s already true. This is a conversation we’re still letting shape how we live. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "Bloom" by The Paper Kites Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2

Two years ago, two women started a conversation. We didn’t know exactly what it would become. In this special anniversary episode, we pull back the curtain on the real journey behind Your Odyssey: the excitement of starting something, the quiet discipline it took to keep going, and the moments that stretched them in ways they never saw coming. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s an honest look at what it means to build something meaningful while still figuring yourself out along the way. If you’ve ever held something together, a dream, a family, a version of yourself, and wondered what the next chapter might hold, this one’s for you. ✨ Question of the Day: What has the last season of your life taught you about who you’re becoming? As Ursula K. Le Guin wrote, it is the journey that matters, in the end. Two years in, we’re just getting started. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "Bloom" by The Paper Kites Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - Celebrating The Second Year of Exploring With Tara(00:05:36) - QUEENies: The Return to Self-Love(00:09:07) - The Undoing Tara's Podcast(00:13:23) - The Real Work of Starting a Podcast(00:18:26) - On Working With Scripts(00:20:34) - A message about the podcast(00:23:21) - The Search for Meaning in Life(00:25:21) - How We Learned To Trust The Pod(00:28:27) - Celebrity In the Elevator: Year 3(00:31:47) - Bloom(00:33:07) - What has the last season of your life taught you about yourself?

Growth begins with courage, but the life you’re building can only flourish if you learn how to sustain it. In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen invite you to pull up a chair for a warm, honest conversation about what really keeps us going. After exploring remembrance and stewardship in earlier episodes, they’re now asking: how do we actually sustain the life we’ve worked so hard to build? Instead of treating wellness as another box to tick, Tara and Karen look at sacred wellness as the quiet art of caring for ourselves from the inside out. They share personal stories about protecting rest, honoring emotional honesty, and creating rhythms that support your whole self, mind, body, and spirit, for the long haul. This episode isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about finding the practices, boundaries, and restorative moments that help you keep showing up for the life you want. ✨ Question of the Day:What sustains the life you’re building? As the writer Isak Dinesen reminds us, sometimes the cure is simple: sweat, tears, or the sea. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "Work Song" by Hozier Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome and Disclaimer(00:00:53) - Why Sustainability Matters(00:02:10) - Blooming Takes Care(00:05:17) - What is Sacred Wellness?(00:07:59) - Rest Without Guilt(00:10:59) - Nervous System Reset(00:14:30) - Strength as Sustainability(00:18:00) - Sustaining and Sacred Wellbeing(00:20:36) - Question of the Day(00:22:35) - Salt Water Wisdom(00:24:11) - Closing and Credits

Last week, we talked about the women who shaped us. This week, we explore what happens after the awakening. In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen reflect on the quieter side of growth: stewardship. Becoming the woman you’re called to be may happen in a moment, but living aligned with that identity is a daily practice. Through honest conversation, they explore the discipline of identity, the temptation to perform growth, and the grief that can come when people relate to an older version of you. What does it look like to stay aligned when it costs familiarity, comfort, or approval? Together, they reflect on the quiet courage required to steward what has been awakened in you. ✨ Question of the Day: What is staying aligned costing you? Because how we spend our days, as Annie Dillard reminds us, is ultimately how we shape our lives. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: "My Silver Lining" by First Aid Kit Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - The Odyssey: Episode 1(00:00:53) - Today's Talk: Women's Relationships(00:03:02) - What has shifted from inspiration to responsibility?(00:07:09) - The Boldness of Saying Yes(00:12:15) - A Voice for the Cho(00:14:26) - How to Steward the Land of Growth(00:18:48) - My Silver Lining(00:21:14) - What is Staying Aligned costing you?

Before you became who you are, there were women who carried something for you. In this Women’s History Month episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen reflect on the women who shaped their story. They talk about the ones they watched, the ones whose labor went unseen, and the mentors who stepped in at just the right time to break through their hesitation. Karen shares about the women in her lineage who “made do,” often shrinking and sometimes lacking a voice, but who also showed fierce strength that now inspires her passion for voice work and generational change. Tara tells the story of a mentor who confirmed her decision to return to school, reminding us that sometimes what we need most is to see someone else living the life we’re afraid to claim. From inherited resilience to intentional evolution, this episode invites you to consider what you have absorbed and what you are choosing to carry forward in a new way. ✨ Question of the Day: What’s one truth the women before you taught you? Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: I Was Here by Beyoncé Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2

Are you generous, dependable, and deeply loving with those around you, but struggle to offer that same care to yourself, especially when others might see? In this episode, Tara and Karen explore what it means to love yourself loudly, not through affirmations or self-focus, but through everyday choices that honor your needs, boundaries, and capacity. They talk about why self-love often feels safer when it stays quiet, the discomfort of being seen caring for yourself, and how choosing yourself without apology can feel like one of the bravest acts of kindness. This conversation isn’t about indulgence or ego. It’s about integrity. It’s about practicing self-love in honest, embodied, and sustainable ways. If you’ve ever felt guilty for resting, explaining your boundaries, or making your needs smaller to keep others comfortable, this episode offers language, permission, and encouragement to let your care be seen. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Flowers by Miley Cyrus Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to YO Podcast(00:00:36) - How to Love Yourself Out Loud(00:01:56) - Real-Life Examples: Choosing Joy & a Slow Morning(00:05:00) - Why Self-Love Was Taught to Be Quiet (and the Reframe)(00:08:45) - Self-Love Is a Choice: Rest, Boundaries & Protecting Your Time(00:11:45) - Self-Love vs Self-Indulgence: Motives, Judgment & Envy(00:17:41) - Stop Explaining Yourself: Choose You Publicly (Unbothered Energy)(00:19:14) - Soundtrack Moment: ‘Flowers’ and Not Outsourcing Your Love(00:20:58) - QOTD: Where Is Loving Yourself Out Loud Uncomfortable?(00:24:27) - Owning Your Story: Brene Brown Quote + Living Your Truth

In a world that prizes quick wit and fast reactions, kindness is often mistaken for weakness.But what if kindness is actually a form of courage? In this episode, Tara and Karen look at kindness through a new lens: not as a weakness, but as an act of courage. They talk about the kind of strength it takes to choose restraint over escalation and honesty over avoidance. Together, they untangle the difference between kindness and niceness, explore why true gentleness needs boundaries, and show how simple, everyday acts of kindness can quietly shift relational climates over time. This conversation isn’t about people-pleasing or staying silent in the face of harm. It’s about choosing love with integrity, remaining soft without collapsing, and being brave without becoming cruel. If you’ve ever felt torn between being kind and being honest, or wondered how to keep your humanity in tough moments, this episode gives you both language and permission to choose courage, the kind that lets you stay open without hardening. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast + Quick Disclaimer(00:00:53) - Why This Moment Feels So Reactive (and Why Kindness Matters)(00:01:29) - Kindness as Courage(00:07:39) - Quiet Courage in Real Life: Noticing Kindness & Letting It Ripple(00:11:44) - Kindness vs Niceness(00:14:59) - How to Tell the Difference in Your Body: Performative Nice vs. Deep Kind(00:16:50) - The Quiet Power of Kindness: Tone, Timing, Restraint(00:18:28) - Kindness Changes the Relational Climate (We’re All Connected)(00:21:44) - Rebellious Kindness: Holding Your Ground Without Going on the Offensive(00:23:09) - Question of the Day: How Kindness Asks Us to Be Braver(00:25:00) - Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind: A Daily Practice(00:28:00) - Kindness Isn’t Agreeable: Practicing Courage on Purpose (Closing)

Growth is rarely neat and clean. It’s often slow, unfinished, and uncomfortable, and that’s where love can feel hardest. In this episode, Tara and Karen explore what it means to love what’s still in progress, without rushing it, fixing it, or abandoning it too soon. They discuss why we’re tempted to pressure ourselves and others toward clarity, how to tell the difference between staying with growth and settling out of fear, and what it looks like to offer patience without self-betrayal. If you’re in the middle of a season, relationship, or inner change that feels unresolved, you’re not alone. This conversation isn’t about tolerating harm or forcing yourself to stay somewhere you shouldn’t. It’s about offering yourself kindness and staying present with what’s genuinely becoming. If you’ve ever felt the urge to speed things up just to get out of discomfort, this episode will offer language, reassurance, and permission to trust your own pace. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: Slow Burn Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Love as a Growth Process(00:02:00) - The Challenges of Loving in Process(00:04:48) - Staying Present and Connected(00:06:55) - What Do You Notice When You Stop Rushing Your Growth?(00:08:41) - The Practice of Patience and Discernment(00:11:15) - The Difference Between Staying and Settling(00:14:33) - How to Love Yourself in Process(00:16:01) - Embracing Self-Love(00:21:50) - Question of the Day

When we think about love, most of us imagine something warm and comfortable, something that feels easy, safe, and uplifting. But sometimes, the love that matters most is the love that makes us uncomfortable; the kind that pushes us to grow, even when we’d rather stay the same. In this episode, Tara and Karen get real about love as more than just a good feeling. They talk about the love that challenges us, calls us out of our comfort zones, and shapes who we’re becoming. Together, they explore how to tell the difference between love that simply feels good and love that actually forms us, why growing in love can feel inconvenient, and how to tell when discomfort is part of growth—not harm. This isn’t a conversation about romance or self-help clichés. It’s about showing up for the kind of love that stretches us, without needing to rush, fix, or abandon ourselves in the process. If you’ve ever felt torn between something that’s hard and something that’s loving, this episode is here to help you make sense of it all. And remind you that it’s okay to trust the process, even when it’s messy. Follow us on Instagram! Music:  Opening/Interlude/Outro: Love Is WaitingFeatured Song: What the World Needs Now Is Love Playlists: Spotify - Volume 2 YouTube Music - Volume 2 Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:01:44) - Exploring the Messy Reality of Love(00:02:28) - The Inconvenient Truths of Love(00:04:39) - Navigating the Challenges of True Love(00:05:09) - What is a Love Catalyst?(00:07:13) - The Role of Discernment in Love(00:09:01) - Formative Love: How It Expands Us(00:15:53) - The Lie About Love and Reward(00:18:26) - Expressions of Love in Everyday Moments(00:20:24) - What The World Needs Now(00:22:37) - Question of the Day: Love's Formation(00:27:37) - bell hooks quote(00:27:46) - Practicing Love: A Continuous Journey(00:29:16) - Good Night, Explorers(00:29:57) - A shoutout to Queenies in Durham

Episode 100 is a pause — not to summarize, but to honor. In this milestone episode, Tara and Karen reflect on 100 lessons from 100 conversations, highlighting key themes that have emerged again and again — reminders rooted in listening, honesty, and lived experience. Together, they celebrate the meaningful, heart-driven essence of their podcast journey and what these conversations have revealed about growth, identity, and what actually matters. This isn’t a highlight reel or a “best of.”It’s a grounding reflection on the wisdom that surfaces when people feel safe enough to tell the truth. Together, they explore why most people don’t need fixing, how clarity often comes after courage, why identity shapes everything, and what these conversations reveal about meaning and legacy. If you’ve been walking this journey with us — or you’re just arriving — this episode is an invitation to listen inward, trust what you already know, and keep living your life out loud. ✨ In this episode, they highlight five key reminders: Why most people don’t need fixing — they need safety How courage creates clarity Why identity shapes lasting change Why growth isn’t linear (and that’s not a failure) Why meaning matters more than metrics Listen now! Music: Love Is Waiting Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:54) - A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Listeners(00:01:08) - Reflecting on 100 Episodes(00:04:03) - A Few Reminders from Our Journey(00:05:23) - The Softness of Being Seen(00:07:14) - Clarity Comes After Courage(00:08:52) - Identity Shapes Everything(00:11:57) - Growth is Rarely Linear(00:13:50) - Meaning Over Metrics(00:18:48) - Question of the Day

What if happiness isn’t something you chase — but something that follows? In this episode, Tara and Karen explore the happiness paradox—the idea that the harder we try to find happiness by chasing more success, clarity, or healing, the further it can feel. Together, they break down why getting more doesn’t always feel as satisfying as we hope, how being content isn’t the same as being complacent, and why joy and discomfort often show up together in a meaningful life. This conversation invites you to let go of the pressure to have it all figured out, stop putting your life on hold, and rethink what really brings happiness. If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll be happier once things are different,” this episode offers a kinder, more real approach. Here’s what we dive into in this episode: Why trying so hard to be happy can actually leave us feeling less satisfied How being content is different from being complacent How joy and discomfort can both be present in your life at once Why happiness doesn’t like to be controlled, and what actually helps it show up Tune in and let happiness find you. Music: Love Is Waiting Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:36) - Exploring the Relationship Between Growth and Contentment(00:01:33) - The Dichotomy of Growth(00:03:50) - The Happiness Paradox(00:07:05) - Revisiting the Happiness Paradox(00:09:18) - When Happiness Is a Movement(00:12:51) - Exploring the Complacency Trap(00:17:18) - Embracing Discomfort in Growth(00:19:31) - Permission to Enjoy Life(00:23:12) - Debunking Transactional Growth(00:27:52) - Postponing Happiness

In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore what it really means to live in the overflow — not by pushing yourself to exhaustion, overgiving, or simply surviving, but by connecting with who you really are and finding fullness from within. So many of us are taught to give, lead, love, and show up from empty cups. We carry identities that once kept us safe but now quietly drain our energy. In this conversation, Explorers are invited to examine the roles and identities they’re operating from and how misalignment can block the overflow they’re longing for. Instead of chasing abundance through constant effort, this episode encourages a softer, more honest perspective: Overflow naturally happens when you let your truest self lead the way. If you’ve been feeling worn out, stretched too thin, or disconnected from your own strength, this conversation offers practical ways to return to alignment, sustainability, and a sense of wholeness. Here’s what you’ll find in this episode: A real exploration of what “overflow” is—and what it isn’t How old identities can quietly sap your energy Why aligning with your true self creates real abundance Four practical shifts to expand your energy and clarity Simple, grounding practices to help you live from a full cup This episode is for anyone who’s ready to stop pouring from an empty cup and start living and leading with genuine overflow. Music: Love Is Waiting Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:53) - Introduction to Identity Alignment(00:02:10) - The Power of Overflow(00:05:18) - The Strong One Identity(00:07:02) - The Fixer and Overcomer Identities(00:08:27) - The Self-Sacrificer Identity(00:10:16) - Retiring Old Identities(00:11:21) - Creating Space for Overflow(00:15:12) - Daily Practices for Awareness(00:15:53) - Identity Shifts(00:23:18) - Musical Inspiration for Overflow(00:25:35) - QOTD: Which Version of Me Creates Overflow and Which Drain It?(00:29:21) - Closing Remarks and Gratitude

In this episode, Tara and Karen unpack the cultural pressure of “New Year, New You” and why the obsession with reinvention often leads to self-rejection instead of growth. January makes everyone believe they need to upgrade, overhaul, or perfect themselves — but real change doesn’t come from abandoning who you are. It comes from honoring the truest version of you. We explore the emotional and identity-level impact of starting the year by declaring your current self not enough, and invite listeners to shift from performance to presence, from proving to being, and from reinvention to alignment. If you’re tired of starting every year with pressure, perfectionism, or self-criticism, this conversation is your permission slip to step into the year with compassion, clarity, and truth. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the “new you” narrative triggers self-rejection How to recognize when you’re performing instead of becoming Why evolution is gentle, layered, and rooted in truth How to start the year from sufficiency instead of scarcity Practical invitations for authentic, aligned renewal This episode pairs perfectly with anyone craving a grounded, honest, and sustainable way to begin the year. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Odyssey: Episode 1(00:00:53) - How New Year's Resolutions Are Keeping You(00:06:49) - January is a month of renewal and evolution(00:08:21) - Being fully present in your body(00:09:10) - A New Year With Three Shifts(00:10:30) - 4 Ways to Renew Yourself(00:15:59) - Keep Your Head Up(00:19:45) - The New Year, New You(00:25:26) - Question of the Day(00:25:39) - A New Year's Words

As the year comes to a close, Tara and Karen sit down for an honest, spacious, and deeply human debrief of 2025. This is not a recap of metrics or milestones — it’s a reflection on what this year revealed, what it stretched inside us, and how it quietly prepared us for what’s ahead. In this episode of Your Odyssey, we pause to honor the year you lived. Together, we explore: ✨ What this year revealed about who you’re becoming ✨ The unexpected places growth showed up ✨ Why clarity often comes after movement — and after rest ✨ What felt hard, what softened, and what shifted ✨ What we’re carrying into 2026, and what we’re choosing to set down ✨ How Your Odyssey is evolving and refining next year This conversation is an exhale — a moment of acknowledgment, truth-telling, and clarity before the new year asks anything of you. If you’re ready to reflect with honesty and close out the year with intention, this episode is for you. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - A Year in Review: Reflecting on the Year(00:03:07) - What This Year Has Revealed(00:04:11) - Personal Growth and Letting Go(00:08:58) - The Importance of Rest and Clarity(00:09:45) - How to Let Go of Control(00:14:18) - Grounded Leadership and Discerning Yeses(00:16:26) - Looking Ahead to 2026(00:19:41) - Be Still(00:23:38) - Closing Reflections and Gratitude

You’ve grown in ways you didn’t always see. You’ve stretched in ways you didn’t expect. And even if this year felt slow, uncertain, or quieter than you imagined, you were becoming the whole time. In this episode, Tara and Karen guide you through a heartfelt reflection on the version of you that carried this year with courage, tenderness, honesty, and grit. This is not a push toward reinvention or resolutions; it’s a moment of acknowledgment. A soft pause. A love letter to the person you are right now. Inside this episode, we explore: ✨ Why it’s so hard to recognize your own growth ✨ What becoming actually feels like (hint: it's not glamorous) ✨ How to honor the version of you who quietly held so much this year ✨ Why slow seasons are often the ones that shape us the most ✨ A guided moment of reflection to witness your evolution If you’ve been hard on yourself this year, this conversation is your invitation to soften and to see what has been quietly transforming inside you. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - Your Odyssey Podcast Introduction(00:00:53) - Reflecting on the Past Year(00:02:44) - Embracing Growth and Change(00:03:44) - Honoring Your Journey(00:05:52) - A Love Letter to Yourself(00:06:50) - A Year of Growth(00:11:03) - A Love Letter for Explorers(00:13:03) - The Power of Community and Connection(00:13:42) - Grow As We Go

After long seasons of giving, surviving, and showing up for everyone else, it can feel strange to ask, “What do I want?” In this episode of Your Odyssey, Tara and Karen invite you to reconnect with the part of yourself that still dares to dream. Together, we'll explore why it feels safer to shrink our hopes, how to rebuild trust with our desires, and what it means to shift from surviving to creating again. You’ll be reminded that dreaming isn’t about chasing perfection—it’s about remembering possibility. Because when you stop editing your desires and start listening to them, your imagination becomes a compass for what’s next. This episode is your permission slip to want again; to see dreaming not as indulgence but as an act of self-trust. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The OZODO Podcast(00:00:53) - Give Yourself Permission to Dream(00:01:57) - How to Rejuvenate Your Dreams(00:03:19) - Stoking Desires and Growing Your Imagination(00:08:06) - What Is The Dream That Scares Us?(00:13:08) - How to Dream Again With Rest(00:16:00) - A Million Dreams From The Greatest Showman(00:16:56) - "What If?"(00:18:31) - What's One Dream You're Afraid to Revisit?(00:21:23) - Our Odyssey: Dreams Still Matter(00:23:29) - A shoutout to Queenies Durham

Maybe this year didn’t go according to plan. Maybe it stretched you, slowed you down, or revealed parts of you that weren’t ready before. But what if none of it was wasted? In this episode of Your Odyssey, Tara and Karen invite you to reframe the way you see your year — not as a collection of unfinished goals, but as evidence of becoming. They explore the myth of linear progress, help you recognize the proof of your quiet growth, and show how to let the lessons of this season land before you rush into what’s next. You’ll be reminded that growth doesn’t always show up on the surface — sometimes it’s found in the boundaries you set, the peace you protected, or the habits you finally released. Your Year Was Not a Waste is your permission slip to stop measuring success by output and start celebrating endurance, healing, and transformation. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Reflecting at the End of the Year(00:02:31) - The Lie of Linear Growth(00:03:08) - Embracing Invisible Growth(00:07:40) - The Signs You're Growing(00:12:11) - How to Dance Through Life(00:14:16) - Every Season Has a Purpose(00:15:51) - What Part of this Year or Season or Transition Do You Want to(00:18:52) - The Importance of Fun and Joy(00:20:54) - This Year's Slow Season

When was the last time you truly paused? In this episode, Tara and Karen invite you to slow down long enough to hear yourself again. As the year winds down, it’s easy to mistake constant motion for progress—but true growth often happens in the quiet spaces in between. We explore why we resist slowing down, how stillness restores the nervous system, and how rest becomes readiness for what’s next. You’ll also experience a short, guided exercise to help your body remember what safety feels like—because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do isn’t push harder, but stop long enough to exhale. The Pause That Heals is an invitation to reclaim stillness as a vital part of your becoming. Because the pause isn’t wasted time—it’s where your clarity, intuition, and next right step begin to rise. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - How to Stop Feeling So Much in December(00:01:50) - A Gentle Reminder to Slow Down(00:04:37) - Why We Need to Slow Down(00:08:58) - How to Rest Your Body(00:12:44) - Creating a Space of Safety for Yourself(00:23:16) - Quiet by Elevation Rhythm(00:25:24) - Coming soon: The Stillness(00:26:34) - When Was the Last Time You Forced Yourself to Slow Down?(00:30:53) - Coming Soon: The Stillness

We’ve spent the month exploring gratitude—for the people we love, the moments that shape us, and the grace that carries us. But there’s one place we often forget to thank: our bodies. In this episode, Tara and Karen close out Gratitude Month with a conversation about embodied gratitude—honoring the body not for how it looks, but for how it lives, feels, and carries you through. ✨ Inside this episode: How to reclaim gratitude for the body that’s carried you through every season Why shame and comparison disconnect us from self-compassion Practical, gentle ways to thank your body each day Your body has held every version of you—the tired, the triumphant, the becoming. It deserves your gratitude, too. Listen and learn how gratitude can become a healing conversation between you and the home you live in every day. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Reclaiming Gratitude for Our Body(00:07:29) - You Should Probably Take A Nap(00:07:44) - What is Somatic Gratitude?(00:08:43) - Somatic Gratitude Practice(00:11:39) - "Body" by Julia Michaels(00:13:53) - Reflecting on Body Appreciation(00:14:16) - How to Thank Your Body

Gratitude and grief aren’t opposites—they often arrive together. One doesn’t cancel out the other. Gratitude can soften the edges of grief, and grief can deepen our gratitude for what was. In this episode, Tara and Karen open an honest conversation about what it means to hold both — to thank God (or life) for the beauty that remains while acknowledging the ache of what’s been lost. ✨ You’ll hear: Why gratitude and grief often coexist in real life How gratitude can bring healing without silencing pain Gentle practices for holding both emotions with honesty and compassion Because real gratitude doesn’t deny pain; it honors love. It gives grief shape, tenderness, and meaning. Listen and be reminded that your ability to feel deeply—both joy and sorrow—is holy ground.  Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:54) - How Gratitude and Grief Work Together(00:02:34) - How to Hold Both Gratitude and Grief(00:07:11) - How to Get Through a Year of Grief(00:08:37) - Practices for Holding Both Gratitude and Grief(00:13:08) - Rivers and Roads by the Head and Heart(00:15:20) - Grief Is About Shifting Your Identity(00:17:29) - What are you grateful for even as you grieve?(00:17:49) - How to Honor a Legacy at a Funeral(00:19:36) - How to Deal with Grief in Transition(00:22:34) - A shoutout to Durham based 1023 Media

Gratitude isn’t only about what you give—it’s also about what you allow yourself to receive. In this episode, Tara and Karen unpack the missing half of gratitude: the courage to let others care for you, support you, and remind you that you are worthy. ✨ Inside this episode: Why receiving feels so hard (and how family, culture, and fear play a role) The healing power of receiving as an act of trust Practical ways to practice receiving in your daily life—without guilt or apology Receiving is gratitude in action. It honors the gift and the giver, and it teaches your soul that you don’t have to carry everything alone. Listen now and explore how opening your heart to receive can change the way you experience love, generosity, and gratitude. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music

November is often called the season of gratitude—but what if gratitude doesn’t look like a smile plastered on your face or a list of blessings on paper? In this episode, Tara and Karen invite you into a different kind of gratitude: the quiet strength that grounds you in the middle of life’s storms. We’ll explore how gratitude works as an anchor—not by bypassing hard feelings, but by steadying you through them. Together, we’ll look at the myths of gratitude (forced positivity, toxic bypassing, silencing your real emotions) and uncover the truth: gratitude can be quiet, steady, and deeply personal. You’ll learn practical ways to integrate gratitude into your story—through journaling, prayer, meditation, voice memos, or simply naming one small thing that sustains you today. We’ll also talk about how gratitude can hold both joy and grief, and why the smallest acknowledgments—“thank you for this cup of tea”—are just as sacred as the big moments. ✨ Question of the Day: What is one quiet gratitude you can name today—the kind that doesn’t need an audience? If you’re ready to redefine gratitude and discover its quiet strength, press play. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Ode to Personal Growth(00:00:36) - How to Find Gratitude in the World(00:02:16) - Why We Need More Gratitude(00:06:18) - The Steadying Power of Gratitude(00:10:32) - What's a Gratitude Practice?(00:14:52) - Alanis Morissette's "Thank You"(00:16:33) - Forgiven #AskWSJD: What is the Gift That You(00:16:58) - A Quiet Gratitude

Emotional safety isn’t something we’re all taught — but it’s something we all need. In this week’s episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore what it means to feel safe being your full self — in your body, your home, and your relationships.  Together, they unpack: Why silence isn’t the same as peace How to rebuild trust with your own emotions Ways to create safety with others through honesty and compassion This episode invites you to slow down, notice your body’s cues, and learn to speak the truths you once swallowed. Because real safety doesn’t come from avoiding conflict — it comes from honoring what’s real. Listen now and begin learning how to make room for the parts of you that never felt safe to show up. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - When Was the Last Time You Feels Safe in Your Own Skin(00:02:35) - What Emotional Safety Is (and Isn't)(00:06:09) - Emotional Safety for Yourself(00:10:06) - The Need to Be Known and Loved(00:17:14) - How to Build Emotional Safety(00:21:39) - Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Burnout doesn’t always roar in flames—sometimes it whispers. It shows up in the sigh before you answer another email, in the irritation that flares over small things, or in the weight behind the words “I’m fine.” In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore quiet burnout—the slow, subtle exhaustion that creeps in when you keep pushing through instead of slowing down. Together, they unpack: The early signs of burnout most people overlook ⚡ How your body says “no” before your mind admits it Why rest, boundaries, and self-trust are antidotes to burnout—not luxuries If you’ve been running on fumes, this one's for you. Listen now and start learning how to hear your body’s whispers before they turn into screams. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify Chapters (00:00:53) - Checking In with Your Body(00:01:41) - Understanding Quiet Burnout(00:02:45) - Recognizing Signs of Burnout(00:05:00) - Hustle Culture and Its Impact(00:07:36) - Listening to Your Body's Signals(00:08:11) - Practical Steps to Combat Burnout(00:12:27) - Listen to Your Body's Signals

We’ve all worn the cape. The one that says you can do it all, hold it all, fix it all. From the outside, it looks powerful. On the inside, it’s exhausting.   In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen explore what it means to finally break up with Superhuman mode — the overfunctioning, overachieving, always-on identity that culture celebrates but our bodies and hearts can’t sustain.   You’ll hear: The lies that keep us striving to be Superhuman (“I’m the only one who can do it right,” “Rest is weakness”) The real cost of over-functioning — in our health, our relationships, and our sense of self What it looks like to choose wholeness instead: asking for help, saying no without guilt, and resting as resistance  Whether you’re burned out from hustle culture, tired of carrying everyone else’s weight, or simply ready to put the cape down, this conversation is your reminder: you don’t have to be Superhuman to be worthy. Being human is enough. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:54) - Checking In: How's Your Energy?(00:01:37) - The Superhuman Myth(00:02:57) - The Lies We Tell Ourselves(00:06:04) - The Costs of Being Superhuman(00:08:14) - Breaking Up with Superhuman Mode(00:10:03) - Practical Steps to Embrace Wholeness(00:14:35) - Question of the Day

Emotional intelligence isn’t about staying calm or keeping the peace. It’s about staying connected — to yourself and to others. In this episode of Your Odyssey, Tara and Karen explore what emotional intelligence looks like beyond the corporate buzzwords and leadership trainings, especially for anyone navigating midlife, family, relationships, and the pressure to keep it all together. You’ll learn: Why you can’t heal what you won’t feel — and how naming your emotions builds self-trust How to recognize and own your triggers without shame Why connection matters more than performance in relationships, parenting, and leadership Simple, practical ways to grow your emotional intelligence in daily life This conversation is part of Emotional Wellness Month and a reminder that you don’t need to perform your way through life. You get to feel. You get to heal. And you get to live more authentically. Tune in for tools, truth, and encouragement to build emotional resilience in real life. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Checking In: How Are You Really?(00:01:40) - Emotional Wellness Month: Diving into Emotional Intelligence(00:02:14) - Understanding and Naming Emotions(00:02:44) - The Importance of Feeling Your Emotions(00:07:58) - Owning Your Triggers Without Shame(00:09:39) - Creating Space and Allowing Grace(00:17:46) - "Feel A Way"(00:19:05) - QOTD: What Emotion Have You Been Avoiding?(00:23:17) - Exploring Your Inner Life

What if you’re already standing in the middle of your answered prayer? In this week’s episode, Tara and Karen invite you to pause the striving and notice the proof that growth is already unfolding in your life. Sometimes the evidence of transformation isn’t loud or flashy—it’s quiet, steady, and deeply sacred. Together, we’ll explore: → How to notice the subtle signs of progress you might be overlooking → Why internal shifts—like clarity, peace, or emotional regulation—matter just as much as external wins → How integration (celebrating, naming, and living your lessons) is a spiritual practice Because the truth is: your becoming is already visible. Your presence, your choices, your joy—they are the evidence. Affirmation: “My progress may be quiet—but it’s powerful." Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Ode to Personal Growth(00:00:36) - Celebrating What's Already Working in Your Life(00:04:05) - Why is it so hard to see what's working in our lives(00:06:40) - A Shift in Your Personal Life(00:12:07) - What Does Integration Look Like in Practice?(00:16:46) - Shining(00:19:21) - What's One Shift, Habit or Truth You Want to Carry Into

You’re standing in the space between where you’ve been and where you’re going—and it feels… tender. Uncertain. Quiet. This episode is for those navigating the in-between season, where clarity hasn’t fully landed yet, but the old ways no longer fit. Tara and Karen explore what it means to trust yourself—right here, in the middle. They unpack the fears that surface when you're charting a new path, the internal wisdom that often gets buried under doubt, and the healing work of repairing trust after years of self-abandonment. Because self-trust isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about choosing presence, honoring your truth, and taking the next right step—even when the path ahead is unclear. In this episode, we explore: → How to recognize the quiet wisdom of your intuition → What it looks like to release urgency and rebuild self-trust → Why the in-between isn’t a delay—it’s where becoming begins  Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - Welcome to Your Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - The Space Between: Where You Are and Where You're Going(00:01:32) - Building Trust in the Middle(00:03:47) - Living in the In-Between(00:06:10) - Repairing Self-Trust with Compassion(00:09:38) - Listening to Your Inner Wisdom(00:13:27) - The Power of Self-Trust(00:16:55) - Integrity as Your Compass(00:18:42) - Navigating Life's Judgments(00:19:04) - The Power of Quiet Decisions(00:20:21) - Daily Practice of Self-Trust(00:21:38) - Celebrating Small Shifts(00:30:00) - Trusting the Process(00:31:27) - Final Thoughts and Gratitude

How many times have you been told you’re too much? Too loud. Too emotional. Too sensitive. Too ambitious. Too everything. In this episode of Your Odyssey Podcast, Tara and Karen call out the cultural lie that tells us to shrink, edit, and apologize for our fullness. The truth? You were never the problem. You were powerful—and unfiltered. ✨ In this episode, we explore: → Where the “too much” message comes from—and how it takes root in identity → The hidden cost of performing “manageable” versions of ourselves → What it really means to take up space—without apology, without shame Because being “too much” is not your truth. Taking up space is. Reflection Prompt: What parts of yourself have you quieted just to be accepted? Plus, a soul-stirring song break with “Brave” by Sara Bareilles, reminding you that your voice and presence are not too much—they’re exactly what the world needs. Whether you’ve been called dramatic, too sensitive, or too loud, this conversation invites you to step out of the mask of manageability and into your full, unfiltered presence. You don’t have to shrink. You don’t have to apologize. ✨ You were never too much. You were never meant to stay small.   Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:01:02) - The Lie of "Too Much"(00:02:17) - Origins of the 'Too Much' Lie(00:06:14) - Adapting to the Lie(00:08:59) - The Mask of Manageability(00:11:21) - Taking Off the Mask(00:14:17) - The Journey of Becoming(00:15:02) - Rediscovering Your True Self(00:15:32) - Starting Small: Practical Steps(00:16:49) - Invitation to Be Brave(00:17:34) - Reflecting on Self-Worth(00:19:29) - Living Authentically(00:22:31) - A Lesson on Being Yourself

Have you ever paused to ask yourself: Do I actually believe this—or was I just taught to? This episode of Your Odyssey is a powerful exploration of the unspoken rules, inherited beliefs, and internalized narratives that shape our lives. Tara and Karen unpack how messages from family systems, religious environments, and cultural expectations shape our sense of self—and what it looks like to unlearn what no longer serves us. From people-pleasing to self-silencing, this episode invites you to begin the brave work of rewriting your story. In this episode, we explore: How limiting beliefs shape identity, relationships, and emotional expression What happens when inherited rules no longer feel true How to reclaim your voice, values, and power—with compassion Whether you're deconstructing old narratives or learning to live from your truth, this episode is your reminder: You don’t have to carry what was never yours. You get to choose what comes with you into your next chapter. Because growth isn't about rebellion, it's about return. A return to truth. A return to self. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:53) - Exploring Silent Roles and Rules(00:02:13) - Internalizing Expectations(00:04:36) - Impact on Relationships and Emotions(00:06:21) - Questioning and Rewriting the Rules(00:08:40) - Embracing New Beginnings(00:09:49) - Honoring Your Past While Speaking the Truth About Your Present(00:13:33) - Inventorying Your Life(00:15:30) - Embracing Change and Letting Go(00:16:01) - Reclaiming Your Voice and Choices(00:16:30) - Affirmations and Self-Encouragement(00:17:28) - The Power of Quiet Transformation(00:18:48) - Becoming Your Own Cheerleader(00:20:06) - Question of the Day: Unlearning Stories(00:24:08) - Closing Thoughts and Inspirational Quotes(00:25:28) - Final Encouragement and Gratitude

We’ve been taught that rest is a reward.Something we have to earn.Something we squeeze in—after the to-do list is done, after everyone else’s needs are met. But what if rest isn’t a luxury?What if it’s a radical act of self-trust? In this episode, Tara and Karen dismantle the hustle culture narratives that keep so many of us in cycles of overextension and burnout. They explore how grind culture glorifies depletion, and how we can begin to untangle our worth from our productivity. Through honest storytelling and soul-deep reflection, they offer a powerful reframing of rest—not as laziness or escape, but as strategy. As resistance. As sacred. You’ll hear: The lies we’ve been sold about rest Why rest is more than naps—it’s nervous system repair How choosing softness is a form of strength And practical ways to reclaim rest without guilt This episode is your permission slip to pause.To listen to your body.To stop performing exhaustion—and start honoring your humanity. Because rest isn’t the opposite of work.It’s what makes the work sustainable.   Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - Tara: Resting(00:01:33) - How to Rest(00:02:27) - Does Rest Make You Lazy?(00:06:36) - Rest as the Foundation of Creativity(00:08:53) - What If I Could Just Rest?(00:13:00) - You're Allowed to Rest(00:13:42) - Nora Jones' Sunrise Song(00:15:07) - How to Sit Still and Relax(00:16:04) - Reclaiming Rest

Have you ever been told you were “too much”? Too sensitive. Too intense. Too opinionated. Too ambitious. Too emotional. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt the sting of those words—and then started to believe them. Through honest reflection and liberating truth-telling, they invite you to reclaim your fullness, honor your complexity, and embrace the truth: you were never too much—you were evolving. In this conversation, you’ll explore: Where the “too much” narrative comes from The emotional and spiritual cost of shrinking How to reclaim your voice, your body, and your space What it looks like to move from performance into presence Because becoming isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about coming home to who you were before the world told you to be less. ✨ You were never too much. You were becoming. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:54) - Reclaiming Your True Self(00:03:00) - Embracing Your Fullness(00:05:19) - Healing and Truth Telling(00:13:32) - Born This Way(00:15:25) - What Part of Yourself Is Too Much?(00:18:28) - Explorers: When to Stop Hiding

What if joy isn’t a reward for getting it all right—but a return to yourself? In this soul-stirring episode, Tara and Karen invite you to reclaim the joy that’s always been yours. Not the performative, Instagram-worthy kind—but the grounded, gritty, everyday joy that reminds you you’re still here, still worthy, still becoming. We talk about how joy gets buried under burnout, why honesty is the first step toward healing, and how the smallest acts of rebellion—a playlist, a boundary, a breath—can lead you back to yourself. Because joy isn’t just a feeling. It’s a lifeline. ✨ Listen in for real talk, practical reflection, and a timely reminder: You’re not too late. You’re not too far gone. You get to begin again. Featuring: — Jill Scott’s “Golden” as your personal anthem — A journaling prompt to spark your next joy moment — A quote to carry into the week ahead Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:53) - Reclaiming Your Joy(00:01:35) - Finding Joy in the Little Moments(00:02:11) - Joy in Everyday Moments(00:07:37) - How to Realize How Far Away From Joy You Are(00:12:36) - How to Find Joy in Life(00:17:57) - QOTD: What's One Small Thing to Do This Week That Will Bring You Joy?(00:20:21) - Choose Joy

Have you ever said yes with a smile…while your soul whispered no? You’re not alone. In this episode, Tara and Karen dive deep into the courage it takes to reclaim your no—not from a place of anger or avoidance, but from clarity, self-respect, and love. Together, they explore the guilt so many carry when they prioritize their own needs—and how to begin shedding it. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt the pressure to be everything for everyone, who’s pushed past their own limits just to keep the peace, or who’s questioned whether their needs even mattered.  You’ll walk away with: Practical language for setting healthy boundaries. One courageous “no” you can speak today. Permission to choose you without apology. Because saying no isn’t selfish. It’s a step toward wholeness.  Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Ode to Personal Growth(00:00:36) - Why You Can Reclaim Your No Guilt Free(00:06:21) - Feelings of guilt associated with being nice(00:09:11) - How to Know When a No Is Necessary(00:09:54) - What to Do About Saying Yes to Things(00:12:32) - Say No With Clarity and Kindness(00:16:24) - How to Honor Yourself(00:17:02) - Meghan Trainor's "No" Song(00:18:08) - No Means No: Redefined Your Relationships Through Saying No(00:19:53) - Say No

Hey there! We’re thrilled to have you join us for this week's episode of Your Odyssey Podcast with Tara and Karen! Get ready for an enlightening journey where we dive into the amazing beauty of surrender. Learn how embracing this concept can transform your life by opening doors, reducing stress, and fostering personal growth. We'll share practical tips on incorporating surrender into your daily routine and discuss how it strengthens our connection to life and each other. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation filled with inspiration and positivity. Let’s grow together on this adventure! Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - What is Surrender?(00:03:08) - What Does Surrender Look Like?(00:05:15) - The Importance of Surrender(00:07:45) - Reserve: Collaboration Over Competition(00:10:54) - Surrender Your Agenda Every Day(00:14:43) - The Beatles' "(00:15:01) - Take Me To The River by Leon Bridges(00:17:13) - Question of the Day(00:17:31) - Surrendering the Worries(00:19:37) - The Still Water Prayer(00:21:31) - Wonders of the World: The Power of Now(00:23:12) - In the Land of Surrender

In this enlightening episode, Tara and Karen unlock the transformative power of mindfulness and its profound impact on our daily lives and relationships. Discover how being present in the moment can help you reduce stress, improve mental health, and foster deeper connections with yourself and others. Learn how to integrate mindful awareness into your routines, navigate challenges with greater calm, and experience more joy and clarity in every aspect of life. Tune in to find out: What mindfulness really means and why it matters Simple practices to bring more presence and peace into your day How mindfulness supports emotional well-being and resilience Tips for mindful communication and building stronger relationships Whether you’re new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, this episode offers inspiration and actionable tools to help you live more intentionally. Listen now and begin your journey toward a more mindful and connected life! Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The OVODA Podcast(00:00:53) - Social Wellness(00:02:15) - The Power of Mindfulness in Relationships(00:03:45) - How to Filter Out Distractions in Your Conversations(00:04:29) - Common Distractions In Our Conversations(00:08:57) - How being present affects trust and intimacy(00:10:14) - Examples of When Being Fully Present in Relationships Makes a Difference(00:13:00) - How Mindfulness Enhances Empathy(00:15:51) - How mindfulness practices strengthen and improve relationships(00:19:15) - Five Traits of Mindful Relationships(00:21:15) - Mindfulness meditation for busy people(00:23:30) - Five Senses in the Moment(00:28:31) - Question of the Day(00:31:03) - A Moment of Silence With Tik Nhat Hanh(00:32:10) - Stay Present

In this episode of the C-H-A-R-M Social Wellness series, Tara and Karen shine a spotlight on the transformative power of respect in our lives and relationships. Join us as we explore what true respect looks like—beyond politeness and surface-level courtesy. We’ll discuss how respect forms the foundation for trust, safety, and authentic connection, and why it’s essential for both self-worth and healthy boundaries.  This episode can help you: Recognize the difference between respect and people-pleasing Navigate disagreements with empathy and understanding Set boundaries that honor your needs and values Cultivate self-respect as the starting point for all relationships Whether you’re seeking to deepen your connections, resolve conflict, or simply show up with more kindness and integrity, this episode offers inspiration and practical tools for making respect a daily practice. Tune in and discover how embracing respect can revolutionize your relationships—and your life. Music: Love Is Waiting Produced in collaboration with VMJ Arts Collective Follow us on Instagram! Playlists: Spotify YouTube Music Chapters (00:00:03) - The Odyssey Podcast(00:00:53) - Social Wellness Episode 6: Respect(00:02:50) - Has Mutual Respect Changed Your Relationships?(00:04:21) - The Secret to Mutual Respect in Your Relationships(00:05:45) - Inherent Respect vs. Earned Respect(00:07:34) - Inherent Respect for Undervalued People(00:10:10) - How to Earn and Hold Respect in Your Relationships(00:14:06) - The Importance of Mutual Respect(00:14:50) - Respect(00:15:39) - The Role of Active Listening in Relationships(00:17:07) - How to Cultivate More Respect in Your Relationships(00:19:18) - Relationship 101: Respect for Yourself(00:20:06) - Mutual Respect 101