A LOT with Audra

Has your relationship with health and fitness become more about punishment than care? That's the question at the heart of today's conversation. Kendra Moody returns to the show—not in her role as COO of The Thread, but as founder of Restore Health Coaching—to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable wellness lifestyle, especially for women navigating their second act. We cover why so many women put their health on hold, the mindset shift from punishing your body to nourishing it, and practical steps for eating more protein, moving daily, and staying hydrated. Kendra also breaks down GLP-1 medications and what women in their 40s and 50s should prioritize for longevity.

HIGHLIGHTS

Why women tend to neglect their health while raising families or climbing the career ladder—and when that pattern finally shifts
The mindset shift from "how hard can I go and how little can I eat" to "how do I care for my body, not punish it"
Why eating more protein (not less food) is one of the most common changes Kendra helps women make
How meal prepping is really about making it easier for your future self to stay committed to your goals
Why the all-or-nothing mindset is a trap—and how to enjoy treats without throwing in the towel
Three priorities for women in their 40s and 50s: protein, movement, and hydration
What GLP-1 medications actually do, why they aren't a forever solution, and why building foundational habits alongside them matters
A rapid-fire round of "Do This, Not That" covering intermittent fasting, hard workouts, lifting weights, and rest days
Why lifting weights won't make women bulky—and why it's essential as we age
How to find 20 minutes you didn't know you had (hint: check your phone)

CHAPTERS

1:38 — Why Health Gets Neglected
3:48 — What Wellness Really Means
5:35 — Mindset Shift to Restore
7:36 — Eat More Protein
9:00 — Meal Prep and Treats
13:32 — All or Nothing Trap
15:29 — Where to Start Today
17:57 — Protein, Movement, Hydration
21:51 — GLP-1s Explained
26:26 — Do This, Not That
32:19 — Find Restore Health

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Restore Health Coaching — Kendra Moody's health coaching practice 
(also on Instagram at @restore.healthcoaching)

Want to learn more?
The Thread

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

What happens when achievement starts costing you aliveness? Dr. Kristen Strom joins the show to share her story of chasing success as a professor, wife, and mother—only to realize that the life she'd built was slowly draining the life out of her. From missing her kids' sporting events to feeling numb at the mention of a university teaching award, Kristen opens up about the red flags she ignored, the wake-up calls she couldn't, and the small, daily habits that quietly rewrote her entire future. We talk about what it really takes to stop hustling, start listening to your body, and build a life where you don't have to sacrifice the people you love to do the work you love. If you've ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the woman staring back, this conversation is for you.

HIGHLIGHTS

Kristen's realization that she was succeeding professionally but losing herself personally—missing her kids' events, running on empty, and ignoring years of physical red flags
The numbness that set in even after receiving a student-nominated teaching award and a national publication—achievements she'd worked her whole career for
How her son's words in the car one morning became a mirror reflecting her own stress back at her
The two wake-up call moments: a vacation photo where she didn't recognize herself, and a mirror moment at 38 wondering what her 40s would feel like if nothing changed
The health reset Kristen and her husband undertook together—from nutrition and fitness to mindset and emotional wellness
Kristen's 10-minute power practice: brain dumping, setting three intentions, and expressing gratitude before the day begins
Why high achievers should think smaller, not bigger, when creating change—and how tiny habits compound over time
The identity work required to believe you're worth the investment—and to envision a future self worth becoming
How fear and discomfort are not signs to stop but signals that you're in the growth process
Kristen's transition from professor to speaker and transformational life coach, and her mission to help women thrive without turning healing into another achievement
The power of getting quiet enough to hear what you actually want—and the freedom of saying no to good opportunities that don't align

CHAPTERS

2:22 — Professor Life Pressure Cooker
3:59 — Red Flags And Burnout
5:56 — Numb To Achievements
7:54 — Kids Mirror The Stress
11:02 — Restoring Marriage And Home
11:56 — Health Reset And Mindset
15:38 — Two Wake-Up Call Moments
17:16 — What Do You Want Instead
18:37 — Small Habits That Stick
21:21 — Ten Minute Power Practice
23:45 — Dream Smaller, Compound Wins
26:52 — Identity, Beliefs, And Future Self
29:22 — Fear, Peaks, And Resilience
31:13 — Turning Healing Into Purpose
35:07 — Quiet Clarity And Saying No
38:04 — How To Work With Kristen
39:08 — Final Thanks And Wrap-Up

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Dr. Kristen Strom's website

Want to learn more?
The Thread

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Have you ever felt that subtle shift — the one where something inside has moved, but you can't quite name it yet?

That feeling is exactly what today's guest, Keveney Avila, founder of The Interior, helps people navigate. After a decade practicing law — including pro bono work with unaccompanied immigrant children and human trafficking survivors — Keveney's life pivoted in a way she never could have planned. Her dog's seizures became a wake-up call that her own stress and frustration were literally affecting the energy around her, and that moment set her on a completely new path.

We talk about what energy work actually means (in language that's accessible whether you come at it from science, faith, or somewhere in between), the low-grade grief that so many high-achievers carry without naming it, and why the journey has to eventually turn inward. Keveney shares what it means to build an inner container strong enough to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time, why you can never outthink the energy in your gut, and one simple practice you can try today the next time you feel stirred up. If the life you've built no longer fits, or you're standing at a crossroads wondering what comes next, this conversation is for you.

HIGHLIGHTS

How a lawyer's decade of practice — including work with human trafficking survivors — led her to energy work
The story of Keveney's dog having five seizures overnight and how it became the catalyst for leaving corporate
Why Keveney made more money her first year as an entrepreneur than she ever did in corporate
How energy can be understood through science, faith, prayer, or quantum physics — and why it's accessible no matter your belief system
Who Keveney's clients typically are (most are in their 50s to 60s) and why they seek her out
The concept of "low-grade grief fever" — grieving an identity you thought you'd have
Why we need people who can sit in the darkness with us without flinching
The law of sacrifice and why we can't have everything, even in a culture that says we can
The "golden thread" — how seemingly unrelated chapters of your life connect
Why you can never outthink the energy in your gut, no matter how many affirmations you do
Building an inner container to hold both the greatest joy and deepest sorrow simultaneously
Discernment: how to tell whether you're intuiting from your ego or your body
The simple pause practice — how to check in when you notice your body stirred up
Why meditating while stressed can actually amplify that energy, and what to do instead

CHAPTERS

1:52 — From Law to Intuition
2:37 — Dog Seizures Wake Up Call
4:32 — Quitting Corporate Leap
5:10 — Animals to Human Healing
7:44 — Energy Made Practical
10:36 — Success That Stops Fitting
12:21 — Naming Hidden Grief
14:48 — Sitting In The Dark
17:04 — Choosing One Life
19:10 — Sacrifice And Flow
23:19 — Gut Energy Over Mindset
25:46 — Building The Inner Container
28:57 — Discernment And Old Stories
31:28 — Simple Pause Practice
36:18 — Rinsing Off Energy
38:17 — Where To Find Keveney
39:46 — Closing Thanks

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Keveney Avila’s Website - keveneyavila.com
Keveney Avila on LinkedIn 

Want to learn more?
The Thread

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

What if the permission you've been waiting for to slow down was yours to give all along?
Karen Bartholomew knows firsthand what burnout looks like — running from 6 AM to 9 PM, no time for a cup of coffee, no room to breathe. In 2010, as a single mom of three, she hit a wall and gave herself four months to figure out what she actually wanted. That pause didn't just change her life — it became the foundation of The Pause Method, a five-step framework she now uses to help high-achieving women strip away the conditioning, stories, and expectations that have been running the show, so they can design their next chapter with clarity and confidence. Karen and I talk about the fear of slowing down, the difference between scarcity and abundance, why we carry childhood stories into our fifties, and how courage isn't always about moving forward — sometimes it's about being still.

HIGHLIGHTS
How Karen recognized her own breaking point in 2010 and gave herself permission to pause
The difference between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset — and how childhood conditioning hides our natural abundance
Why fear of the future is really our imagination running wild with stories that haven't happened
The childhood story Karen told herself at age 12 — that she wasn't loved — and how she learned it wasn't truth
A powerful moment in a classroom exercise that helped Karen discover her voice and step into leadership
How Karen coaches her own daughter through childhood conditioning at age 26
The five steps of The PAUSE Method: Perceive, Acknowledge, Unwind, Shift, and Embody
Why slowing down feels so scary — and what we're really afraid of facing
The courage to be still, ask "What do I need today?" and let that be enough
Why you don't need a crisis to deserve a pause

CHAPTERS

1:51 — Why Women Seek Change
2:02 — Burnout And Overload
3:08 — Asking For Help
3:50 — Karen's 2010 Breaking Point
4:41 — Taking A Four Month Pause
8:26 — Fear Of The Future
11:17 — Scarcity Versus Abundance
12:06 — Childhood Stories And Conditioning
15:39 — Finding Your Voice
17:32 — Coaching Through The Past
18:23 — The PAUSE Method Steps
22:46 — Embodying The New Truth
24:49 — Designing The Next Six Months
25:33 — Courage To Be Still
27:18 — How To Work With Karen
27:56 — Rest Without A Crisis
28:22 — Retreats And Closing Thanks

RESOURCES
Karen Bartholomew's website: karenbartholomew.com

Want to learn more?
The Thread

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

What if the guilt you feel every time you say "no" is actually costing you more than the yes ever could? After a peer advisory group session turned into an unexpected goldmine of ideas, I knew I had to bring it straight to you. If you're a people-pleaser, a do-gooder, or someone who feels a pang of guilt every time you turn someone down, this one's for you. I'm sharing the practical frameworks that came out of that conversation — from budgeting your time like a budget line item, to getting curious about what people actually want from you, to understanding why your "no" protects the power of your "yes." We also get into the guilt-versus-pride dynamic between how women and men tend to overcommit, and why learning to trust your body's signals might be the most important skill of all as we head into Q4.

Highlights

Why saying no matters more than ever heading into the last stretch of Q3 and into Q4
Budgeting your time like money: predetermine how many "yeses" you can afford to give
Asking for the "why" behind a meeting request before automatically saying yes
How offering a group workshop can turn one-on-one asks into a scalable win-win
The idea that unchecked "yeses" dilute in power if you never say no
Creating a "not now" list of things you're saying no to for this season of life
Learning to trust your body's signals over your mind's endless search for reasons to say yes
The difference between guilt-driven overcommitment (often seen in women) and pride-driven overcommitment (often seen in men)
Why it's okay for "no" to come with a little guilt sometimes

Chapters

0:00 — Why Saying No Matters
2:57 — Time Budget Your Yeses
4:14 — Ask For The Why
7:09 — Offer A Group Workshop
9:09 — Protect The Power Yes
9:59 — Create A Not Now List
11:27 — Trust Your Body Signals
13:42 — Guilt, Pride, And Overcommit
16:50 — Closing Pep Talk

Want to learn more?
The Thread

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.