A LOT with Audra

What if the way you've shown up for the people you love has quietly changed — and that's actually okay? This week, Audra reflects on a simple moment (last-minute ice cream sandwiches vs. planned-out chocolate banana popsicles for her son's birthday treats) that cracked open a much bigger conversation about navigating seasons of change, letting go of guilt, and learning to sit with discomfort instead of controlling your way around it.

Highlights

Audra compares showing up for her son's first-grade birthday treats (homemade chocolate-dipped banana popsicles) versus his fifth-grade birthday treats (last-minute Kroger ice cream sandwiches) — and how the joy was the same despite looking completely different.
Why we talk ourselves out of embracing change by judging our current selves against who we used to be.
The three things Audra is personally processing while going through her own season of change (including the recent evolution of "the thread").
Letting go of the need to explain your choices to others before making a change.
Learning to examine the stories you tell yourself about your identity and success — even the positive ones.
Building your capacity for discomfort instead of over-controlling outcomes, including how her emotional agility certification has helped.
Practical ways to "anchor back to yourself" during uncertain seasons — stillness, movement, or connection.

Chapters

1:04 — Happy August: back-to-school fatigue and why you're not alone
2:28 — A tale of two birthday treats: first grade vs. fifth grade
5:15 — This season of change: why we resist embracing it
8:12 — Three things Audra is processing through her own transition
9:36 — Letting go of "what will people think?"
12:32 — Examining the stories you tell yourself
14:16 — Getting comfortable with discomfort
17:46 — Closing thoughts for the week

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.

Yes, we are still friends. No, the band is not breaking up. 

Are you really ready to let go of something that isn't broken? That's the question at the heart of this episode, as Audra sits down with Kendra and Kristen to share the news: after 11 cohorts in Wichita and 3 in Kansas City, The Thread is holding one final cohort before evolving into something new—an alum-first community. They get into the "why" behind the pivot, the mixed public reaction, and what's coming for The Thread's 300+ alumnae in 2027.

Highlights

The Thread will run one last cohort (Cohort 12) from October through March, with a welcome party in the spring for alum and new members
After a year of curiosity and "itchy" feelings about what's next, the team decided to pause cohorts and double down on alum programming
A "what if" brainstorming session sparked the idea: what if The Thread centered on alum instead of cohorts?
A summer listening session with ~30 alumnae from Cohorts 1–11 confirmed the demand for deeper alum community and support
New alum offerings in the works include mastermind groups and revamped book clubs
The mission stays the same—building confidence and community—but the focus shifts from delivering a program to alumnae to engaging with them directly
The team addresses public reaction (a mix of excitement and confusion) versus the alum community's overwhelmingly positive response
They answer the most common question they've gotten: "Are the three of you still friends?" (Yes.)

Chapters

0:00 – Welcome and Updates
1:51 – Why Change Now
4:52 – Final Cohort Details
5:42 – Public Reaction and Emotions
10:35 – Alum Momentum and Vision
11:22 – What If Alum First
12:51 – Listening Session Insights
16:18 – New Alum Programming Plans
20:18 – Still Friends
21:22 – Join Cohort 12 and Next Steps
23:56 – I will be the Jessica Biel to your JT

Resources Mentioned

Cohort 12 (deadline to apply: September 25, 2026)

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 does it look like to stop running from tension and start letting it fuel you? Fresh off two full days at the Global Leadership Summit in Wichita, I'm sharing the lessons that hit me hardest — the kind that make you reconsider the way you've been thinking about discomfort, uncertainty, and what freedom actually means. I'm also throwing in a bonus lesson from a kid-free night and Season 4 of Ted Lasso, because sometimes the most profound wisdom shows up in the most unexpected places.

Highlights

Why tension isn't something to escape — it's the fuel that drives growth
How to reframe the tension between ambition and real life demands (contentment vs. ambition, work vs. family, self vs. craft)
The concept of "the fog" — why uncertainty is a universal human experience, not a personal failure
Why you should avoid big, irreversible decisions when you're in a foggy season
The power of looking down at your feet and taking just the next right step
Jim Collins' reframe of freedom: not the ability to do anything, but the ability to choose your responsibilities
Ben Franklin's second act — and why 53% of his biographies cover his life after age 60
Why self-renewal is a leadership responsibility, not a luxury
A (mostly spoiler-free) lesson from Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 1 on taking bold leaps

Chapters

1:04 – Summit Recap Kickoff
2:05 – Embracing Tension (David Ashcraft, President & CEO of the Global Leadership Network)
4:09 – Navigating the Fog (Jim Collins)
7:42 – Freedom and Self-Renewal (Jim Collins)
11:14 – Bonus Ted Lasso Lesson
12:50 – Wrap Up & What's Coming Next Week

Resources Mentioned

Global Leadership Summit
What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins
Suzy Welch's Values Bridge

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 way you think about self-trust is actually keeping you from it?

Audra breaks down a coaching conversation that flipped her thinking on self-trust — and shares the real definition that's helped her stop abandoning herself every time she falls short of a goal. Then she walks through five practical habits she's built over the past few years to strengthen that trust from the inside out.

Highlights

Why self-trust isn't about always making the right decision or hitting every goal
A reframe: trusting yourself to make the best decision with what you have right now — and not abandoning yourself when it doesn't work out
Five ways to build self-trust: self-compassion, knowing how you operate, tracking your wins, surrounding yourself with mirrors, and coaching
Why forgiving yourself and giving yourself grace is the foundation of confidence
The power of a weekly practice of recording 3–5 wins
How working with a coach helps you access answers you already have

Chapters

0:00 — Back to School Setup
0:22 — Redefining Self Trust
1:40 — Self Trust Means Staying
3:08 — Five Ways Overview
3:34 — Self Compassion First
4:59 — Know How You Work
6:46 — Track Your Wins
8:09 — People Who Mirror You
9:08 — Coaching Builds Trust
10:13 — Quick Wrap Up

Resources Mentioned

Emily Stevens
Susan David
Ashley Watkins

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 story you've been told about the teenage years is just... wrong? My guest today, Megan Saxelby, founder of Wild Feelings, spent 15 years teaching middle school and 4 teaching high school before becoming a parent coach — and she's here to make the case that adolescence isn't something to survive, it's a season to actually enjoy. We get into what parents misunderstand before the tween years even start, what it really costs us when we buy into the "terrible teens" narrative, and how to stay close to our kids as they pull toward independence.

Highlights

The "terrible teens" narrative is a socially constructed story — and believing it primes you to see your kid's behavior through a negative lens.
Adolescence, by current research, spans ages 10–25 (early adolescence 10–14, adolescence 14–17/18, late adolescence 18–25).
Believing the bad narrative costs you connection and self-trust as a parent.
Separate "connection" from "administration" (logistics) — they are not the same relationship currency.
Happiness isn't the goal — resilience and contentment matter more than chasing a feeling.
The research-backed parenting style that works best: high expectations + high support (authoritative parenting).
Anxious kids need validation of their feelings paired with high expectations — not accommodation of the anxiety.
Little-kid connection tools (playfulness, silliness, jokes) still work in the teen years — you just have to apply them differently.
A single family "anchor behavior" (like a weekly dinner or movie night) is linked to a 20% reduction in anxiety and depression in youth.
Family shorthand phrases (inside jokes, references) become powerful emotional shortcuts that last for decades.
A "family care chart" — a shared, visible list of everyone's comfort items and needs — is Megan's top back-to-school tip.

Chapters

0:00 — Meet Megan Saxelby
2:11 — The Teen Myth
4:30 — Beyond 18 Summers
6:03 — Happiness Isn't the Goal
9:26 — Defining Adolescence Ages
10:17 — Cost of the Bad Narrative
10:32 — Connection vs. Logistics
12:10 — Trust Your Kid
14:54 — Boundaries Without Shame
17:55 — High Support, High Expectations
19:29 — Helping Anxious Kids Grow
20:20 — Holding the Line
21:02 — Discomfort Isn't Failure
21:17 — Capitalism and Parenting Pressure
22:09 — Tween Parenting: A Second Act
22:58 — Keep the Playfulness
23:43 — Stay a Full Person
26:38 — Build Connection on Purpose
27:36 — Weird Questions and Anchor Rituals
30:25 — Family Shorthand Moments
34:11 — The Story You Tell Yourself
35:55 — High Expectations, High Support (Revisited)
37:48 — Back-to-School Encouragement
38:50 — Family Care Chart Tip
39:46 — Wrap Up and Where to Follow

Resources Mentioned

Wild Feelings
Megan Saxelby on Instagram, LinkedIn and Substack

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.