Big Dreams, No Margin: A Conversation About Capacity with Lyndsey Garber
This week Thea is joined by longtime friend and former western wedding photographer Lyndsey Garber for a reflective conversation about capacity, season of life shifts, and the slow, steady work of staying faithful in the little things.Together, they talk through the emotional complexity of leaving something that’s still working, what it feels like to carry a big vision when there’s no margin left, and how to navigate the tension between knowing you’re made for more and also being at your limit.Topics explored include:How to recognize when a season is ending even while you’re still succeeding in it.Why exhaustion and ambition so often co-exist.What it looks like to rebuild capacity through small, daily choices.Learning to audit energy and attention without slipping into a poverty mindset.How presence becomes a practice when margin is low.This conversation holds space for the in-between moments where you know you’re on the edge of something new, but it hasn’t fully taken shape yet. We chat about ambition, presence, exhaustion, time scarcity, and that sneaky poverty mentality that shows up in your calendar, your body, and your grocery store anxiety. And mostly, it’s about what it takes to stay steady and self-respecting in the middle of a capacity crisis without losing your fire or your footing.There’s no 5-step framework here. Just two women and a conversation about what’s working, what’s shifting, and how we keep showing up for the lives we believe in.Let’s Keep the Conversation GoingWe talked about what no one sees: the ordinary, unglamorous work that builds something sustainable. If you’re in that part of the process, we’d love to hear about it. Tag @cowgirlsovercoffee and let us know what “faithful in the little things” looks like for you right now.
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The Performance Trap: What Happens at the Intersection of Hyper-Capable with No Margin
Sure you can handle it all, but where is taking you? In this deeply personal, wildly validating summer conversation, Thea sits down with longtime friend and Cowgirls Over Coffee original Audrey Hall to unpack a question many of us are circling: What happens when your capability becomes your identity … and your margin disappears?This is an episode for the woman who’s built a life she’s proud of and is left asking why it still feels so hard. For the one who gets it done, who performs under pressure, who’s known for delivering but lives in depletion.Together, Thea and Audrey explore:Why “high performance” starts to feel like a trap.The difference between nurturing your ambition vs. demanding from it.What it really costs to prove your capability over and over again.How excellence can mask burnout.Why we sometimes feel safer in stress than in stillness.And, what it means to move from rocky soil to something more nourishing.You’ll hear stories about rodeo royalty, sad girl eras, and gym floor epiphanies but underneath it all is a real-time conversation about rebuilding your relationship with ambition, restoration, and joy. If you’ve ever said, “I’m not afraid of the effort, but dang I’m tired of proving my worth through it.,” this one’s for you.Mentioned in this episode:Follow Audrey Hall on Instagram at @audreyetta.Listen to Audrey’s new podcast, Cowgirl Church.Books by Trevor Mowad: It Takes What It Takes and Getting to Neutral.Let’s Keep the Conversation GoingScreenshot this episode and tag @cowgirlsovercoffee with your favorite takeaway. Tell us your flavor of patience, your version of presence, or what kind of soil you’re growing in this summer.
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True Partnership & Big Vision: A Chat with Ali Dee & Nicole James of Western Life & Style
What happens when you pair a visionary with a finisher, and give them a platform to celebrate the real women shaping western life and style?This week Thea sits down with Ali Dee and Nicole James, the co-founders of Western Life & Style, for a conversation rooted in real-life entrepreneurship, deep collaboration, and the kind of bold vision that grows when women stop waiting for permission.From warehouse pop-ups to showroom floors, from a simple Instagram page to a platform that now honors Western women across the country, Ali and Nicole share the behind-the-scenes of how Western Life & Style came to life, and how the 30 Over 30 Awards became a movement of recognition, reunion, and representation.Inside this episode:How their dynamic as visionary and executor has fueled years of successful partnership.Why the Western Life & Style 30 Over 30 Awards were created and what makes them different from typical honors.The unexpected emotional impact of giving Western women their moment in the spotlight.How they build momentum without overthinking or getting stuck in fear.The real power of honoring women who are often behind the scenes, doing the unseen work.Maybe you’ve hit pause on your vision. Maybe you’ve started and stopped more times than you’d like to admit. Or maybe, like so many of us, you’re in that frustrating middle space between the idea and the arrival. Wherever you are, this episode will meet you right where you’re at with permission, encouragement, and a nudge to be just delulu enough to keep going.Mentioned in this episode:Western Life & Style on InstagramAli Dee Brand, Rodeo Ranch, and Ali.Dee.CEOZona Girl Nava – Nicole’s digital marketing agency.30 Over 30 Honoree List Let’s Keep the Conversation GoingWe want to hear the behind-the-scenes version of what you’re building, what’s messy, what’s meaningful. Screenshot this episode, tag @cowgirlsovercoffee and share what vision you’re chasing!***If this episode resonates with you, make sure to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.
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The New Rules of Summer: How to Claim the Summer You've Been Craving (Thea & Lana)
What if summer wasn’t something that just happened to you, but something you created on purpose? In this episode, I sit down with Cowgirls Over Coffee’s own Lana Wilkes for a real-deal conversation about what it actually takes to create a summer that feels restorative, anchored, and worth remembering. NOT another one that races by in a blur of chaos, laundry, and vague "maybe we'll do that someday" plans.Overheard in this Episode: Why "maybe" is killing your summer.How to set anchor experiences that actually happen.The difference between chasing easy and creating ease.Why your routines should change with the season.The myth of the "perfect summer" and the real work of experiencing it.We're not campaigning for a Pinterest-perfect summer schedule, but challenging you to claim your time, set anchor experiences, and take the administrative burden of daily life off the plate, so you can actually enjoy the season you’re in. Whether you’re road-tripping to Alaska with five kids or just trying to get to the dang lake more than twice this summer, this episode will give you the perspective shift (and tactical insight) to make it happen.I also mention that you can use my Reset Ritual to help set the tone for summer. This is the exact framework I use anytime I need to reset. It’s genuinely not just for seasons of productivity or burnout, but for setting yourself up for presence at any time! Use it to set the tone this summer: download it here for FREE.Let’s Keep the Conversation GoingTell us what you’re planning on purpose this summer. Screenshot this episode, tag @cowgirlsovercoffee because we want to hear the real version: what works, what doesn’t, and what you’re learning along the way.
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Summer Planning 101: Anchor Experiences, Routines That Work, and What I’m Saying Yes To
If you’ve ever looked up in late July and realized summer flew by before you even caught your breath, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my personal summer strategy and showing you exactly how I’m prepping for a season of presence and restoration without letting the whole thing unravel into pure mayhem. You’ll hear the exact process I’m using this week to pre-game for summer and keep my wellbeing, family, and calendar deliberately aligned with the summer experience I’m choosing.What you’ll get out of this conversation:My “anchor experience” strategy for planning around the summer experience I want to cultivate.What obligations actually belong on the calendar this summer.How I’m adjusting routines and habits for the season ahead.A no-shame approach to auditing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.I talk meal planning, bedtime flexibility, and running a home without sacrificing summer or letting it all become a dumpster fire.What can be decided now to reduce friction, mental load, and last-minute stress.And if you’re craving a little more support this summer, I’ve got something for you. I’ll be sending out weekly emails all summer long. Short and simple notes from me to you with ideas, reflections, reminders, and a few of my favorite things to help you stay on track with a season of calibrating for presence and wellbeing. You can sign up here.Let’s Keep the Conversation GoingDo you have summer traditions that keep you grounded? Are you doing anything differently this year? Tag Thea on Instagram@cowgirlsovercoffee. We want to hear what’s working, what’s shifting, and what you’re reclaiming.Sign up for Thea’s Summer Email Series to help you stay present, get grounded, and reclaim your season. Join here
Spoiler: there’s nothing you’re missing. There’s no hack, strategy, system or secret that you just haven’t figured out. There’s only the process of discovering what matters for you and what doesn’t, what works for you and what doesn’t. The Cowgirls Over Coffee podcast exists to invite women into deeper conversations that lead to stronger lives.
Welcome to Cowgirls Over Coffee with Thea Larsen! The podcast where I take you along on my mission to encourage and equip women to finally quit winging it, and learn to savor life at the intersection of home and ambition. Tune in each week for conversations with not only myself, but also roundtable discussions with my friends, and even an expert or two, as we navigate the messy, mundane and magic of every day cultivating thriving homes and businesses from the ranch, farm, kitchen table or cab of the truck.
This is an experiment in embracing the process, sampling systems, and nurturing self, all while simply refusing to settle for less than we know we can achieve - for ourselves, our families, our communities and our businesses. We’ll cover topics like planning, organization, rural lifestyle, motherhood, wellbeing, homemaking, dream chasing and entrepreneurship.
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Websites: www.cowgirlsovercoffe
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