#188. Solo Travel & the Search for Belonging: How Getting Lost Helps You Find Yourself with Tracy Smith

#188. Solo Travel & the Search for Belonging: How Getting Lost Helps You Find Yourself with Tracy Smith

What if getting lost is exactly how you find yourself? In this warm, adventurous conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Tracy Smith—memoirist, solo traveler, and author of The Purpose of Getting Lost—who at 49, after divorce and decades of people-pleasing, booked a one-way ticket to Iceland and never really stopped. What began as an impulsive yes became a four-year journey across continents and a profound reckoning with belonging, identity, and what it means to finally take up space in your own life. Tracy shares how solo travel gave her something she'd never quite found at home: freedom from the pressure to fit in. When you're clearly the outsider, you stop trying to belong and simply get to be. She also makes a distinction that resonates far beyond travel: she hasn't reinvented herself through these adventures. She's simply recognized that she deserves space alongside all her other roles. Not reinvention—recognition. And she's slowly, imperfectly learning to bring that same permission home. Along the way, Tracy opens up about the harder lessons—the holiday moments that didn't go as planned, the loneliness of transitions, and what it took to start showing up for herself without waiting for the right circumstances or the right destination. Her biggest shift has been learning that every moment with someone you love is already the special day—and that releasing the pressure of specific days to carry all the meaning changes everything. Tracy also pulls back the curtain on her next chapter: The Geography of Connection, a year-long project studying how belonging shows up in the smallest human gestures across cultures and continents. Whether you're navigating an empty nest, longing for more adventure, or simply trying to understand why you feel more like yourself somewhere else, this conversation will make you want to raise your hand and say: hey, I'm here too. Bio:Tracy Smith is a memoirist, solo traveler, and storyteller whose debut book, The Purpose of Getting Lost, chronicles her journey from decades of pretending and people-pleasing to rediscovering herself across continents. At 49, after divorce, surgeries, and a lifetime of feeling like she didn't quite fit in, Tracy booked a one-way ticket to Iceland—and kept going. Today, she uses her global adventures to explore belonging, courage, midlife reinvention, and what it really means to choose yourself. Her work resonates deeply with women navigating transition, reminding us that it's never too late to rewrite your story. Connect with Tracy: Email: tracytravelseverywhere@gmail.com [tracytravelseverywhere@gmail.com] | Website [https://www.tracysmithauthor.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577993567521] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracytravelseverywhere/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@tracysmithphd] Books mentioned:The Purpose of Getting Lost: A Story of Finding Myself by Tracy Smith – Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9798993320717] | Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uGX1OS]Anything by David SedarisUp in the Old Hotel by  Joseph Mitchell – Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780679746317] Substack:JJ Rose [https://substack.com/@jjrose007] ——— Enjoy this Podcast? If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered! Questions? Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening! ——— This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

#187. What Every Woman Must Know About Money, Planning & Life's Unexpected Turns with Paula Harris

Most of us know we should be better prepared financially—but few of us know what "prepared" actually looks like until it's too late. In this warm, practical conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Paula Harris—co-founder of WH Cornerstone Investments, TEDx speaker, and author of Rise Up: A Widow's Journal—who brings both the financial expertise and the human compassion to help women navigate some of life's hardest transitions, from retirement planning to sudden widowhood. Paula walks through the essential financial preparation every woman should have in place before she needs it—named beneficiaries, and your own credit card in your own name. She also offers clear, compassionate guidance for women who have just lost a spouse: don't make rash decisions and above all, don't isolate. Let people show up for you. Beyond the documents and the dollars, Paula challenges women to think more expansively about wealth—not just saving, but investing in your health, asking for the raise you've earned, and aligning your financial decisions with your actual values instead of society's expectations. She also reframes retirement entirely: instead of racing to retire from something, she encourages women to retire to something—a purpose or a community—because a paycheck isn't the only thing work gives us. Whether you're in your 30s just starting to think about this, approaching retirement and wondering what's next, or navigating the loss of a spouse and unsure where to begin, this conversation offers both the practical roadmap and the reassurance that it's never too late—or too early—to get your financial house in order and build a life that's truly yours. Bio:As WH Cornerstone Investments' co-founder, Paula Harris is part financial planner and part dream architect who takes great pride in helping her clients, particularly mid-life widowed women, obtain financial peace of mind while they get back on their feet, rise up and navigate their path forward. Paula is assisting women in the life planning that goes hand-in-hand with financial planning. She is a Return on Life Advisor™, as well as, a Certified Jack Canfield Methodology Trainer in Jack Canfield's Success Principles. She is a TEDx speaker: "Low Tech Love: The Power of a Handwritten Note." Paula is the author of "Rise Up: A Widow's Journal" and "Rise Up: A Grief Journal", as well as, a co-author of "Life Lessons in Success". She is also the founder of Rise Up Success Training and has run several Rise Up weekend retreats for women in transition. She also has a YouTube channel called Wisdom Wednesday | Paula Harris where she shares her ponderings, positivity and prayer. A graduate of Providence College. Paula lives in Massachusetts with her husband & business partner, Bill Harris. Together they love to travel to remote places, go fly fishing, and seek new adventures. Connect with Paula:Website [http://whcornerstone.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/WHCornerstone] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whcornerstone/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/wh-cornerstone-investments/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulaHarris1] Resources:TEDx talk [https://youtu.be/ebYIOdzqNWI?si=1ctjYjQhXhHD1Y6U] | The Hallow app Books mentioned:I'm Dead, Now What? Planner [https://amzn.to/4v7If3N] | What if ... Workbook by Gwen W. Morgan: Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781502583888] | Amazon [https://amzn.to/3PKdm6u] | The Correspondent by Virginia Evans: Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780593798430] | Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nPr6cN] | Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781668236512] | Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dwxz93] | Rise Up: A Widow's Journal by Paula Harris: Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nR7yF1] | Rise Up: A Grief Journal [https://amzn.to/4a37UCr] Podcasts mentioned:Unique Ability with Julia Waller [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unique-ability-podcast/id1867504960] | Darren Hardy Daily on Demand [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darrendaily-on-demand/id1449270369] | The Resetter Podcast with Dr Mindy Pelz [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-resetter-podcast-with-dr-mindy/id1503897906] | The Dr. Hyman Show [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doctors-farmacy-with-mark-hyman-m-d/id1382804627] | Saint of the Day [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-saint-of-the-day-podcast/id1628634137] ——— If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered! Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening! ——— This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

#186. Breaking the Cycle: Love Addiction, Codependency & Reclaiming Your Self-Worth with Chaya Garcia

What if the work of finding the right relationship has nothing to do with finding the right person—and everything to do with becoming the right person for yourself?  In this candid, eye-opening conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Chaya Garcia—dating and relationship expert, CEO, and host of the 100% Podcast—who shares how a painful breakup at 26 became the catalyst for two decades of research into why smart, successful women end up in unhealthy relationships, and what it actually takes to change that pattern for good. Chaya introduces the concept of love addiction—how waiting for a text, craving approval, and staying in relationships that hurt you follows the same physiological cycle as any substance addiction, including the highs, the lows, and the intermittent reinforcement that keeps you hooked. She explains the critical difference between "finding" a partner (which comes from need) and "attracting" one (which comes from wholeness), and why codependency shows up not just in romance but in friendships and work relationships too. She also offers a powerful reframe for anyone considering whether to stay or leave: it's not about having a broken home—it's about protecting your children and yourself from broken people destroying the home you have. Throughout the episode, Chaya shares her signature inner child work—including mirror work, daily self-talk in a gentle tone, and the Rise and Shine framework from her Epic Love Mastermind—as practical tools for rebuilding self-worth from the inside out. Her guiding philosophy: you are 100% imperfect and 100% lovable at the same time, and your happiness was never anyone else's job to create. When you genuinely believe that, the wrong people stop having power over you. Whether you're navigating a difficult relationship, freshly out of one, or simply trying to understand why you keep ending up in the same patterns, this conversation offers both the clarity and the compassion to start choosing yourself—not someday, but right now. Bio: Chaya Garcia is a LMSW and she’s am on a mission to change marriage dynamics through training women (and men) how to love themselves, re-empower their inner child, be honest with who is responsible for their happiness, educate them on healthy and unhealthy signs of behavior during the dating process and ultimately feel secure and confident in making the decision on who to marry that will ensure healthy dynamics and a safe space for each to grow and fulfill their purpose Connect with Chaya: Website: https://connectwithchaya.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheEpicLoveExpert/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chayasarahgarcia/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicLoveExpert [https://www.youtube.com/@EpicLoveExpert] Resource: https://marriedin2025.com/ [https://marriedin2025.com/] Books mentioned: Women Who Love Too Much by  Robin Norwood - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780593716779 https://amzn.to/4fbGNc7 Podcasts mentioned: The 100% Podcast with Chaya Garcia - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-100-podcast/id1855653894 Mel Robbins - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast/id1646101002 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast/id1646101002]

#185. People-Pleasing, Burnout & Boundaries: How to Protect Your Energy with Anne Karber

What if the exhaustion you're carrying isn't from doing too much—but from doing too much of the wrong things? In this lively, no-BS conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Anne Karber—entrepreneur, author of The Life Hack Playbook, and host of the Let's Get Naked Podcast—who shares how she went from living on autopilot, people-pleasing, and giving from an empty shell to building a life she genuinely loves by getting ruthlessly intentional about where she puts her energy.  Anne introduces her signature "Skittles Energy" concept: your energy is finite, valuable, and yours to spend—and most of us are leaking it all over the place on drama, overthinking, and obligations we never actually agreed to. She explains the difference between a life driven by ego (checking boxes, keeping up appearances) and one driven by soul (aligned choices, savage self-awareness, and boundaries that actually protect your peace). From complaining about traffic to replaying arguments in your head to saying yes when every part of you means no—these are all Skittles you'll never get back. Anne offers practical tools for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or out of touch with who they actually are: start with low-hanging fruit, pause before reacting, get quiet enough to hear what your body is telling you, and understand that a yes to someone else is always a no to yourself. She also reframes asking for help—not as weakness, but as giving the people who love you the gift of being able to show up for you. Whether you're a serial people-pleaser running on empty, someone who's been giving from a cracked shell for years, or simply curious about why your life feels like it belongs to everyone but you, this conversation offers both the permission and the practical tools to take it back. Bio: Anne Karber is an entrepreneur, author of The Life Hack Playbook, and host of the Let’s Get Naked Podcast. Known for her no-BS approach to personal growth, she challenges people to break out of performative living and build real self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and ownership. Anne blends raw honesty with practical tools—like her signature “Skittles Energy” framework—to help people stop running on autopilot and start making intentional, aligned choices. Through her work, she’s on a mission to spark real conversations, disrupt old patterns, and help people reconnect with who they actually are. Connect with Anne: Email: anne@fj-ltd.com Website: https://annekarber.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lets-Get-Naked/61564129792887/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_get_naked_podcast/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-karber-abbb949b/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@letsgetnakedpodcast Books mentioned: The Life Hack Playbook - Proven Shortcuts to Peace & Purpose by Anne Karber - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781969372650 https://amzn.to/48Wk3sv [https://amzn.to/48Wk3sv] The Surrender Experiment by  Michael Singer - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780804141109 [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780804141109] https://amzn.to/3PjRrTt [https://amzn.to/3PjRrTt]  Brené Brown's work -   The Atlas of the Heart - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780399592553 The Atlas of the Heart  Podcasts mentioned: Let's Get Naked with Anne Karber - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-get-naked/id1776246773

#184. When Success Costs Your Health: Redefining Ambition for Women with Dr. Amy Loden Tiffany

What if the version of success you're chasing is actually killing you? In this candid conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Dr. Amy Loden Tiffany—physician entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, author, and mom of five—who shares how she went from burnout and serious health crises to building a thriving concierge practice that helps ambitious women reclaim their health without losing their impact.   Dr. Amy's journey includes multiple wake-up calls that forced her to ask: am I being who I want to be, and if not, what am I going to do about it? She rebuilt her medical practice and her life around a different definition of success—one that doesn't require sacrificing health, relationships, or sanity to make an impact.   Throughout the episode, Dr. Amy explains what most doctors won't tell you: pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia aren't just pregnancy problems—they're warning signs of serious long-term health risks. Half of women with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within five years. Women with preeclampsia face four times higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease before age 60 if left untreated. Yet the healthcare system offers little intervention after delivery. She introduces her VIP framework for decision-making: Values (what matters most), Impact (the change you want to create), and Priorities (how you manage them without guilt). Dr. Amy challenges the myth that successful women just need better time management—the real issue is priority management aligned with your values. Whether you're an ambitious woman feeling the pressure to do it all, navigating postpartum or perimenopause while maintaining your career, or anyone who suspects the way you're living isn't sustainable, this conversation offers both urgent truth and practical tools for building a life that doesn't require sacrificing your health for your success. Bio: Dr. Amy Loden Tiffany is a physician entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, author, and mom of five who’s redefining what success looks like for ambitious women. After years in traditional medicine, Dr. Tiffany built a thriving concierge practice that helps women reclaim their health, energy, and confidence while leading in business, family, and life. She turned her own story of burnout and reinvention into a blueprint for ambitious women who want to lead powerfully without losing themselves. From postpartum to perimenopause, from the boardroom to the home, Dr. Tiffany helps women align their health and goals so they can thrive in every arena of life.  Connect with Dr. Amy: Email [aloden@vitalitymwc.org] Website [https://vitalitymwc.org/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/vitalitymwc] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dramytiffany/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-loden/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrAmyTiffany] Resource: TEDx Talk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDwEqlO_JoY]  The Menopause Society [https://menopause.org/] Books mentioned: Postpartum Pivot by Amy Loden Tiffany, MD, MBA [https://amzn.to/4ujCFuL] Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing By Bronnie Ware [https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781401956004] Atomic Habits by  James Clear - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9780735211292 https://amzn.to/4na6knW Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (New Edition) by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781250183866 https://amzn.to/4cSsbeF Podcasts mentioned: The Authentic Physician [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUVMwru_Vu7ueZVCRaY1hrg] with Dr. Amy Tiffany Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett/id1291423644] ——— If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered! Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening! ——— This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode. This is not intended to treat any medical condition. I am not a medical doctor and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified health professional.