A LOT with Audra

Audra Dinell
  • 5.0 (48)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

"A LOT with Audra" is the podcast for women juggling big dreams and full lives. Each episode, host, Audra Dinell, Midwestern wife, mom and neurodivergent multi-six figure entrepreneur encourages women to embrace their many roles holistically by living a values-based life with confidence and joy. Through candid discussions, practical strategies and inspiring stories, this podcast is your guide to designing and achieving success without losing yourself in the process.

  1. 4d ago

    90. When the Super Woman Facade Stops Working with Dr. Kristen Strom

    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 flagsThe numbness that set in even after receiving a student-nominated teaching award and a national publication—achievements she'd worked her whole career forHow her son's words in the car one morning became a mirror reflecting her own stress back at herThe 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 changedThe health reset Kristen and her husband undertook together—from nutrition and fitness to mindset and emotional wellnessKristen's 10-minute power practice: brain dumping, setting three intentions, and expressing gratitude before the day beginsWhy high achievers should think smaller, not bigger, when creating change—and how tiny habits compound over timeThe identity work required to believe you're worth the investment—and to envision a future self worth becomingHow fear and discomfort are not signs to stop but signals that you're in the growth processKristen's transition from professor to speaker and transformational life coach, and her mission to help women thrive without turning healing into another achievementThe 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.

  2. Sep 14

    89. When the Life You Built No Longer Holds You w/ Keveney Evanne Avila, JD

    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 workThe story of Keveney's dog having five seizures overnight and how it became the catalyst for leaving corporateWhy Keveney made more money her first year as an entrepreneur than she ever did in corporateHow energy can be understood through science, faith, prayer, or quantum physics — and why it's accessible no matter your belief systemWho Keveney's clients typically are (most are in their 50s to 60s) and why they seek her outThe concept of "low-grade grief fever" — grieving an identity you thought you'd haveWhy we need people who can sit in the darkness with us without flinchingThe law of sacrifice and why we can't have everything, even in a culture that says we canThe "golden thread" — how seemingly unrelated chapters of your life connectWhy you can never outthink the energy in your gut, no matter how many affirmations you doBuilding an inner container to hold both the greatest joy and deepest sorrow simultaneouslyDiscernment: how to tell whether you're intuiting from your ego or your bodyThe simple pause practice — how to check in when you notice your body stirred upWhy 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.

  3. Sep 7

    88. When You’ve Done Everything “Right” but Feel Like Something is Missing with Karen Bartholemew, Founder of the PAUSE Method

    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 pauseThe difference between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset — and how childhood conditioning hides our natural abundanceWhy fear of the future is really our imagination running wild with stories that haven't happenedThe childhood story Karen told herself at age 12 — that she wasn't loved — and how she learned it wasn't truthA powerful moment in a classroom exercise that helped Karen discover her voice and step into leadershipHow Karen coaches her own daughter through childhood conditioning at age 26The five steps of The PAUSE Method: Perceive, Acknowledge, Unwind, Shift, and EmbodyWhy slowing down feels so scary — and what we're really afraid of facingThe courage to be still, ask "What do I need today?" and let that be enoughWhy 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.

  4. Aug 31

    87. Need to Say No? Here's a Handful of Tools to Help!

    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 Q4Budgeting your time like money: predetermine how many "yeses" you can afford to giveAsking for the "why" behind a meeting request before automatically saying yesHow offering a group workshop can turn one-on-one asks into a scalable win-winThe idea that unchecked "yeses" dilute in power if you never say noCreating a "not now" list of things you're saying no to for this season of lifeLearning to trust your body's signals over your mind's endless search for reasons to say yesThe 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.

  5. Aug 24

    86. Change: Three Things That Are Helping Me Live in It

    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.

  6. Aug 17

    85. What's Next for The Thread

    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 membersAfter a year of curiosity and "itchy" feelings about what's next, the team decided to pause cohorts and double down on alum programmingA "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 supportNew alum offerings in the works include mastermind groups and revamped book clubsThe mission stays the same—building confidence and community—but the focus shifts from delivering a program to alumnae to engaging with them directlyThe team addresses public reaction (a mix of excitement and confusion) versus the alum community's overwhelmingly positive responseThey 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.

  7. Aug 10

    84. 3 Leadership Lessons from the Global Leadership Summit

    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 growthHow 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 failureWhy you should avoid big, irreversible decisions when you're in a foggy seasonThe power of looking down at your feet and taking just the next right stepJim Collins' reframe of freedom: not the ability to do anything, but the ability to choose your responsibilitiesBen Franklin's second act — and why 53% of his biographies cover his life after age 60Why self-renewal is a leadership responsibility, not a luxuryA (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 SummitWhat to Make of a Life by Jim CollinsSuzy 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.

  8. Aug 3

    83. Building a Foundation of Self-Trust

    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 goalA reframe: trusting yourself to make the best decision with what you have right now — and not abandoning yourself when it doesn't work outFive ways to build self-trust: self-compassion, knowing how you operate, tracking your wins, surrounding yourself with mirrors, and coachingWhy forgiving yourself and giving yourself grace is the foundation of confidenceThe power of a weekly practice of recording 3–5 winsHow 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 StevensSusan DavidAshley 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.

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About

"A LOT with Audra" is the podcast for women juggling big dreams and full lives. Each episode, host, Audra Dinell, Midwestern wife, mom and neurodivergent multi-six figure entrepreneur encourages women to embrace their many roles holistically by living a values-based life with confidence and joy. Through candid discussions, practical strategies and inspiring stories, this podcast is your guide to designing and achieving success without losing yourself in the process.

Information

  • Creator
    Audra Dinell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Forge Podcast Co. 2025
  • Show Website
    A LOT with Audra

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