Here’s Why It Matters: Design a Life of Clarity, Focus, and Purpose

Teresa Washburn
  • 5.0 (7)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join Director of Experience Design and coach Teresa Washburn as she explores the habits, choices, and mindset shifts that help you live and lead with clarity, focus, and purpose. Each episode of Here’s Why It Matters inspires practical action and deeper reflection on what truly moves the needle in your life and work. Are you moving through your days, months—even years—without making progress on what really matters to you? You’re not alone, and there’s a reason why. Every two weeks on Here’s Why It Matters, we explore the habits, choices, and mindset shifts that help you prioritize what’s important and take consistent action. I’m Teresa Washburn, a Director of Experience Design and certified coach, passionate about helping people and teams step into their brilliance. Together, we’ll uncover the clarity, courage, and focus needed to move the needle on your goals and dreams. Because when you align your actions with what matters most, everything changes.

  1. JAN 21

    Why Finding Joy Matters (Especially Now): Change, Choice, and Community

    Send us a text In Part 2, Teresa and Winsome shift outward — exploring how joy is shaped by choice, change, and the people who support us. This episode dives into navigating life transitions, maintaining a sense of agency during uncertainty, and leaning on community during difficult seasons. Through personal stories and practical reflections, they highlight how joy grows through courage, connection, and compassionate self-leadership. In this episode, we cover: Navigating change — even when it’s positive and chosenReclaiming a sense of choice and control during stressful timesThe role of community, therapy, and support systemsSeparating how you feel from what you know during crisesFinding fulfillment in everyday moments while continuing to growResources Atomic Habits by James ClearBefore Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change by Shawn Achor Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    26 min

  2. JAN 7

    Why Finding Joy Matters (Especially Now): Grounding Yourself When Life Feels Heavy

    Send us a text In Part 1 of this conversation, Teresa and Winsome focus on the foundations of finding joy during stressful and uncertain seasons. They explore why joy starts with the basics — caring for your body, protecting your mental space, and creating small, intentional practices that help you feel steady when everything feels like a lot. This episode is about slowing down, reconnecting with yourself, and remembering that joy doesn’t have to be big or dramatic to be meaningful. In this episode, we cover: Why joy matters most when life feels heavyThe importance of self-care basics like sleep, nourishment, and movementCreating boundaries to protect your mental and emotional energySimple gratitude practices that support resilienceRemembering what brings you joy when stress makes it hard to seeResources Atomic Habits by James ClearBefore Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change by Shawn Achor Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    21 min

  3. 12/10/2025

    The Year-End Reflection: Honoring the Year That Changed You

    Send us a text This episode invites you to pause before you rush into the next big thing. It’s a soft landing for your year — a space to reflect, recalibrate, and recognize your own growth. You’ll explore: How to reflect on your year even if no one’s asking for a reviewWays to compare what you hoped for with what actually unfoldedHow to use AI (like ChatGPT) to summarize your year through a fresh lensWhy we often overlook our own brilliance — and how to finally see itHow to honor not just the highs, but the lows, twists, and pivots that shaped youThis is a quiet conversation about pride, presence, and perspective — a reminder that you’ve done more than you think. Because thriving isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s the grace to keep going. And that’s why it matters. Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    12 min

  4. 11/12/2025

    Who Am I To…? Rewriting the Future You Keep Waiting For

    Send us a text Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Who am I to do that?” Maybe it’s speaking up in a meeting, launching that idea, or putting your name on something that matters to you. We all have those moments — the crossroads between staying safe and stepping forward. In this episode, I reflect on what keeps us from showing up fully and what happens when we finally decide to stop hiding. Inspired by Back to the Future, I share the story of how one small moment of courage can change the entire trajectory of your life — not because the world changes, but because you do. Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    11 min

  5. 10/08/2025

    Consistency: The Quiet Power That Changes Everything

    Send us a text Consistency isn’t glamorous—but it’s the quiet force that changes everything. In this episode, I explore why nothing changes until you change it, why disruption feels uncomfortable, and how consistently showing up—for yourself and your relationships—can move the needle toward the life and work you want. I share stories from experience design, moments of uncomfortable growth, and the small daily choices that ultimately move the needle. Because the truth is simple: nothing changes until you change it. When we consistently choose the aligned, sometimes uncomfortable actions over the easy, familiar ones, we build self-trust, deepen our relationships, and create lasting change. Takeaways: Consistency isn’t about perfection—it’s about alignment.Discomfort is often the evidence that change is happening.Small, repeated actions compound into transformation.Showing up for yourself is an act of radical self-trust.If you’re ready to stop waiting for change and start creating it, take one small consistent action today—and let that be the beginning of your transformation. Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    12 min

  6. 09/03/2025

    From Career Decisions to Tech Adoption: Lessons in Flexibility and Growth with Andrew Schall

    Send us a text In part two of Teresa’s conversation with Andrew Schall, the discussion turns toward personal and professional growth, goal setting, and navigating change. Andrew shares his approach to mentoring, the importance of defining clear success criteria, and why tracking progress—both qualitatively and quantitatively—matters for long-term impact. They also explore the challenges of shifting mental models inside organizations, especially in risk-averse industries like healthcare and medical devices, and the role of trust in adopting new technologies, including AI. Teresa and Andrew close with a thoughtful reflection on self-awareness, embracing flexibility, and building the metaphorical bridges needed to reach both personal aspirations and organizational transformation. What You’ll Learn: How to make intentional career decisions with clarity and purposeWhy flexibility is key to achieving long-term goalsApproaches for shifting mental models and increasing alignment within organizationsHow to address trust, accuracy, and transparency in technology adoption Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    20 min

  7. 08/20/2025

    Building Bridges in UX: Personas, Journey Maps, and Empathy at Scale | Ep #40

    Send us a text In this episode, Teresa is joined by Andrew Schall, author of The Persona and Journey Map Playbook and a seasoned UX leader with over 20 years of experience in design, research, and strategy. Together, they explore how personas, journey maps, and stakeholder mapping can be used not just as deliverables, but as empathy-building tools that connect people across an organization. Andrew shares insights from his work in healthcare UX, where complexity runs high and multiple personas intersect—from patients to providers. He offers strategies for reimagining traditional UX tools to bridge current realities with future possibilities, ensuring flexibility in the face of rapid technological change. You’ll also hear a deep dive into the “bridge-building” metaphor Andrew uses to align organizational goals with experience quality, and the critical role of UX teams in optimizing systems for better outcomes. What You’ll Learn: How to evolve personas and journey maps into dynamic, future-facing toolsThe importance of stakeholder mapping in complex problem spacesStrategies for aligning goals with user and organizational needsWhy empathy is a powerful driver for better collaboration and innovation Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    22 min

  8. 08/06/2025

    When the Hustle Fades (and Why It Matters to Slow Down) | Ep #39

    Send us a text This week’s episode is a little different — and honestly, a little tender. I’m coming to you tired. Not broken, not burnt out, but moving through a season that’s stretched me thin. Instead of pushing through or pretending to be at full capacity, I wanted to share something real: what it means to show up even when the hustle fades. We talk about the truth of exhaustion, the myth of being “always on,” and how tenderness can be a quiet form of strength. This is a reflection on leadership, humanity, and giving ourselves permission to slow down — without shame. If you’re feeling worn out too, I hope this episode helps you exhale. You’re not alone. And you’re still doing beautifully. Here’s Why It Matters is your space for clarity, focus, and personal growth strategies—so you can finally align your actions with your goals. Subscribe to Here's Why It Matters: Apple | Spotify Find out more about Teresa here: https://www.tmrwcoaching.com/ Please rate and review the podcast in your favorite platform! Follow on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresawashburn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmrwcoaching/ © 2024 - 2026 Teresa Washburn

    11 min
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7 Ratings

About

Join Director of Experience Design and coach Teresa Washburn as she explores the habits, choices, and mindset shifts that help you live and lead with clarity, focus, and purpose. Each episode of Here’s Why It Matters inspires practical action and deeper reflection on what truly moves the needle in your life and work. Are you moving through your days, months—even years—without making progress on what really matters to you? You’re not alone, and there’s a reason why. Every two weeks on Here’s Why It Matters, we explore the habits, choices, and mindset shifts that help you prioritize what’s important and take consistent action. I’m Teresa Washburn, a Director of Experience Design and certified coach, passionate about helping people and teams step into their brilliance. Together, we’ll uncover the clarity, courage, and focus needed to move the needle on your goals and dreams. Because when you align your actions with what matters most, everything changes.

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