If you’ve been wondering what’s up with the podcast… join the club. After doing this for so long, I was really thinking that maybe it was time to turn the page and put it to bed.

But the more I thought about it, the more I knew that that decision wasn’t coming from the right place.

The last thing people would say about me is that I’m indecisive.

In fact, I’ve probably made a lot of decisions quickly that could have used a little more processing time to weigh the pros and cons, but that’s really not how I operate, so I’ll leave that one alone.

The past 6-8 months have fascinated me when I step back and examine what’s happened and how my mindset has shifted (read ‘grown’).

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I attribute this to a few things:

• Experience – having been in this game for a long time, I know enough that in times of uncertainty or the need for clarity, it’s best to be patient.
• Age – there is something so freaking delightful about getting older and caring a whole lot less about what other people think
• Life changes—The move back to California in February 2023 was right for me, and now I’m heading back to Costa Rica. People have asked how long I’ll stay there, and I honestly don’t know. I want to stay put for a while (which, to me, is 3+ years). Ultimately, I’d like to buy there, but we’ll see where the economy goes.

A little history about the podcast:

I started podcasting in 2013 when I was “The WPChick” and the podcast was “The WPChick Podcast.”

There were maybe 5 other WordPress podcasts at the time, so getting some traction was pretty easy. I alternated between solo shows and interviews, which was a smart strategy because it really grew my audience.

I think the years between 2019 and now were so challenging personally that to host interviews and truly show up for other people felt like a lot of work… work that I didn’t really have the energy for… until now.

During that time, I went through some extremely challenging situations with my son, and then my Mom passed away unexpectedly in 2019, and my world was turned upside down.

Then, we all know what happened in 2020, when I decided to move to Boise, ID, followed by a move to Costa Rica in 2021.

So… needless to say, the last 5 years have been a lot (with other things happening in the background, but I’ll save that for my therapist).

Here’s the thing with all of this: To some people, this may not seem like a lot, and to others, it may seem overwhelming. I’ve been so incredibly hard on myself for things I’ve done, not done, not done enough of, woulda’, shoulda’, coulda’…. the judgment is what’s really gotten in the way.

None of us get through this life unscathed, without messing up, losing people we love, and without challenges and struggles.

That’s life.

It really is how we handle what happens to us that makes all the difference.

SO… all that...

Before we get too much into discovering and defining Your ONE Thing, I want to preface this by saying that it isn’t about only doing or having ONE thing.

Even though that level of focus is pretty amazing (and is something I’m working towards, it’s a process).

This is about creating the ONE thing you’re known for.

Not a niche (swear I’m not anti-niche, I’m anti-ONLY-niche), but more of a brand philosophy and mantra that people associate with you and your business.

And if you’re a personal brand, ideally, people associate your ONE thing with YOU personally.

I’m hosting a free workshop next week, so I thought I’d give you a little sneak peek and preview what we’re going to cover and why this is crucial to differentiate yourself in a very noisy world filled with AI content.

And for what it’s worth, I LOVE AI and use it all the time.

But what sets you apart is who you are.

If you have even a little understanding and knowledge of copywriting, marketing, direct response, and content, you can use AI pretty easily and get decent output.

What AI can’t do is be YOU (and hopefully not in my lifetime because, let’s face it, that’s a little creepy to even think about).

You can absolutely train it to sound like you, write in your voice, use the type of language you use, but you still have to train it.

That’s where Your ONE Thing comes in.

I have a 6-step framework for “Your ONE Thing” – so let’s jump into it.

Be sure to register for the FREE workshop here. The LIVE Workshop is on Wednesday, May 15th at 11:00 PDT. It will be recorded, but you need to register.

If you get this after the live workshop, you can register and watch the on-demand workshop for free with the same link (and my goal is to run this live more than once while I continue iterating and refining everything).

Here’s the 6-step framework, with more detailed explanations below:

1. Core Discovery Dive
2. Audience Alchemy
3. Idea Incubator
4. Reality Check
5. Identity Imprint
6. Launchpad Lift-Off

Let’s dive deeper into each one.

1. Core Discovery Dive (self-assessment & reflection):
2. This is the self-assessment and reflection step of the framework. You’re going to want to dive deep into the core of your personal and business identity to uncover the unique elements that define you. Self-awareness is key here. This step also requires a certain level of courage and commitment to showing up genuinely as yourself and letting go of what people think.
3. Understanding your strengths and passions will make creating more authentic and engaging content much easier.
4. Audience Alchemy (market and audience analysis):
5. This involves a combination of market research and analysis and knowing your ideal target audience, including psychographics (which are just as valuable, if not more valuable, than demographics).
6. You want to hone in on what excites them, their desires, and the specific problems they have that you can solve uniquely.
7. Understanding market trends and audience preferences can help refine your unique selling proposition to meet your audience where they’re at.
8. Idea Incubator (ideation & concept development):
9. This is where we will start brainstorming potential “ONE Things” for you and your business. I love all the steps, but this is probably my favorite. There are a couple of different methodologies for doing this, including the SCAMPER method (which I just discovered) and my Umbrella method.
10. The Umbrella method is an easier place to start, and then, as you get clearer, you can iterate and move on to the SCAMPER method if you want to go deeper.
11. Reality Check (validation and testing):
12. This is where the...

Today, I’m coming to you not from my usual studio setup but rather from the driver's seat of my car.

This freestyle episode is all about embracing what I like to call "sacred simplicity" in both our personal and professional lives.

06:41 A Busy weekend led to a much-needed rest.

09:11 Appreciate health because it can be fleeting.

11:52 Woman shares emotional video, regrets, seeks comfort.

15:21 Working for a year, not just privilege.

18:40 Experiences shape us and make us strive for self-actualization.

21:27 Regret over past, compassion for self, insignificance.

24:04 Prioritizing joy, learning, and mastering paid traffic.

27:10 Uncertainty about shift, preference for simplicity explained.

32:50 Tangible benefit motivates discussion of white labeling.

33:43 Offer writing, content, SEO services, validate organically.

39:07 Discussing lead gen and content strategies for ads.

40:42 Optimize traffic ads, capture leads, and test.

43:45 Focusing on quality work and living with ease.

I’m currently in a season of significant change, counting down the months until my move to Costa Rica. As part of this transition, I've been tackling the task of decluttering and sorting through years of accumulated belongings at my dad's house, now up for sale. This process has been both physically demanding and emotionally revealing. It's amazing what we hold onto over the years, isn't it?

During a weekend dedicated to clearing out my storage unit, I realized that some boxes hadn’t been opened since my move from Boise in March of 2021. Items were still labeled "go through before Costa Rica," a reminder of postponed decisions. Yet, this clean-up wasn’t just about sorting through physical objects but also about reassessing what’s essential in my life. This is where the concept of sacred simplicity really comes to life—finding clarity and joy in the essentials, shedding the excess that no longer serves us.

The physical labor of sorting and moving boxes provided a much-needed break from the digital clutter of my daily life. There’s something profoundly liberating about stepping away from screens and focusing on physical tasks. It allows for a mental reset, which is increasingly rare in our hyper-connected world.

This disconnect from digital work brought a surprising freshness to my thoughts. It reminded me of the importance of balance and taking time to enjoy simple pleasures—like the perfect weather we had, a crisp 76 degrees of pure sunshine. It was a reminder of the beauty of living in the moment and appreciating the small, simple joys that life offers.

During this time, I watched a video by Vanessa Lau, an influential content creator who recently returned from a sabbatical. Vanessa chose to step back at the height of her career to prioritize her well-being—a decision that resonates deeply with the concept of sacred simplicity. It’s about making life choices that honor our deepest needs and values rather than constantly pushing for more.

Vanessa’s courage to choose herself over perpetual business growth is a powerful testament to the strength found in simplicity. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our businesses is to take a step back, reflect, and recalibrate.

In the realm of digital marketing, sacred simplicity can transform how we approach content and engagement. It’s about stripping back the unnecessary and focusing on what truly matters—connecting with our audience in authentic and meaningful ways.

For instance, my philosophy of "Everything is Content" is an embodiment of this simplicity. It’s about seeing the...