The end of the year has a way of blurring together celebration, pressure, joy, and exhaustion all at once. It can feel festive and meaningful, yet also overwhelming as we juggle family dynamics, busier schedules, and the expectation to be “on” all the time. But what if this moment in the calendar is actually an opening, a chance to challenge the status quo of how we end our year and step into the next one with clarity and power?

In this solo episode of Connecting the Golden Dots, host Teri P. Cox invites you into a grounding and restorative year-end practice that aligns with the show’s core message of living a self-designed life. Instead of rushing into resolutions or pushing through the frenzy, Teri explores how intentional reflection and small acts of me time can help you reset, recharge, and create the momentum you want for 2026. From breathing techniques that calm your nervous system to quiet moments that reveal what truly matters, she shares practical ways to shift out of survival mode and into purposeful living.

You will hear simple, meaningful prompts that help you look back on 2025 with honesty, compassion, and curiosity. Teri covers the foundations of a year-end audit, including your physical wellness, mental health, relationships, finances, and personal growth. She also shares her own hard-earned lessons on boundaries, stress, caregiving, and the importance of choosing yourself before burnout chooses you. These reflections are not about perfection. They are about designing a life that feels aligned with who you are becoming.

Tune in to Episode 22 of Connecting the Golden Dots and discover how finishing the year with intention can strengthen your mindset, restore your energy, and give you the grounding you need to walk into 2026 with confidence and clarity.

Episode Takeaways:

• How to create moments of me time in the middle of holiday overwhelm (1:20)
• A simple breathing practice that calms your nervous system in five minutes (2:30)
• The role of short meditations and quiet pauses in slowing down an overstimulated day (3:20)
• Why ending the year with reflection sets the foundation for a stronger year ahead (5:50)
• Key questions to evaluate your physical, emotional, and mental wellness from the past year (7:00)
• How relationships shaped your 2025 and which connections deserve nurturing in 2026 (9:00)
• A stress-free way to review your financial decisions and build better habits for the new year (10:10)
• Why boundaries, intention setting, and ditching rigid deadlines lead to healthier progress (12:50)
• How Teri uses reassessment, “done lists,” and the Rule of Five to build momentum (17:20)
• The mindset shifts that help you finish the year strong and carry gratitude into 2026 (22:40)

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Gratitude often lives quietly inside our minds, tucked into late-night reflections or holiday traditions. We feel thankful, we recognize our blessings, and we promise ourselves we will slow down and appreciate what we have. But what if the real power of gratitude comes not from feeling it, but from expressing it?

In this solo episode of Connecting the Golden Dots, host Teri P. Cox takes a thoughtful and refreshing look at what she calls the Gratitude Gap. It is the space between being grateful on the inside and sharing that gratitude with the people who deserve to hear it. Through relatable personal stories and eye-opening research about the effects of gratitude on health, longevity, and emotional resilience, Teri shows how closing this gap can strengthen relationships and enrich daily life in ways we often overlook.

You will hear simple and meaningful practices that turn gratitude into action, including speaking heartfelt appreciation, taking mindful gratitude walks, using small reminders to interrupt negative spirals, and reconnecting with the beauty in ordinary moments. Teri also opens her own gratitude list, offering a glimpse into the people, memories, and experiences that continue to shape her life.

Tune in to episode 21 of Connecting the Golden Dots and discover how expressing gratitude out loud can shift your mindset, deepen your connections, and bring more warmth and meaning into your everyday life.

Episode Takeaways:

• The two halves of gratitude (and why most people only practice one) (2:40)
• Why expressing gratitude deepens relationships and strengthens community (6:10)
• How gratitude boosts resilience through illness, loss, and unexpected change (10:10)
• Why expressing gratitude fuels empathy, compassion, and reciprocity (14:10)
• How nightly gratitude can improve your sleep quality and lower your heart rate (16:20)
• Using gratitude walks to reconnect with beauty, presence, and joy (19:00)
• Small, daily practices that close the Gratitude Gap (21:00)
• Teri's personal gratitude list and how to start your own (24:10)

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Pain affects everyone at some point, whether from an injury, the effects of aging, or the stress of daily life. What if managing pain and improving health could be made simpler by remembering a few powerful acronyms?

In this solo episode of Connecting the Golden Dots, host Teri P. Cox shares the “alphabet soup” of strategies that helped her countless times to recover from injuries and reclaim her energy. From the well-known RICE method to the more effective MEAT framework and the life-changing SMART goal system, Teri explains how these simple acronyms can shift the way you approach pain, wellness, and even personal growth.

You will hear practical tips for increasing physical activity, improving sleep quality, making better food choices, and even changing thought patterns, all designed to help you reduce pain and build resilience. More than quick fixes, these approaches create sustainable habits that improve not just your body but also your mindset and overall quality of life.

Tune in to episode 20 of Connecting the Golden Dots and discover how these easy-to-remember tools can guide you toward better health, stronger habits, and lasting transformation.

• The meaning of RICE and how it supports recovery in the short term (04:30)
• Why MEAT is now considered a better option for healing and long-term mobility (07:40)
• How SMART goals apply not just to pain management but to every area of life (8:00)
• Examples of setting specific, measurable, and realistic goals for physical activity (10:10)
• The importance of sleep quality and a practical nightly routine for healing (12:00)
• Emotional and mental strategies for pain management (19:10)
• How nutrition choices can reduce inflammation and speed recovery (23:00)
• The role of hydration and supplements in supporting long-term health (28:50)
• The importance of taking time to care for yourself (33:20)

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