January can feel like everyone else hit the “GO” button while I'm still standing in my living room wondering if a bomb went off over the holidays.

If you’re still putting decorations away, finding glitter in places glitter shouldn't be, and feeling like you’re already behind on a year you just started, I want to invite you to take a breath — you’re not doing anything wrong.

Today I want to talk about the gift of a gentle start—especially for Highly Sensitive People.

• No rushing into the new year. 
• No reinventing yourself with "New Year, New You!"
• No pressure to hit the ground running. (In fact, you don't need to hit anything... )

I want to invite us to take a calmer, kinder approach to the new year.


Links:

• Learn about The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe
  
  • https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/sensitive-strong-community-cafe/

• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz
  
  
  • https://cherigregory.com/hspquiz/

Some adventures do more than stretch us — they transform us.

And today, Pam Watts is back in the guest co-host seat to share with us what God revealed during and after the experience she was still preparing for the last time we talked.

What began as doing something fun for something good became something sacred — reshaping her understanding of excellence, identity, rest, and God’s power at work through human weakness.

In our conversation, we explore:

• A different definition of excellence
  
  
• The gift of doing hard things in community
  
  
• How offering our “widow’s mite” opens the door to experiencing God’s might

If you’re in a season of saying your own faith-based YOUR — or in the reflective time that comes after—this conversation is rich with clarity, insight, and wisdom.

Links & Resources mentioned:

• Check out Pam's website: Faith-First Family Activity Coaching
  • https://pamwatts.com/

• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz
  • https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
    
• Learn about the "Write Beside You" Unlimited Coaching Program and “Clarity with Your Calling” Mastermind with Cheri
  • https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/wby-unlimited-coaching-program/
  • http://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/clarity-in-your-calling-mastermind

When someone we love is grieving, most of us fear saying the wrong thing. So we stay quiet, hoping our silence is better than a misstep. But for the bereaved, silence can feel like abandonment. In this episode, guest co-host, Cheri Fletcher and I discuss why connection matters so much more than perfect words. You'll hear how simple acts like prayers, texts, and thoughtful questions can bring lasting comfort. And you'll discover the power of initiating conversation with empathy and intentionality.

Links Referenced:

• Grit 'n' Grace Episode #279: Surviving the Holidays — Help for When Your Heart Feels Heavy with Cheri Fletcher
  • https://cherigregory.com/episode279/
• Order Cheri Fletcher's "Beyond 'I Don't Know What to Say' Grief Communication Cards"
  • https://cherifletcher.com/product/grief-cards/
• Sign-Up for Cheri Fletcher's "Comfort in the Silence — A 5-Day Reflection on Walking With Grief"
  • https://cherifletcher.com/joincheri/
• Learn more about The Write Beside You Unlimited Coaching Program
  • https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/wby-unlimited-coaching-program/

Have you ever found yourself thinking, "If I'd known how to honor my sensitivity sooner, maybe life wouldn't have felt like such a fight to survive"?

If so, you're not alone. And today's episode explores what it looks like—in real life—to thrive as a Highly Sensitive Person.

My guest co-host is best-selling author Dr. Judith Orloff, and we're talking about her new children's book, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit. It's a sweet story that helps HSP kids (and tender-hearted grown-ups!) build everyday tools for boundary-setting, emotional balance, and self-trust.

We discuss how to turn "crybaby" moments into connection, how to reframe empathy as courage, and how to nurture that inner child who still needs to be seen and soothed.

This conversation offers fresh insight and gentle practices to help every sensitive soul—young or grown—thrive with confidence and self-compassion.

Links mentioned:

• Dr. Judith Orloff's Website https://DrJudithOrloff.com
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/gng-cafe/

Do you ever wonder if you're a true Highly Sensitive Person because you love meaningful adventures or crave experiences that make you feel alive? It turns out that many HSPs are also High Sensation Seekers, which often feels like you're living with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake. But this isn't about chasing adrenaline; it's about seeking depth, richness, and significance. In today's conversation, my guest co-host Pam Watts and I dive into what it means to say a faith-based "yes" to opportunities that feel bigger than us. Pam pulls back the curtain on her current adventure — preparing to dance on stage for a cause she deeply values — and shares the very real tensions of excitement, discomfort, and determination.

This episode will encourage you to look for your own faith-based "yes"es — whatever size they may be, and wherever they may take you. Links & Resources mentioned:

• "Vote" for Pam in Dancing with the Waco Stars https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dancing-with-waco-stars-voting-2025-tickets-1548506768429
• Check out Pam's website: Faith-First Family Activity Coaching https://pamwatts.com/

• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn about the "Write Beside You" Unlimited Coaching Program with Cheri https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/wby-unlimited-coaching-program/

Do you ever wonder if your help actually matters? You show up, you do what you can, and later your Inner Critic whispers, You didn't make any real difference. But what if you don't have to be the expert, the fixer, or the hero who "saves the day"? In today's conversation, my guest co-host Marisa Terrell and I discuss why your presence, rather than your performance, is often the greatest gift you can give. You'll hear how ordinary presence can calm chaos, restore hope, and reflect God's heart. Consider this episode your permission slip to stop second-guessing and start trusting the quiet power of simply showing up.

Links mentioned:

• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• "Write Beside You" Coaching with Cheri https://writebesideyou.com/writing-coach/
• "Write Beside You" Unlimited Coaching Program with Cheri https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/wby-unlimited-coaching-program/

Do you sometimes say "no" to hope … without even realizing it? Many of us protect ourselves from yet another disappointment by distancing ourselves from the very experiences God is inviting us into. In today's heartfelt conversation, guest co-host Danielle Grosse and I explore why biblical hope is never a demand to "cheer up" or "try harder," but always a gentle, persistent invitation to receive good things — at a pace that feels safe. You'll learn to notice God's quiet nudges, release unrealistic expectations, and rest in the hope that meets you right where you are, right now.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode #293: Come Out of Hiding — Your Invitation to Step Into Healing https://cherigregory.com/episode293
• Episode #294: Healing at a Gentle Pace — Why We Need Gentle Words & Ample Time https://cherigregory.com/episode294/
• Episode #295: NOT a Bait and Switch—What Biblical Hope Looks Like in Real Life https://cherigregory.com/episode295/
• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Boxer-Yellow-Rose-Healing/dp/1964251532/
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://cherigregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/sensitive-strong-community-cafe/

Do you sometimes feel like hope is nothing more than a setup for heartbreak? If you're a Highly Sensitive Person, you've probably spent your life preparing for worst-case scenarios and bracing for impact — especially when it feels like life keeps pulling the rug right out from under you.

In this episode, Danielle Grosse returns as my guest co-host as we explore how true hope meets us gently in the tension between fear and faith. You'll learn how to recognize false hope, notice God's presence in small but meaningful ways, and discover why biblical hope never rushes you, never shames you, and never disappoints you.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode #294: Healing at a Gentle Pace — Why We Need Gentle Words & Ample Time https://cherigregory.com/episode294/
• Episode #293: Come Out of Hiding — Your Invitation to Step Into Healing https://cherigregory.com/episode293
• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Boxer-Yellow-Rose-Healing/dp/1964251532/
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/sensitive-strong-community-cafe/

In a world obsessed with "quick fixes," Highly Sensitive Persons can feel perpetually stuck — as if growing slowly means something's gone terribly wrong. But deep healing does NOT happen by force or formula. So in this episode, we offer you a gentler invitation:

• to drop the timeline
• to honor the pace of your body and heart, and
• to trust that so-called "delayed" healing is still holy ground.

Through Danielle Grosse's tender story of recovering while writing, we explore how gentle truths and soul-safe collaboration can help HSPs mend. Not by "powering through" but by finding refuge in the One who heals our deepest hurts.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode #293: Come Out of Hiding — Your Invitation to Step Into Healing https://cherigregory.com/episode293
• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Boxer-Yellow-Rose-Healing/dp/1964251532/
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the "Clarity in Your Calling" Mastermind https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/clarity-in-your-calling-mastermind/

Have you ever felt boxed in — by life, grief, expectations, or old labels you just can't shake? Today, Danielle Grosse returns as my co-host, along with a group of our friends, as we explore what it means to step into healing … even when it feels risky or unfamiliar. You'll hear how one powerful story is helping women tend to the hurting parts of their hearts in unexpected ways — and how realizing "you don't live in a box now" can change everything. If your own HSP heart longs for gentle hope, safe connection, and the courage to believe healing has already begun, this episode is for you!

Links mentioned:

• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage: https://CheriGregory.com/episode293

The decision is done — so why does your body still feel like it's bracing for impact? It's like your brain was on board but your body missed the memo.

If you know that feeling, you are not alone. For those of us with Sensory Processing Sensitivity, dealing with the aftermath of so much sensory strain can be intense:

• second-guessing
• self-recrimination
• shame spirals

In this episode, we'll explore the question, "How do you learn and grow from what just happened—especially when parts of the process were hard?" I'll share what I've been learning about post-decision recovery, reflection, and documentation of your hard-won wisdom.

So if you're craving closure that's kind rather than self-critical, you'll gain the tools you need to find peace in the present and to Equip Your Future Self!

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the "Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?" Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage: https://CheriGregory.com/episode292