Olympia Edwards didn’t find her first mentor through a formal program — she noticed her skirt, her shoes, and the way she walked with confidence. Sometimes mentorship unfolds organically like it did for Olympia and her mentor, Kelly. Other times, a path has to be intentionally created so more young people can experience the leadership, confidence, and belonging that relationships like theirs make possible. That belief is at the heart of Project Girl.

In this episode of the Redefine What’s Possible podcast, Olympia, founder and executive director of Project Girl Mentoring Program, shares how that early, informal mentorship shaped how she leads and why she built a community-centered program that has supported over 1,000 girls across the Puget Sound since 2012. She reflects on what it means to be truly seen, why consistency matters, and how everyday moments of attention and care can change a young person’s sense of self.

Olympia takes listeners inside the work of Project Girl — from school-based programs to after-school spaces — and explains how belonging is built through presence, trust, and shared experience. She also offers practical insights on supporting young people, interrupting negative self-talk, and showing up in ways that are human rather than performative.

This conversation is a reminder that building belonging doesn’t require a formal title or a perfect plan. It starts with noticing, listening, and choosing to show up. If you’ve ever wondered how you might get more involved in your community, this episode offers a meaningful place to begin.

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Most things come with a “best by” date—a quiet suggestion that usefulness, quality, or value has a shelf life. Judy Gay never bought into that idea.

Judy joined Experience Momentum at 63. She began training seriously later in life, took on triathlons in her 70s, and stepped into powerlifting well after most people are told to slow down. At 81, she’s not telling a story about what she used to do—she’s reflecting on what happens when you keep choosing to engage with strength, even as it changes.

Judy didn’t stumble into her strength. She built it—by showing up consistently, taking herself seriously, and surrounding herself with people who believed in growth at every age. She found belonging without shrinking herself, and community that didn’t lower the bar—but helped her clear it.

As seasons changed, Judy stayed in relationship with her strength. She listened when her body asked for adjustment, adapted without quitting, and found ways to keep moving forward even when “strong” needed to look different than before. Strength, for her, was never something to leave behind—only something to meet where it was and carry into whatever came next.

This conversation is a reminder that strength doesn’t disappear when it evolves. It accumulates. And when you keep choosing to engage with it—honestly, consistently, and on your own terms—it continues to redefine what’s possible.

Summary

When senior engineering leader Theresa Aristarco faced long COVID and burnout, her world suddenly got small — walking the dog became impossible, and even daily tasks drained every ounce of energy. But what happened next redefined her idea of success. In this powerful conversation, Theresa shares how she chose health over the high-powered career that once defined her, building a support team, finding strength through therapy and physical recovery, and ultimately transforming her life through creativity and coaching. From learning to ask for help to finding joy in the simple act of baking bread, her story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and the courage it takes to start again.

Keywords: resilience, burnout recovery, long COVID, vulnerability, reinvention, holistic healing, redefining success, coaching, leadership transformation.

Chapters

00:00 From Burnout to Breakthrough
06:44 The Turning Point: A New Perspective on Health
13:57 Building a Support Team for Recovery
21:42 Celebrating Triumph: The Wedding Day
23:35 Reclaiming Health and Creativity
28:22 Transformative Journey Through The Artist's Way
30:45 Redefining Success: Health First
33:53 Coaching Through Transitions
38:43 Building a Sustainable Coaching Business
41:04 Taking the First Step Towards Change
43:26 Finding Meaning in Struggles
46:13 Rapid Fire Insights and Reflections