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What if one unexpected phone call could change a student's confidence, strengthen a family's relationships, and even transform the way you see people?

During her first years of teaching, Carrie started making positive phone calls home—not because students had earned perfect grades, but because they had shown kindness, leadership, perseverance, or character. What she never expected was the lasting impact those simple conversations would have. Years later, parents were still saving her voicemails, and one unforgettable phone call to a student named Brock became a reminder that encouragement has the power to shape lives.

In this episode, Carrie shares why she's convinced we don't have a shortage of good people—we have a shortage of people who intentionally notice the good.

Project You Reflection: Who in your life has quietly done something beautiful...and have you ever told them?

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Sometimes the moments we'll treasure most aren't the big milestones—they're the ordinary moments we almost miss.

In this episode, Carrie shares stories from a family trip to Mackinac Island with her husband and their three grown sons. From bike rides and bear jokes to rocking chairs, rainbows, and a simple candle, she reflects on how joy often shows up in the smallest moments when we're paying attention.

If you've ever found yourself longing for the "good old days," this episode is a gentle reminder that today's ordinary moments may become tomorrow's most cherished memories.

Can I leave you with one question?

What is happening in your life right now that someday you'll wish you could step back into for just five minutes?

Take a deep breath...look around...and notice it before it becomes a memory.

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Have you ever noticed yourself becoming a little less patient… a little more guarded… or a little quicker to assume the worst?

It usually doesn’t happen all at once.

In this episode of Project You 2.2, Carrie Helmer explores the idea of the slow drift—the subtle ways our experiences, conversations, and environments shape who we become over time.

We don’t wake up one day and decide to become cynical. More often, it happens quietly. Disappointments, frustrations, and difficult seasons can slowly change our tone, our expectations, and the way we see the world.

Carrie explores the important difference between awareness and cynicism. Awareness allows us to see reality clearly while staying open. Cynicism convinces us that disappointment is inevitable and that people or situations will always let us down.

Through personal reflection, stories from her 31 years as a teacher, and observations about teenagers and belonging, Carrie looks at how easily we absorb the energy around us—and how we can begin speaking, reacting, and thinking in ways that don’t fully reflect who we want to become.

This episode’s “ping moment” invitation:

• Notice how certain conversations leave you feeling.
• Pay attention to the stories you repeat.
• Ask yourself: “Who am I becoming based on what I’m around?”

Because becoming the person you want to be doesn’t happen through one big decision.

It happens through thousands of small, intentional shifts.

Project You 2.2 is about becoming more aware, more intentional, and more aligned with the person you’re becoming—one small shift at a time.

If you enjoy these conversations, tap Follow or Subscribe on your podcast app. It’s completely free and simply helps you stay connected so you never miss an episode.

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In this episode of Project You 2.2, Carrie Helmer shares the powerful idea of "ping moments"—those subtle experiences that reveal something deeper beneath the surface, much like a metal detector discovering hidden treasure.

Drawing from her 31 years as a high school teacher, her coaching work, and personal stories—including a frustrating Apple Pay ordeal and a memorable lesson from her own teenage years—Carrie explores how small, repeated experiences slowly shape our mindset, our relationships, and ultimately, who we become.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why paying attention is one of the most valuable life skills you can develop.
• How frustration, resentment, and cynicism rarely appear overnight—they grow through small, repeated moments.
• What your everyday reactions reveal about the person you're becoming.
• How awareness gives you the power to interrupt the "slow drift" before it changes the direction of your life.

This episode is an invitation to become more intentional—to notice the small shifts before they become permanent patterns.

Because the life you want isn't built in one defining moment.
It's built in the moments you almost overlook.

If this episode resonates with you, I'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use the reminder that small moments really do matter.

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You’re Not Stuck Because You’re Busy… You’re Stuck Because You Won’t Decide

What if the real reason you feel stuck… has nothing to do with time?

In this episode of Project You 2.2, Carrie Helmer challenges a common belief: you’re not stuck because you’re busy—you’re stuck because you haven’t made a decision.

So many of us live in the space of “I’ll start soon”… staying productive, planning, and preparing—without ever fully committing. But real change doesn’t come from more effort. It comes from choosing a direction and moving.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why busyness can actually keep you stuck
• The gap between knowing and deciding
• What’s really underneath indecision
• How small decisions create real momentum

If you’ve been waiting to feel ready… this is your reminder:
Clarity and confidence don’t come first—decision does.

Connect with Carrie at www.projectyou22.org

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Have you ever reached a season of life where everything looks “fine”… but inside, something feels off?

In this episode of Project You 2.2, Carrie Helmer explores the quiet identity shift that happens when the roles that once defined you — teacher, parent, caregiver, achiever — begin to loosen their grip. When the structure fades, the schedule changes, and the life you built no longer fits the same way, it can feel disorienting, freeing, and unsettling all at once.

Carrie shares honest reflections on retirement, motherhood, purpose, and the tension between resting and still feeling called to create. She weaves in powerful stories — from a former student turned ER physician, to her own first years as a teacher — to show that “untethered” isn’t about being lost… it’s about stepping into your own authority.

You’ll walk away with:

• A new way to understand the in-between season
• Permission to enjoy where you are and still want more
• Tools to recognize when discomfort is growth
• Small, grounded ways to move forward without rushing

If you’ve ever wondered Who am I now? — this episode is for you.

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What if the most powerful way to improve your relationships… isn’t what you say—but how you listen?

In this episode of Project You 2.2, Carrie dives into one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) skills in communication: true listening.

Through real-life stories—from the classroom to everyday conversations—she breaks down how quickly we shift focus, interrupt, or try to “fix”… instead of simply being present. And how those small moments can quietly shut people down and weaken connection.

You’ll hear relatable examples (including the all-too-common “story hijack” moment), along with simple, powerful ways to become a better listener—without overthinking it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why listening builds trust faster than advice ever will
• The subtle ways we unintentionally stop people from opening up
• Simple questions that create deeper, more meaningful conversations
• How to pause, validate, and connect—without needing to fix

If you’ve ever felt unheard… or want to become someone others truly trust—this episode will change how you show up in every conversation.

Your challenge:
Pause. Ask. Listen.
…and watch what changes.