Season 7, Episode 1: Emerging From a Long Winter
May 28, 2026
Season 7, Episode 1: Emerging From a Long Winter
After a longer-than-expected winter break, Karen returns for Season 7 of The Imperfect Advocate Podcast with reflections on growth, happiness, and what it means to move through life seasonally rather than linearly.
In this episode, Karen shares what she’s been learning while pursuing her Master’s degree in Happiness and Overall Wellbeing at Centenary University, including the SPIRE model for whole-being happiness: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional wellbeing.
Through stories about graduate school, surgery recovery, spring planting, and messy personal growth, Karen explores why happiness is not about perfection or constant positivity, but about creating the conditions that support a meaningful life.
Karen also previews the next episode’s exploration of Margaret Wheatley’s work on messy systems, community, and “sane leadership on behalf of the human spirit.”
If you’ve been in a quiet season, this episode is your reminder that growth rarely arrives all at once — and that sometimes we all just need a winter.
Call to Action:
Check out Tal’s interview on NPR here.
Links:
Click here to find Karen’s Socials
About Karen auld
Karen Auld is an environmentalist, writer, and podcast host who helps people move from overwhelm to action — imperfectly and with heart. On The Imperfect Advocate Podcast, she blends positive psychology, mindfulness, and environmental advocacy to show listeners how to lead with love, use their strengths, and fumble forward when the world feels heavy.
Karen is the co-author of Color Love and Kindness, a metta-inspired coloring book, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Happiness and Overall Wellbeing.
Off-mic, she loves time in nature, trying new things, and watching Stranger Things with a cat on her lap.
