Trail Talks
Trail Talks is your weekly dose of growth, purpose, and mindset mastery.
Hosted by Kelly Kruger, life and leadership coach, speaker, and owner of Kelly Michele Coaching, LLC, and creator of the Buffalo Trail Coaching Program, this show helps you rise stronger, think deeper, and lead better - in work, relationships, and life.
No fluff. No filters. Just real talk about growth, emotional intelligence, and self-leadership for people who want more than motivation - they want transformation.
Step into growth. Step into purpose. Step onto the trail.
Episodes
27 episodes
Our Top Laws of Growth, with Ericka Kelly
What if the difference between where you are and where you want to be comes down to a few simple principles?In this episode of Trail Talks, Kelly and Ericka dive into their favorite lessons from John Maxwell’s The 15 Invalua...
Google Was Right About This
This week on Trail Talks, Kelly and Terra are talking about what actually makes teams work.Using Google’s Project Aristotle as the foundation, they walk through the five key factors of high-performing teams: psychological safety...
Fitness Accountability & Culture
In this episode of Trail Talks, Kelly sits down with Jason Ham, Air Force Chief Exercise Physiologist and longtime human performance expert, for a conversation that goes way beyond push-ups, run times, and checking the fitness box. 🏃♀️💪...
Why Teams Stay Stuck
🌀 What happens when a team talks about the same problem over and over… but nothing actually changes?In this episode of Trail Talks 🎙️, Kelly officially welcomes Vanessa Valdez as co-host as they unpack why teams, workplaces, and even fri...
When Leadership Becomes an Addiction
In this episode of Trail Talks, Kelly and Terra are joined by counselor Jill Defayette for a powerful conversation on leadership addiction. 🎯What happens when your title becomes your identity? When work replaces purpose? When cont...
Leadership Isn't Hard - You're Avoiding It
After a heavy conversation on toxic leadership and silent bullying, this episode brings it back to what actually matters.Because here’s the truth: Leadership isn’t complicated… it’s uncomfortable. And too often, we avoi...
Toxic Leadership Isn't Always Loud
In this episode of Trail Talks, Kelly and Terra are joined by Sue and Heather for a real conversation about a form of workplace toxicity that often goes unrecognized—silent bullying.This isn’t about obvious conflict or explosive...
The Silence That Breaks Trust
Not all harm in leadership comes from what’s said.Sometimes… it’s what isn’t said.In this solo episode, I talk about a form of leadership that often goes unnoticed—silence that breaks trust. The moments where leaders stay q...
Environment Beats Willpower
Most people think change comes down to discipline.Trying harder. Being more consistent. Having more willpower.But what if that’s not the real problem?In this episode, we explore a powerful leadership and personal growth tru...
Self Love: 3 Lies and 3 Truths
What does it actually mean to love yourself — and why do so many of us struggle with it?Together we break down three common lies about self-love that quietly shape how we think about our worth, our relationships, and our identity....
5 Boundary Truths
Love isn’t supposed to be effortless 24/7… it’s supposed to be sustainable 💛 In Episode 15 of Trail Talks, we unpack boundaries in romantic relationships and why they’re not walls, ultimatums, or control… they’re clarity.We ...
The Matthews Special: Always Love and Lead
Trail Talks Episode 14 🎙️🌿 is a powerful conversation about love 💘, healing 🩹, faith 🙏🏾, and choosing growth 🌱 after heartbreak 💔Kelly Kruger 🎤 and Terra Stinnett 🌟 sit down with Gregg & Shakela Matthews 💑—founders of <...
Coffee & Camouflage w/ Ericka Kelly Pt 3: Transition and Emotional Intelligence
Episode 13 | Part 3: Identity, Transition & Emotional IntelligenceIn this final part of Episode 13, we explore what it really means to lead when the uniform comes off—and when titles no longer define us.Retired Command ...
Coffee & Camouflage w/ Ericka Kelly Pt 2: Owning Your Story
In Part 2 of Episode 13, we continue our powerful conversation with Ericka Kelly, diving into emotional intelligence, identity, and leadership through a deeply human lens.We unpack why emotions aren’t facts—but importan...
Coffee & Camouflage with Ericka Kelly Pt 1: Persistence
In Part One of Episode 13 of Trail Talks, we welcome Erica Kelly for a deeply moving conversation on persistence, survival, and purpose.Erica shares her journey from surviving severe childhood trauma and poverty in Guatemala, im...
The F-Word We Don't Talk About: Feelings (And Why They Matter)
🎙️ Episode 12: The F Word — FeelingsWhat if the reason you feel stuck isn’t a lack of discipline… but the way you’ve been taught to treat your feelings?In Episode 12 of Trail Talks, we’re talking about the real F word<...
You Don't Need More Time
We all say it: “I just don’t have enough time.” But what if time isn’t actually the problem?In this episode of Trail Talks, we dive into our relationship with time — why it feels scarce, why we feel behind, and why productiv...
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Journey to the Goal: The Gritty Eight
We love setting goals… but no one talks about what happens after you decide to change something.In this solo episode of Trail Talks, Kelly breaks down The Gritty Eight — the real parts of the goal journey most pe...
From Drift to Direction: Why Goals Matter
In this episode, Kelly and Terra explore why goals aren’t just a New Year ritual — they’re the compass that keeps us from drifting through our days, our careers, and our lives. 🧭We break down the neuroscience behind goal setting 🧠, why t...
The Holiday Manual: Expectations, Neuroscience, and Letting Go
In this week’s Trail Talks episode, we unwrap something almost all of us carry around during the holidays: the Holiday Manual — that invisible rulebook we expect other people to follow… even though we never actually tell them.
The Holidays: Less Hustle, More Heart
In this heart-centered (and surprisingly fun) episode of Trail Talks, Kelly and Terra slow things down and explore what the holidays are really about: presence, connection, and the moments our brains actually remember.We break d...
Coffee and Camouflage Part III: Gratitude in Leadership
In this episode of Trail Talks, we’re diving deep into one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — leadership tools: gratitude. Not the Instagram version, not the polite “thanks,” but the kind of gratitude that rewires t...
Coffee and Camouflage Part II: The "C" Word (Change)
Change. The word everyone avoids… until it shows up on your doorstep, your desk, or your deployment roster.In this second installment of our Coffee & Camouflage series, Kelly and Terra sit back down with Chief Courtney Stric...
Coffee and Camouflage Part I: Service
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of War, Department of the Air Force, or any other agency of the ...