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I’m closing out this 10-part Habit Series with one of the simplest and most transformative practices I’ve ever picked up: daily gratitude.

In this episode, I share why spending just one or two minutes thanking God before your day begins can quietly reshape your mindset, soften pessimism, and strengthen your ability to persevere in the long haul. I’ll walk you through how I practice daily gratitude, why I keep it intentionally simple, and how this habit has helped me stay grounded even in seasons marked by uncertainty, grief, and things I cannot control.

We’ll also zoom out and talk about why gratitude matters so much when you’re nurturing a God shaped dream. Consistency, self-leadership, and perseverance are not just personality traits. They are muscles you build. Daily gratitude is one small habit that strengthens all three.

If you’ve felt discouraged, stuck in negativity, or unsure how to keep going faithfully with the dream God has placed on your heart, this episode will help you reset your focus and start your day from a place of trust and truth.

And before I wrap up, I’m also giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming next for the Devoted Dreamers Podcast. I’ll share how Season 14 is evolving, why I’m changing the format, and what you can expect as we head into a new season focused on taking meaningful action on your God-shaped dream.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
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Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

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When it comes to creativity and taking action on our dreams, there’s a lot of talk about moving forward, but we don’t spend nearly enough time looking back.

That’s why I’m adding this brand-new habit to the Devoted Dreamers Habit Series: Scheduled Reflection. It’s a practice I didn’t include when I first launched the series, but it’s one I’ve come to see as essential for long-term faithfulness to a God-shaped dream.

Here’s why:

Without a consistent reflection practice, we miss key opportunities for growth and learning.

When was the last time you took a pause to reflect on something you tried? It could even be a new habit you attempted during this series. Did you keep it up all week? Was it a total flop? Did you find yourself making adjustments with each new attempt?

When you skip the reflection, you also miss out on the potential mindset shift that comes as you consider what you might do differently next time.

But when you build a new reflection practice, it helps you recognize what God is already doing in and through you.

Want to make it easy? I share a simple three-question reflection framework you can use weekly, monthly, or anytime you feel stuck.

If you want to pursue your dream with steadiness instead of burnout, this habit matters right now.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

Most of us say we want to grow, but when it comes time to step out of our comfort zone, we hesitate. Not because we don’t care, but because trying something we’ve never done before puts us face to face with uncertainty, insecurity, and the possibility of getting it wrong.

In this eighth episode in my Habit Series, I’m inviting you to practice a simple but powerful habit: trying something new. Not restarting a habit you’ve tried before, but stepping into something unfamiliar on purpose. A new skill. A new experience. A new way of showing up.

I talk about why this matters more than we realize, how trying something new strengthens courage and perseverance, and why your brain and your dream both benefit when you stop quitting before you’ve truly begun.

I also share reflection questions to help you notice what’s really holding you back, plus an invitation to try something new alongside other women through our monthly co-working calls.

If you’ve felt stuck, bored, hesitant, or quietly restless, this episode might be the nudge you need to take one small, brave step today.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits
Save your seat at the next Co-Working call: merrittonsa.com/coworking

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

If you feel like your inbox is always demanding from you, you’re not crazy. Email is one of those sneaky little drains that doesn’t just steal time, it steals attention. And attention is necessary for stewarding a God-shaped dream.

In today’s Habit Series, I’ve invited my friend Christa Hutchins (host of Just One Simple Thing podcast) to share three simple ways to manage your email without turning it into a whole new project. Because when your inbox is a mess, it impacts everything else you’re working on, including the next brave step on your dream.

This is also for the woman who’s building an audience and trying to grow an email list. I know it can feel scary to clean house and remove people who never open your messages. But this habit pays off in the future. It protects your focus, keeps your systems lighter, and helps you lead your dream with more clarity and less constant noise.

If email has been stealing your time and energy, this is a habit worth building today.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

For a long time, I believed I didn’t have time to sleep more. My life was full, my evenings felt like the only quiet hours I had to myself, and going to bed earlier felt like giving something up I couldn’t afford to lose. And yet, I was exhausted, foggy, short-tempered, and running on fumes most days.

In this mini episode of the Habits Series, I’m talking about sleep hygiene and why better sleep isn’t a luxury for later, but a foundational habit for women who are trying to do too much all at once. I share honestly about how poor sleep was quietly affecting my energy, my patience, my creativity, and my ability to show up well for the people I love and the dream God has placed on my heart.

You’ll hear the small, realistic changes I’ve made to improve my sleep without overhauling my life, and why sleeping more has actually helped me regain clarity, focus, and emotional margin instead of costing me time. If you feel stretched thin, constantly tired, and tempted to believe that rest will have to wait, this conversation may help you see sleep in a completely different light.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

Weekly planning doesn’t have to be complicated or rigid to be purposeful. At its core, it’s simply a protected block of time where you slow down, look ahead, and decide how you want to steward the week you’ve been given.

In this mini episode of the Habits Series, I’m talking about the habit of weekly planning and why it matters, especially if you already have a full life along with a God-shaped dream that hasn’t had much room to breathe. I share how weekly planning has helped me move out of reactive mode, notice patterns in my days, and make small adjustments that create more clarity and margin over time.

You’ll hear what weekly planning looks like in my life, how to choose a rhythm that actually works for your season, and why consistency matters more than doing it perfectly.

If you’re tired of feeling scattered and reactive, this episode will help you see how one protected block of time for weekly planning can bring clarity, calm, and momentum.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

Get my $19 training where I walk you through how I do my weekly planning, including the planning worksheet that helped me finally make this a priority in my life! Get the training here: https://www.merrittonsa.com/weeklyplanning

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

Depending on your season of life (or the season in your hemisphere), getting outside to move your body every day can feel surprisingly hard. Maybe you’re juggling work, caring for children or aging parents, and managing everyday household responsibilities with already limited energy. Who has time to go for a walk?

In this mini episode of the Habits Series, I’m talking about why daily movement matters and how to approach it with grace, and consistency.

I share honestly about why this habit has been challenging for me, especially in winter and midlife, and why movement still plays an important role in supporting our bodies, our focus, and our ability to persevere in a God-given dream.

You’ll hear about the connection between movement, morning sunlight, and overall well-being, along with simple, doable ways to make this habit easier to keep.

If you’ve struggled to prioritize movement or you’ve assumed it has to look intense to count, this episode will help you rethink what’s possible. I hope you’ll come away encouraged to start small, stay consistent, and see daily movement as one more way to care for yourself as you continue dreaming with God.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us a text

What if the exhaustion you feel at the end of every week is an invitation to live differently?

You’ve landed at the third mini episode in my Habits Series. In this one, I’m talking about Sabbath rest, not because we need another rule to follow but because of the inherent value of working from rest rather than for it.

For years, I treated rest as a burden, something I gave in to after pushing myself too hard. But a simple biblical insight shared by a friend shifted everything for me and helped me see rest as preparation, not recovery. In this episode, I share that story, explore the heart behind Sabbath, and walk you through what intentional, restorative rest looks like in my own life.

If you’re feeling worn down, constantly on, or quietly wondering how long you can keep going like this, I want you to listen. This conversation may help you reconnect with God in a gentler way, care for your soul more honestly, and build rhythms that can sustain you for the road ahead of dreaming with God.

Get the Habit Tracker at merrittonsa.com/habits

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday

New Here?
Hi! I’m your host, Merritt Onsa, a mentor for Christian women in midlife who want to turn their big ideas into purposeful work.

I come alongside women like you to help you discern what God might be inviting you into so you can take faithful next steps without pretending you have it all figured out.

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.