Where the Road Runs Out

In this episode, Amanda explores what it means to take risks — as she watches her kids ride a dirt bike solo for the first time to stepping into her own craft booth adventure at the Duluth Junk Hunt. She reflects on how physical risks often inspire careful preparation, while emotional risks can tempt us to leap before we’re ready. Amanda shares how small, intentional steps can build confidence for...

Amanda reflects on the emotional dip that followed her retreat not unfolding as hoped, and how disappointment can make everything else feel heavier. She shares the resilience tools she leans on during low-energy seasons—movement, time in nature, and the grounding practice of revisiting her why . As she navigates the realities of a year outside corporate life, Amanda opens up about the challenge of...

Amanda gets honest about failure. After pouring her heart into creating her first retreat, she had to face the reality that not a single person signed up. Canceling the retreat wasn’t just a logistical task; it felt like a personal blow. She shares the spiral of self‑doubt that followed, the heaviness of disappointment, and the very human urge to simply wallow for a while. But she also talks about...

A gentle, reflective episode inviting listeners to rethink what luxury truly means. Amanda opens exploring the idea of luxury—not as wealth or extravagance, but as ease, comfort, and the abundance of time . Through stories from her family’s farm, she shares how harvesting, preserving, and cooking homegrown food felt like hard work in the moment, yet revealed a deeper kind of luxury: having the spa...

In this episode, I talk about the strange guilt that shows up when life is going well — the way we dappen our joy, downplay our ease, or worry that saying “I’m good” will somehow invite the other shoe to drop. I’ve found myself wondering why contentment can feel harder to talk about than challenges. I share a recent moment with a friend whose kids are having a tough start to the school year, and h...

In this episode of Where the Road Runs Out , Amanda explores why nature‑based meditation is such a powerful tool for resilience and emotional regulation. She breaks down current neuroscience showing how visualizing natural landscapes activates the brain’s sensory and emotional regions, quiets rumination, and supports clarity and calm. You’ll learn how meditation strengthens pathways in the insula...

In this early‑September episode, Amanda reflects on the shifting seasons—both in nature and in family life. After a whirlwind first year of homeschooling, she shares how much easier and more grounded year two already feels. With new routines, growing confidence, and a few humorous hiccups, Amanda explores how change becomes more manageable once you take that first brave step. Through stories of he...

A gentle, reflective episode about the power of attitude, resilience, and showing up with intention. Amanda shares a moving story about bringing a meal to Kyle’s aunt, who is recovering from a devastating accident. Despite multiple surgeries, months without driving, and the challenge of relying on others, her attitude is unwavering: calm, determined, grateful, and focused on what she can control....

A late‑summer reset with Amanda as she preps for a new homeschool year, tackles some decidedly unglamorous household jobs, and finds unexpected momentum in clearing space—inside and out. From sorting school shelves to deep‑cleaning a mystery fridge disaster, this episode is all about how groundwork fuels creativity, calm, and resilience. Plus, details on her upcoming Petals & Pines fall retrea...

In this conversation, Amanda sits down with functional wellness coach and longtime entrepreneur Julie Lother to explore the real foundations of building habits that actually stick. Together they unpack why habits shape who we become, how sleep, movement, and continual learning form the core of well‑being, and why starting small is the key to lasting change. Julie shares practical, compassionate gu...

A tired-but-honest Amanda shares how avoiding one small ask spiraled into a bigger lesson on fear, vulnerability, and choosing curiosity over perfection. From birthday-party exhaustion to finally reaching out for help promoting her fall retreat, this episode is a gentle reminder that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply ask. Email: Amanda@WhereTheRoadRunsOut.com Retreat Website: https:/...

In this meditation‑day episode, host Amanda Hinkinen guides listeners through a gentle Loving Kindness practice designed to support emotional regulation, resilience, and compassionate leadership. The episode moves into a grounding guided meditation that explores compassion in widening circles—toward yourself, loved ones, admired figures, neutral acquaintances, the natural world, and even those who...

In this episode, Amanda reflects on the quiet courage it takes to extend an invitation—especially when you’re introverted, craving space, or worried no one will say yes. A spontaneous decision to invite friends to her parents’ lake house becomes a reminder that connection grows when we initiate, not when we wait to be included. Through stories of summer gatherings, Taco Tuesdays, and low‑stakes ac...

After a whirlwind long‑weekend adventure in Iceland, Amanda returns home with a renewed appreciation for everyday life. In this episode, she explores the gentle transition from vacation mode back into routine and the power of perspective. From weeding a garden in the summer heat to reflecting on how easily we slip into narratives of “busy” and “tired,” Amanda invites listeners to shift their lens....

In this episode of Where the Road Runs Out , Amanda explores the quiet, unseen work that fuels every breakthrough. From the slow build of daily choices to the chemistry‑rich metaphor of ice melting in Atomic Habits , she reminds us that progress often happens long before we can see it. Amanda shares her own reflections on expertise, self‑doubt, and staying committed even when the results aren’t ob...

A gentle reminder that fun isn’t frivolous—it’s fuel. In this summer‑bright episode of Where the Road Runs Out , Amanda explores why joy, creativity, and play are essential parts of staying resilient, especially when you’re navigating big dreams or big changes. She shares her own list of what lights her up—from mountain biking to watercolor kits tucked in a bag—and invites you to make your own. Yo...

Amanda shares the story behind her bold pivot into homeschooling and entrepreneurship, shaped in part by the sudden loss of a beloved neighborhood teen, Tighe. Through grief, courage, and the reminder that time is never guaranteed, she explores what it means to leave the shore, follow joy, and choose a life aligned with what matters most. Tough Like Tighe Website: https://www.toughliketighe.com/ i...

In this meditation episode, Amanda explores how regulation supports resilience and guides you through a calming rainbow meditation—from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. This gentle, color‑based practice helps quiet the mind, relax the body, and create space for clarity whether you have five minutes or twenty. Settle in, breathe deeply, and stay curious. Email: Amanda@WhereTheRoadRun...

This episode of Where the Road Runs Out reflects on wrapping up Amanda’s first full year of homeschooling and the importance of pausing before moving into a new season. She shares the intentional questions her family is using to celebrate what worked, acknowledge what was hard, and identify what to improve—reminding listeners that these same reflection practices strengthen leadership at home, work...

In this episode, Amanda shares an honest look at what happens when carefully laid plans fall apart after a family emergency brings her kids home early, unraveling the quiet work week she’d envisioned. She walks through the emotional spiral that followed—disappointment, guilt, frustration—and how a simple 30‑second reel gave her the permission she needed to reset. With small grounding routines, une...

Amanda reflects on the familiar question most of us carry: Is this Enough? She explores how growth often hides in the everyday, only becoming visible when we zoom out—through end of school‑year photos, handwriting progress, or home project before and after's. Amanda reframes “enough” as something that shifts with purpose and season, inviting listeners to offer themselves grace, rest without guilt,...

This episode of Where the Road Runs Out explores the idea that there’s no single “right way” to learn, create, parent, or live. Inspired by moments with her kids—her son solving math his own way and her daughter creating art for the joy of it—Amanda reflects on how often we doubt ourselves and compare our path to others, especially in a world filled with highlight reels. She invites listeners to o...

When you’re standing at a crossroads with too many good ideas and not enough clarity, this episode offers a grounded way forward. Amanda reflects on decision paralysis, the stories that keep us stuck, and the simple practice of returning to your why, questioning your assumptions, and choosing one path to explore through action. A gentle reminder that clarity comes from doing—and that you don’t hav...

In this gentle spring meditation, Amanda invites you into a much‑needed pause—like a warm Midwestern rain that slows everything down. Through vivid imagery of darkening skies, soft raindrops, and sunshine breaking through, you’ll release busy thoughts, settle your mind, and remember that growth is happening even in the quiet moments. This short practice is a reminder that the in‑between seasons ma...

Amanda explores the difference between struggle and suffering—and why so much of what weighs us down is shaped by our beliefs. Inspired by a teaching that “80% of suffering is exaggeration,” she shares a personal story about her family cabin and walks through the ABC Method to reframe negative thoughts. This episode invites you to notice where unnecessary suffering shows up in your life and approa...