In this special in-the-car episode, Mimi chats with Caren Martinez—content creator, aspiring UX designer, and multi-hyphenate creative—about the beauty and chaos of choosing your own path, one pivot at a time. Over chamomile tea and matcha, they explore the messy middle of life, where nothing goes as planned, and that’s exactly the point.

In this episode, Caren shares:

• How a sushi restaurant encounter sparked her 11-year journey into content creation

• Why she’s pivoting into UX design in her mid-thirties

• The emotional reality of juggling a full-time job, school, and caregiving

• 
  

• Navigating the double pressure of Hispanic and Mormon cultural expectations around marriage and kids

• 
  

• The lessons she's learning about boundaries, burnout, and being okay with not having it all figured out

• 
  

• Her evolving relationship with the Mormon faith, and why it's okay to wrestle with it

• 
  

• Thoughts on free will, fate, and the beauty of letting life unfold

Bonus: Caren is co-hosting a Morocco group trip this October! Details inside the episode.

Follow Caren:Instagram & TikTok → ⁠@myworldmytravels⁠

🎧 Listen if you’ve ever:

• Questioned your timeline
• Felt behind in your thirties
• Needed a reminder that it's okay to change your mind
• Wanted to cry it out, then get up and try again

🌟 Reminder: What if it all works out?

In this episode of Explore with Mimi, Merve Karakus shares her journey of leaving a 12-year banking career to study mindfulness and Buddhist philosophy, spending seven months at Tibetan Buddhist centers. She discusses breaking free from societal expectations, embracing self-compassion, and the need for emotional openness in corporate culture. Merve also shares practical mindfulness techniques to reduce stress, balance ambition, and find deeper fulfillment.

In this episode, we cover Amy Ward’s journey which is a testament to the power of embracing uncertainty and trusting the process of growth. From starting as a criminal defense lawyer in Australia to working across the Middle East, she has consistently chosen courage over comfort. Now, as a commercial and technology lawyer, she is passionate about global governance, AI literacy, and creating meaningful impact through innovation and collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

• Taking Bold Risks: Moved to Dubai with no prior international experience, cold-called law firms, and built a successful global career.

• Overcoming Fear: Cried daily during the first six months abroad but persisted, proving that fear is part of growth.

• 
  

• Building Resilience: Grit is developed through repeated exposure to difficult situations—she suggests crossing off days on a calendar as a way to push through tough times.

• 
  

• Adapting to Change: Faced unexpected financial and cultural challenges but learned to plan for worst-case scenarios while embracing possibilities.

• 
  

• Neurodivergence & Work: Views her neurodivergence as a strength, working in focused bursts rather than traditional 9-5 structures, and advocates for flexible work environments.

• 
  

• Global Impact & Future Goals: Developing a policy-sharing platform to help governments adopt best practices more efficiently, with a focus on reducing inequality and driving innovation.

• 
  

Final Thought:"At the end of the day, it might not work out, but what if it does?"

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyelizabethward/

Email: amyelizabethward@outlook.com