Kickstart With Kayla

As a new year begins, many of us feel pressure to set big goals, make resolutions, and completely reinvent ourselves — often without slowing down to ask what we actually need.
In this episode, my dad and I talk about a healthier way to approach growth. We discuss the idea of choosing a single word to guide your year, the importance of margin, and how self-awareness can help you grow without burning yourself out. We also reflect on faith, discipline, distraction, and what it looks like to pursue long-term growth instead of chasing short-term pressure.
We talk about identity, purpose, modern distractions like social media and AI, and why what you consume has a greater influence on your life than you may realize. This episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and think intentionally about who you’re becoming — not just what you want to accomplish.
If you’re entering this year feeling motivated but also overwhelmed, this conversation will help you reset your focus and approach growth with clarity, grace, and sustainability.

This episode is a heartfelt and honest conversation about faith, time, and the quiet urgency of the life we’ve been given.
I talk about what it means to live with intention, to stop putting off your relationship with God, and to recognize that tomorrow isn’t something we’re promised. Through personal reflection, Scripture, and moments of vulnerability, I share why faith isn’t meant to be something we “get to later,” but something that shapes how we live right now.
This episode isn’t about fear or guilt — it’s about love, purpose, and the invitation God extends to each of us to walk with Him daily. It’s about choosing faith over distraction, presence over postponement, and meaning over comfort.
If you’ve ever felt a pull toward something deeper, or sensed that God might be calling you closer, this conversation is for you.

Why do other people’s opinions affect us so deeply — even when we know they shouldn’t?
In this episode, we talk about fear of judgment, people-pleasing, and the quiet pressure to conform — especially in seasons of change, growth, and calling. I share personal experiences with seeking approval, navigating new environments, and wrestling with the fear of what others might think.
We unpack how fear works biologically in the brain, why negative opinions trigger a stress response, and how that fear can slowly shape our decisions, confidence, and identity. Through Scripture and real-life examples, we explore the difference between living for human approval and living with trust rooted in God.
This episode is a reminder that fear is not from the Lord, peace is. That identity is not built on opinions, but on truth. And that when God places something on your heart, no amount of criticism can take that calling away.
If you’ve ever felt held back by what others might say, think, or assume about you — this conversation is for you.

This week, I’m joined by a very special guest — my dad, Bill Fahrner.
In this episode, we sit down for an honest conversation about faith, work, purpose, and what it looks like to follow God over the long haul — not just in emotional highs, but in everyday life. My dad shares his testimony, how his faith evolved from something transactional into a real relationship with God, and the moments that shaped his spiritual walk over the years.
We talk about navigating seasons of uncertainty, learning how to integrate faith into your work, and why “work is worship” when you live with intention. We also discuss burnout, balance, leadership, and the importance of creating margin — especially in busy seasons of life.
This episode is about consistency over intensity, steady faith over emotional highs, and learning how to walk with God in a way that’s sustainable, honest, and rooted in grace.
Whether you’re in college, early in your career, or simply feeling stretched thin, I hope this conversation encourages you to slow down, reflect, and remember that faith is built one day at a time.

Before you set a goal, listen to this.
As we step into a new year and start thinking about who we want to become, it’s easy to get caught up in planning, dreaming, and creating big visions for our lives. But before we write the list, make the vision board, or announce our intentions to the world, we have to pause and look inward.
In this episode, we talk about the heart behind goal-setting — the difference between desire and discipline, why ambition is a gift when it’s rooted in the right things, and how quickly our dreams can become idols if we’re not paying attention. We also talk about intention, identity, and the invitation God gives us to dream boldly with Him, not apart from Him.
I dive into the neuroscience of motivation and why your brain loves the excitement of new goals but struggles with the follow-through. And through Scripture and personal reflection, we explore the truth that while we plan our way, it’s ultimately God who establishes the steps.
If you’re entering 2026 feeling excited, overwhelmed, hopeful, or uncertain — this conversation will help you slow down, reset your focus, and build goals that honor God, challenge you, and align with who you’re becoming.
May this episode be your reminder that your dreams matter, your discipline matters, your identity in Christ matters… and you don’t have to have the whole plan to take the next right step.

This week’s episode is a conversation about faith, fear, miracles, and the way God redirects our lives when we least expect it. My aunt, Angela Halloran-Smith, shares her testimony — from drifting far from God, to ignoring His whispers, to the moment everything changed.
This is an episode about trusting God without having the answers, stepping into the unknown, and saying yes when He calls you into something bigger than yourself.If you’ve been praying for direction, this conversation is for you.

In this week’s episode, I open up about distractions, stress, and what it feels like to drift from God without even realizing it. After a long, overwhelming week of exams and responsibilities, I found myself struggling to focus, praying for direction, and feeling mentally and spiritually drained. So instead of forcing a topic, I talk honestly about the reality of distraction — how it creeps in, why it feels so fulfilling in the moment, and how easily the world can pull us away from what actually sustains us.
We dig into why certain habits, temptations, and “fun paths” look appealing at first but leave us empty, and how God patiently waits for us to turn around and come home. I share the story of the Prodigal Son, the idea of “worldly agonists” that mimic fulfillment, and the importance of recognizing when we’re living a double life or trying to fill spiritual gaps with temporary fixes.
Most importantly, this episode is about remembering that you are never too far gone. No matter how long you’ve been distracted or how deep you’ve wandered, God is still near, still listening, and still ready to welcome you with open arms. Whether you feel burnt out, guilty, overwhelmed, or spiritually distant, this conversation reminds you that coming home starts with just one step — one honest cry for help.

In this episode, I talk about what it really means to choose compassion over comfort. I reference a viral TikTok experiment where a woman pretended to need baby formula to see if religious organizations would step in to help. The responses revealed something important: it’s easy to say we love like Jesus, but much harder to choose compassion when it costs us something.
We dig into why comfort often keeps us from obedience, how generosity reflects the heart of God, and why faith can’t just be something we talk about—it has to be something we live. Jesus didn’t choose the easy response. He chose the compassionate one, every time.
This episode is a reminder that growing in faith means growing your garden—and gardens aren’t meant to be kept for ourselves. They’re meant to feed others.
If you’ve been feeling challenged to love more deeply, notice the needs around you, or let your faith move beyond words, this conversation will encourage and stretch you.

What happens when believers stay quiet about their faith?
In this episode, Kevin joins me to talk about what it means to live boldly for God in a world that often encourages silence. We open up about the fears, doubts, and distractions that can keep Christians from sharing their faith—and how choosing faith over fear leads to peace, not pressure.
Kevin shares his story of rededicating his life to Christ, learning to live out his faith authentically, and using social media as a way to plant seeds of truth. Together, we talk about how to love people who don’t share your beliefs, how to balance humility with boldness, and why our words and actions matter more than we realize.
If you’ve ever hesitated to talk about your faith, this conversation is a reminder that obedience isn’t about perfection—it’s about participation. God doesn’t need your eloquence; He just asks for your willingness to speak when He calls.

Motivation is temporary, but transformation begins when both the mind and spirit are renewed.
In this episode, I examine motivation through both a biblical and psychological lens, exploring how faith and science work together to sustain lasting discipline. Drawing from Romans 12 and Matthew 4, I discuss how God calls us to renewal through His Word and how spiritual consistency can reshape our daily lives.
Using insights from Atomic Habits by James Clear, The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz, and principles of operant conditioning, I explain how identity-based habits and small, consistent actions can build long-term growth.
This episode encourages listeners to look beyond fleeting inspiration and to develop habits that reflect both mental renewal and spiritual obedience.