Advertise on podcast: Chocolate Cake Bytes

This week, I take a fresh look at goals through Alma 43. What makes a goal powerful enough to keep pursuing when the work gets difficult? The answer may have less to do with obligation and more to do with finding a cause that reaches deeper, something meaningful enough to move us from the inside 00:51. I explore the process of asking “why” again and again until we uncover the real reason behind a goal. For me, pursuing daily exercise became more meaningful when I connected it to being active with my two grandkids, and finding a job became more motivating when I connected it to the kind of person I want to be 02:30. As a new year approaches, I’m asking a more personal question: What are you fighting for? Join me as we consider how a deeper cause can bring more intent, energy, focus, drive, and desire to the goals that matter most 04:39. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m thinking about a phrase we’ve all heard: “Jesus, take the wheel.” Does it mean giving up my agency and letting God make every decision for me? Or could it mean something deeper about how I choose, pray, and follow Jesus Christ? I believe agency is one of the most valuable gifts we’ve received from our Father in Heaven, so I don’t think I’m meant to delegate my life to God. Instead, prayer can help me bring my will into alignment with His. As I talk through decisions, consider consequences, and seek direction, I can choose a path and ask Jesus to make my efforts holy, consecrated, and beneficial to others. So what does “Jesus, take the wheel” mean to me? It means dedicating my life, not handing it away. I’d love to hear what the phrase means to you. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m thinking about faith, hope, and charity, and how each one strengthens the others. When Jesus spoke about faith as a grain of mustard seed, was He pointing to its small size, or to something more persistent? I’m asking whether the faith we need is less about how much we have and more about whether we keep going. I revisit a frightening moment surrounding my youngest son’s birth, when I received an unexpected rush of confidence and hope before I even knew what had happened. What would it look like to trust that everything will be okay, even when the circumstances are uncertain? Could faith in Christ mean refusing to quit and continuing toward a meaningful relationship with our Savior? This week, I’m exploring faith as determination, focus, and relentless effort. Maybe the sweet goodness of living the gospel grows from faith that keeps moving, even through the cracks. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m sharing two unexpected takeaways from the recent General Conference. As someone who does sign language interpreting, I found myself paying close attention not only to the messages, but also to the choices interpreters made in expressing ideas about God’s love. What can a different sign teach us about how we understand our relationship with Heavenly Father? I’m also reflecting on the power of seeing a familiar person speak in a very public setting. When Paul Sinclair, someone I knew from my time on the stake high council, gave his first General Conference talk about serving without judging, the message carried a deeply personal connection for me. We’ll also consider how songs such as “His Eyes on the Sparrow” can invite us to look beyond the words and focus on the meaning. Sometimes a new perspective comes through a different language, a familiar face, or a phrase we’ve heard many times before. This week, I’m exploring those sweet discoveries and the deeper meaning they can bring to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I share an unexpected lesson from a 45-minute watercolor class on our cruise. I hadn’t picked up watercolors since elementary school, and as the colors refused to blend perfectly, I was tempted to decide the whole thing was “stupid” and “horrible.” But I kept following the steps, made adjustments, and ended up with something I was willing to show people. That experience reminded me that “the tuition to get good at something is to be willing to be bad at something.” I’ll also explore why I believe we’re born to create, whether that means making art, building something new, or simply trying what feels uncomfortable. What might you create if you stopped waiting to be perfect? Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I take you to Glacier Bay, where a change in plans, a different glacier, and overcast skies left me feeling disappointed. But as I looked at Margerie Glacier through a new lens, I started to wonder: what if the experience I didn’t plan for was perfect exactly as it was? That question brought me back to a stressful mistake from my TEDx application process, when I accidentally deleted my YouTube channel and hundreds of videos. At first, I thought I had ruined my life. But the new channel I created out of necessity performed exponentially better, and I still ended up giving the TEDx talk. What if the hard things we’re facing are preparing us to progress in ways we couldn’t have imagined? This week, I’m reflecting on the possibility that our challenges, disappointments, and unexpected turns may be exactly what we need. Could the thing that feels wrong right now become a blessing in ways we can’t yet see? Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m thinking about faith, fear, and what it means to give things to God. A client recently quit her job without another one lined up, leaving behind a situation where she felt stuck and poorly treated. She didn’t know exactly what would come next, but she knew she needed to move toward something different. Is taking action without a complete plan foolish, or can it be an expression of faith? I explore the difference between believing in something we hope will happen and believing in something we hope won’t happen. When the unknown feels terrifying, where do we put our energy: protecting ourselves from fear or moving toward faith? I’m inspired by people who step forward with confidence in themselves and in God, even when they can’t see the whole path. Have faith, not fear. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I take you along for a 27-hour drive in a moving truck from Idaho to Indiana. Sitting for hours, stopping to stretch, and feeling the trip wear me down gave me plenty of time to think about what we’re really working toward. What do we want, and how does that answer change the way we handle difficult moments? 00:42 The heart of this episode is perspective. When I focused on the immediate discomfort, the drive felt exhausting. When I remembered the ultimate goal, helping my daughter and son-in-law settle into their new home, the sacrifice became manageable. I explore how that same longer-term view can help us face the uncomfortable, difficult, and frustrating parts of life with greater purpose. 03:30 Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I explore the limits we accept without ever testing them. A dentist’s recurring problem, a numbed mouth, and a surprising product that may reverse Novocaine’s effects reveal how often we simply put up with frustrations because we don’t know an alternative exists. I’ll take you from a moving truck on the highways of Wyoming to Harry Houdini’s supposedly locked jail cell, which turned out to be unlocked all along. What if some of the barriers holding you back are assumptions rather than facts? And what could change if you truly believed that, with God, nothing is impossible? Share your thoughts at [email protected].  Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I'm thrilled to have Brett back on the podcast for a conversation that hit home in all the best ways. After a recent sacrament talk, Brett shares how a familiar scripture teaching—"ask and ye shall receive"—shifted for him when he applied it beyond his usual worries about jobs and finances, and instead looked inward at his ongoing struggles with anxiety and mental health. What happens when you actually hand over every struggle—including the ones that feel permanent—to Christ, and decide to trust Him completely? Brett's experience might just change the way you approach your daily battles. We dig into how acting in faith looks different when you genuinely believe Christ "has you," from journaling and reminder lists to an entirely new sense of peace that can come with this surrender. Along the way, we wrestle with questions about aligning our will to God's, navigating scrupulosity, and the parable of the talents: what does a five-talent servant really feel like? If you've ever wondered what you're still not asking for—or how to systemize your own spiritual reminders—you'll want to be part of this week's discussion. I'd love to hear: what are you carrying on your own that you could hand over to Christ? And in what ways are you scratching the surface of what's possible when you live the gospel with both faith and surrender? Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m joined by Kaden, back on the podcast with a candid look at what happens when our faith hits a standstill. Have you ever felt stuck—like you’re going through the motions but not moving forward spiritually? We get real about what stagnant faith looks like, the hard places it can take us, and more importantly, how to find a fresh direction no matter where you’re starting from. Together, we talk through Kaden’s journey through college, dealing with depression, and what it means to hit “reset” on faith—exploring the honest struggles and the value in facing our own weaknesses. We reflect on how setbacks, even painful ones, can be the experiences that shape us the most, drawing on stories from everyday life and powerful visuals that stuck with us from seminary. Is there really such a thing as falling behind on your spiritual path, or are we exactly where God needs us to be? If you’ve ever wondered how to shift your mindset, set a game plan for personal growth, or turn your hardest moments into stepping stones toward deeper discipleship, this episode is for you. Let’s dig into how intentional change and gratitude for the hard things can realign us—helping us face toward the Savior, one step at a time. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

As this week wraps up, I’m reflecting on the close of another Pathways Institute term and some remarkable experiences I’ve shared with my West African students. What does it mean to truly exercise faith? I dive into the story of the man with palsy from Mark 2, exploring what it might have felt like to be asked by Jesus to rise, pick up his bed, and walk. Would you leap up boldly—or would you be tentative, testing your strength with each small movement? This episode is all about those pivotal moments when our faith is called into action—sometimes boldly, sometimes with caution. I share my thoughts on the leap from uncertainty to confident trust, wondering how each of us would step out if we were in that man's place. Where do you fall on the spectrum between cautious faith and bold, ambitious belief? I’d love to hear about your own experiences with faith—how do you take those first steps when there are no guarantees? And as always, if you have feedback or want to share your thoughts, reach out. Let’s keep digging into the sweet, faith-filled moments that make life so delicious. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, I’m back in my own space after a whirlwind of travel, and I’m reflecting on what it means to find stability when everything seems to change at lightning speed. From airport delays to marathon mountain climbs, this episode dives deep into the unexpected twists that life throws our way, and how a steady, guiding presence can make all the difference. At the center of our conversation is Elder Holmes’ talk, “Jesus Christ Is the Way.” I share a personal story about my friend CJ, who is blind, and the remarkable systems and support (including a sighted guide) that allow him to navigate life’s challenges. But what if Christ isn’t just the guide—what if He’s actually the path itself? This idea has me asking how we lean into His support and access the comfort and assurance only He can offer, especially when plans fall apart. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences—how do you hold onto your Guide when life takes an unexpected turn? Join me as we unpack these questions, and let’s keep moving forward, holding on to the Savior who’s more than a guide—He’s the very way through every mountain and marathon we face. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

This week, we're talking about the power and discomfort of making decisions—big or small. Ever noticed how being out of your element or off your routine can throw off your sense of control? That happened to me this week while traveling, and it made me think deeply about how we handle choices when life feels unsettled. The heart of this episode is a raw look at the idea that our greatest power lies in choosing for ourselves. Too often, we avoid decisions, hoping life will sort itself out, or we surrender our authority by letting others (or our own Rationalizer voice) decide for us. What actually happens when we don't choose? Is "not to decide" really a decision in itself? These questions shaped my week—and this conversation. If you've ever felt stuck between options or intimidated by the pressure to get it “right,” this episode is for you. My challenge for you this week: make a decision, no matter the size, and feel the momentum that comes from moving forward. And if you want to dig deeper into the philosophy of decision-making—or even disagree with me about whether not to decide is to decide—reach out. Let’s get ambitious together. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen

Today we dive into the concept of identity and its powerful impact on our personal and professional lives. How we see ourselves shapes not only the choices we make but also the authority we exercise over our lives. The goal in this life: becoming the kind of person who acts, rather than being acted upon—transforming habits, mindsets, and circumstances through intentional identity shifts.  Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at [email protected] and follow me at  https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateCakeBytes https://www.instagram.com/chocolatecakebytes/ Check out my new podcast: The Unstuck Career podcast at https://kenwilliamscoaching.com/listen