The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to 2026 and a new evolution of the HX podcast. For years, I kept my own 30-year battle with endometriosis hidden because I didn't feel safe discussing it at work. I've realized we can't treat mental health as separate from the rest of our bodies, yet we've designed workplaces for young, healthy men, leaving millions to "perform wellness" while managing chronic conditions in silence.

This season, we're peeling back the onion on why women's health isn't a niche issue—it's a trillion-dollar hole in the global economy. We'll explore why senior women are leaving at the peak of their careers and why supported employees outperform unsupported ones every time. It's time to move beyond generic wellness to real policies like menopause support and flexible work options. Let's stop choosing between health and productivity and get to work, y'all.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Hey humans, Stacie Baird here.

The truth is, nothing really changed in 2025—we just finally found the language for what has been true for a long time. This isn't a typical year-end review episode; it's a moment of closure and an opening. For six years, we've been talking about burnout, compassionate leadership, and psychological safety. But every time we had those conversations, we kept running into the same wall: the reality of our bodies. We realized that the burnout crisis we've been documenting is, at least in part, a women's health crisis that we haven't been naming.

In this episode, I'm taking you into the "in-between" space. I'm sharing why I realized I was participating in the same invisibility I was trying to challenge, hiding my own health struggles while performing wellness. We're connecting the dots between mental health and physical health because, for women, they simply cannot be separate.

Buckle up, because HX is evolving.

Starting in 2026, we are expanding our focus to whole person health at work through a woman's lens. This isn't about excluding men—it's about designing work for the reality of the majority of the workforce. It's about admitting that compassionate systems cannot exist if we pretend we don't have gender-specific needs. We are done with toxic positivity and we are done pretending that work happens separately from what is happening in our bodies.

If you've ever wondered if you're the only one managing everything invisibly, or if you're a leader watching talented women leave and don't understand why—this episode is for you.

Join me as we ask the hard questions and refuse the "either/or" choices we've been forced into. We are going to build the language we don't have yet, together.

See you in the new year. And this time, we're bringing all of us.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

On this now two year anniversary, I felt that this deserved a replay! This is an episode that is an enormous part of why I've changed the brand of the podcast to encompass the broader human experience. My daughter, Jocelyn, is my very special guest today. She talks about her leukemia diagnosis over two years ago, and the battle that would take up all of 2023, and change the way she has to look at her health for the rest of her life.

Hearing this story from her provides so much joy for who she is as a woman, how she's grown, and my hope is that you'll hear the same message. 

She shares some of the early indicators that were thought to be a bad case of the flu, the mysterious bruises she got, and when she checked in to Phoenix Children's Hospital. She talks about shaving her head, the incredible people that stepped up for her when she was down, and the quirky things that people say and do - when they don't know what to say or do!

The lesson and ongoing message in this podcast for all of us is, I believe, that through struggle and adversity comes strength. I'm so proud of my daughter - and the lessons I believe are important for anyone struggling. 

I hope that you find this episode to be uplifting and motivating for your own human experience.

Thank you so much for listening!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Welcome to the NEW version of the podcast, The HX Podcast! Similar in so many ways, but designed to focus on broader stories of the human experience (HX) to inspire all of you who listen!

To start the new year, I thought about how wonderful it would be to talk to two friends. How they met, their focus on the gift of being human, and their journey (including how they met), absolutely needed to be shared.

We talk about Bri Morsa (who works as a life coach among other things) and Brian Mohr, and how they met. But mostly the focus for all of us is to share what the human experience means to each of us (in our life, in our work), and why we shifted this podcast to talk about this work.

I hope you enjoy!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In our last official episode of the season, we conclude this small 5-part series. And again, it would be helpful to listen to the previous three episodes. You can find them at the bottom of these notes.

But what we need to do is take the summary of what we cultivated in those episodes.

• First, in episode 34, we looked backward to moments in 2023 when we felt our very best.
• Then, in episode 35, take some of those same reflections of last year and consider which doors we need to close.
• In episode 36 we focused on prioritization of the lists.
• Then we talked about stacking these habits in episode 37 (based on the James Clear book, Atomic Habits).

This is about evaluating which doors you need to close to make it a great 2024. We'll talk about using these tools in a myriad of ways - whether it's about ending a relationship, job, or something that is keeping you from living your very best life. Even identifying it gets you closer to that happiness. 

This isn't easy work - but it's worthwhile work. To do this work well, it takes adjusting your mindset around failure and pain. Making these choices will help you find a path that gives you more than you expected.

We are going to re-brand the podcast slightly in 2024. It's not going to change much for you if you enjoy the podcast. But we will make this more about the human experience, and less specifically about human resources. I'm sure those components will remain consistent throughout my stories, of course, but these lessons we learn are broader than one subject. I hope you enjoy and join me on the journey going forward!

Have a great holiday and Happy New Year!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In this episode, we combine the work from episodes one, two, and three.

We'll use these prioritized lists and pick the top four (or whatever number feels right to you). Then, using principles found in James Clear's book, Atomic Habits, we'll talk about using morning or evening habit stacking. 

One week at a time (in January), we'll talk about adding a new habit from your list.

We'll talk about the value of forming this over time, giving yourself grace if you slip, and finding that next improvement, a piece at a time. I'll talk about the importance of avoiding those pitfalls that might keep you in shame if it doesn't go according to plan.

Keep in mind that this doesn't need to wait until January. It doesn't need to be only four. It doesn't need to be once per week, or morning, noon, or night. Find something that works for you using the principles we talk about.

Next week, I'll conclude this series by giving you the last piece to do the work. 

I hope you enjoy these episodes!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In this episode, we combine the work from episodes one and two - and for those who haven't listened... they are short, but important to this week.

In episode 34, I asked you what the elements were for you that helped you feel the most light, love, joy, whatever that feeling is for you in 2023.

In episode 35, I asked you to curate the opposite - what are the doors that you need to close to have the best 2024?

In this episode I will talk about prioritizing the first list - when you look at it...when you say those things out loud - you might find some of those really speak to you. Put those big ones at the top of the list. Whatever gave you the best week ever, put those at the top - and start to prioritize them.

Second thing, and this is a bit more challenging - consider which of those doors you need to close (from your other list) and start the process of closing them. But mostly, even as a first step, I think it's time to re-imagine those experiences as lessons, or reposition those painful times as lessons that needed to be learned.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In this, part two of this small series to wrap up 2023, I'll expand on last week's work of reflection. I talk about shifting focus to the present day as well as the future. I personally went through two incredible challenges - my daughter's leukemia diagnosis in January and subsequent treatment, and the work I'm involved with at CMS, and the building of a team to fight the opioid epidemic.

Wouldn't it be valuable to have a clearer understanding of the doors you need to close to help move forward into 2024? It doesn't necessarily have to happen at the end of a calendar year, but if you haven't done this work it might make sense to view it from this perspective.

I want to encourage you to make the list - and keep making it. We'll keep moving forward in this work in the next episodes before the end of the year. 

I hope you enjoy, and always feel free to contact me if you need support. 

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

I am putting out this episode, a first in a brief series before the end of the year (and end of the season), and before a wonderful change to the podcast that will begin at the start of 2024.

Each of the episodes will be a small exercise - each can be as easy or involved as you want them to be. This one is about looking backward. Think about a week in 2023 where you felt your very best - work week, vacation week, whatever. We'll examine what things occurred that caused that great feeling. What did you say yes to? What did you say no to? Did you have a lot of engagement, or very little?

I hope you enjoy this episode and the journey to help connect to your best self.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

On this episode we have Sally Loftis, an expert in supporting humanity in the workplace. Sally has worked in the industry for 25 years, and runs her own consulting firm called Loftis Partners.

She specializes in strategy pieces of human resources, including pay equity and building trust and transparency within the workplace. During the episode, we discussed the steps organizations can take to foster greater trust, from the HR standpoint, by building trust throughout the employee life cycle, and from a leadership standpoint, by being authentic and vulnerable.

We also talked about the importance of pay transparency and how to socialize pay within the organization. We also talked about the ways in which we can all make little decisions within our power and influence that build trust in our circle of influence.

Thanks for listening!

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Sally's LinkedIn Page

Sally's website, LoftisPartners.com.