Emotionally Uncomfortable

"You see this dissonance between the current you and the past you or other people, and the only gap across the bridge is action and implementation." There's a moment when you realize the life you're living and the life you actually want are no longer aligned, and no amount of thinking, planning, or hoping is going to close that gap for you. In this episode, Heather and Melissa Apa explore that tension as she shares what it looks like to navigate a child's diabetes diagnosis, the weight of ongoing crisis, and the secret decisions that change everything over time. This isn't a conversation about doing it perfectly or becoming a "better" person. It's about learning how to live, lead, and even thrive inside circumstances you didn't choose, without letting them define you. What to listen for: ✨ The power of managing a disease like diabetes without making it your identity ✨ Melissa's experience getting her child's diagnosis and navigating the initial stress ✨ The trap of thinking life will finally be manageable after the crisis you're walking through "I was like, my life is clearly just going to continue to be chaos, and I need to figure out how to still be able to get to joy and thriving and loving life because we only get one life, and this is the one I have, so I would like to enjoy it." ✨ The secret, silent decisions we make internally when we're finally ready to change ✨ How Melisa's multi-year experience of dealing with crisis made the journey more easeful ✨ Managing life with a chronic disease isn't a morality issue; it's just what's happening "You're not morally a good or bad person if you're struggling to control a chronic disease. You just don't have the right information, the right tools, or the right support. It doesn't mean that you're bad." ✨ Teaching kids how to advocate for themselves, especially with health issues ✨ Learning how to thrive with your disease rather than settling for just managing it ✨ Why action and implementation are required to experience behavioral change "The biggest thing that I see in the people who don't make changes is that they don't even see it as a possibility. It's never even occurred to them that it doesn't need to be this way. They have accepted that it will always be hard. That's not what I want you to accept. We need to accept some things, and we need to challenge some others here." ✨ How Heather helped Melissa recognize that chronic overwhelm was her comfort zone ✨ Being emotionally calm is the foundational work to build stability and systems from ✨ Why your leadership and how you manage your energy directly affect your family *** About Melissa Apa: Melissa Apa is a Clinical Pharmacist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with over 15 years of experience—turned diabetes coach. She is a runner, and mom of two boys, including one living with type 1 diabetes. Drawing on both her professional expertise and personal journey, Melissa helps people with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes move from surviving to thriving. Her mission is to empower families to develop the autonomy, calm, and confidence needed to navigate daily management and embrace life fully. Connect with Melissa:Website: www.insulininspired.com Instagram: @melissaapa_ *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Apply for the next 1:1 Coaching Cohort:https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator: https://heatherchauvin.com/time

"If a buffalo is willing to go into something that it knows is going to suck, the emotionally uncomfortable storm, it knows the storm will pass faster." In this episode, Heather gets honest about what it actually takes to move forward when you're standing at the edge of change, and every part of you wants to stall out. This conversation explores the invisible weight we carry, the addiction to consuming information instead of integrating it, and the subtle ways we create drama to avoid the decisions that would change everything. Through the lens of "becoming the buffalo," Heather talks about what it looks like to face discomfort head-on, close the loops you've been leaving open, and build the capacity to hold more in your life without breaking under it. If you've been circling the same patterns, avoiding the one thing you know you need to do, or feeling mentally and emotionally cluttered, this episode will meet you there and challenge you to move anyway. What to listen for: ✨ The journey of becoming a buffalo and seeing the energy ties that hold you back ✨ Why solving problems helps open up your mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity ✨ How Heather is exploring where she wants her work to fit into the industry "I've been thinking a lot about how addictive information is and how people are addicts for online information. We have podcasts. We have books. We have courses. We have all the things, and in order to have a transformation, you actually need to integrate it." ✨ The reason why, when we're about to have a transformation, we create drama ✨ We often have resistance to just doing the damn thing, but we need to move past it ✨ The ways (and reasons) people keep loops open to avoid making a decision "The quicker I started making decisions, even if I had resistance to making the decision, the quicker I could observe myself in the mental upper limit where I was adding drama to making a decision, the faster and lighter I felt." ✨ If you learn how to declutter and manage everything differently, you will feel lighter ✨ The power of using the concept of becoming a buffalo to move through discomfort faster ✨ What's the one thing you keep running away from, and how will you choose to face it? "The older you get, the more responsibility and life experiences you have, but you just don't have the skills to manage that. You have to learn how to declutter the invisible. If you learn how to manage everything differently, you will feel lighter. I guarantee it." ✨ The one thing leaders do that non-leaders don't: take the hard actions first ✨ Why rolling out the red carpet for your children keeps them from developing grit ✨ Taking on the buffalo challenge in your own life to move yourself forward *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me inside the Energetic Time Management Accelerator, a focused experience designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator: https://heatherchauvin.com/time

"I don't have to fall into the drama and the nonsense and everything else, and I can take all the amazing things I'm learning and come into a new season." For many women, being "good" means holding everything together for everyone else. But at some point, the question begins to surface: When did good enough become good enough? In this episode, Heather and Laurie Wintonick explore what it really looks like to grow into the next version of yourself without blowing up the life you've built. From letting go of guilt and redefining what it means to be a "good woman," to navigating the tension that comes when others don't support your evolution, this conversation is about choosing yourself with intention. Because when you stop abandoning your own desires and start honoring what you truly want, you don't just change your life, you become the version of yourself you were always meant to be. What to listen for: ✨ What it really means to "be a good woman" without abandoning yourself ✨ The importance of asking yourself, "When did good enough become good enough?" ✨ Figuring out what you really want and getting unstuck without blowing up your life "I wanted to be able to be professional and have a career while also being an amazing mom, and I don't feel like you have to decide one or the other. You can absolutely a thousand percent do both, but you have to be really intentional about it." ✨ Prioritizing what's important and leveling up your life in the process ✨ Navigating the tension when other peopledon't support your growth journey ✨ Are you being blocked, or are you refusing to take a stand for how you want to feel? "If I want to do something, I'm gonna go do what I want to do because at the end of the day, the only person I'm hurting by not doing it is me. And if I'm hurting myself, then in reality, I'm not the best version of myself, so everybody's gonna suffer because of that." ✨ Letting go of guilt because women are allowed to give themselves permission ✨ The more you grow, the more you realize who's actually in your corner ✨ How doing the work brings you to the person you're here to be *** About Laurie Wintonick: Laurie Wintonick is a powerhouse coach, executive leader, and speaker with over 30 years of C-suite business experience in operations, strategic planning, and leadership development. Laurie's career began as a receptionist at 21, but her drive, curiosity, and people-first approach quickly propelled her to the executive level—serving as Executive Vice President at a top financial planning firm, where she mastered every side of business from sales/operations/finance to HR and strategic growth. Currently, Laurie runs her own Coaching and Consulting Firm - Boringly Consistent, where she contracts as a Fractional COO, as well as a Business, Executive, Performance, Mindset, Wellness, and Master Life Coach. She is also the Head of Business at Beyara—a company deeply aligned with Laurie's mission—to help female entrepreneurs build and scale businesses and lifestyles that align with their deepest values—combining mindset, business mastery, and strategic growth with lives they truly enjoy. Connect with Laurie: Website: www.beyara.com Instagram: @lillg23 and @beyarawomen LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lauriewintonick/ *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Apply for the next 1:1 Coaching Cohort:https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator: https://heatherchauvin.com/time

"If you can own that you are the issue, then you can own that you have ownership over your calendar. You're just getting in your own way, and you're letting your brain win." In this episode, Heather digs into the reality that burnout doesn't happen overnight. It builds over the years through the emotional weight we carry (often not even our own), the expectations we place on ourselves, and the subtle ways we abandon our own needs to keep everything else running. Heather explores why so many women find themselves stuck in cycles of exhaustion, over-responsibility, and emotional labor, and why true recovery from burnout requires changing yourself, not just rest. From learning how to manage your nervous system and energy levels, to developing deeper discernment about what belongs on your calendar and what doesn't, this conversation unpacks the hidden patterns that keep us operating in survival mode. Because until you're willing to look in the mirror and decide you can't keep living the same way, nothing truly shifts, and eventually, something in your life will demand that you finally pay attention. What to listen for: ✨ The reason why women take on and carry other people's emotional weight ✨ You can't recover from burnout and then reenter your life without actually changing ✨ Until you learn to manage your energy and resistance, you'll continue hiding out "Until you're willing to look in the mirror and to be like, I can't live like this anymore, nothing will change. It will manifest itself through your marriage, in a child's behavior, your career, your bank account, or your body. One of those things will get so big that you can't avoid it anymore. But the symptoms were there, probably about 10 years before." ✨ Taking ownership of our nervous system and a big lesson in burnout from the gym ✨ Understanding contrast and capacity and how to manage your energy levels ✨ Navigating through transition and deeply owning the season or phase you're in "I put my soul on the calendar. I have discernment because I've built up the skill and the muscle to listen to myself and know what feels good and what doesn't. But for whatever reason in the season of my life, there's this new level of discernment and agency that I need to take on." ✨ What it really looks like to own your calendar and experience time freedom ✨ Understanding your unique needs and protecting yourself from energetic debt ✨ The importance of not allowing yourself to get into a survival or crisis state "I just refuse to let myself get into a survival or crisis state. I'll challenge myself, sprint, and lean in, but I am not going to burn myself out for ego and pride. I just won't do it. I want to live a meaningful, healthy, vibrant life because that's to me is what my soul craves." ✨ What it looks like to live a mother-led, energy-led life that fulfills you ✨ If you can't connect with yourself, you won't feel connected with anyone else ✨ Removing all the challenges that are taking your energy from what matters *** We live in a culture that rewards fixing, striving, and holding everything together, yet the truthfeeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Apply for the next 1:1 Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator https://heatherchauvin.com/time

"Having the freedom to decide this is what I choose to do now or another time, that to me is that time-rich feeling." In this episode, Heather and Christine Landis gently (and sometimes unapologetically) challenge the way we think about productivity, responsibility, and the stories we tell ourselves about success. Together, they unpack the invisible labor so many women carry, the exhaustion of decision fatigue, and the cultural conditioning that convinces us we must do everything ourselves to be "good" partners, mothers, leaders, or humans. This isn't a conversation about outsourcing tasks for the sake of efficiency; it's about buying back your time so you can reclaim your energy, your joy, and your capacity to live intentionally rather than by default. Christine invites us to reimagine what it means to be "time rich," to stop apologizing for spaciousness, and to consciously plan for joy as a foundational part of an aligned life. What to listen for: ✨ Understanding house management, and giving ourselves permission to outsource ✨ Identifying the invisible load you carry and the decision fatigue that comes with it ✨ Becoming "time rich" by letting go of the need to do everything yourself "It's not about delegating laundry or delegating meal prep. It's about reclaiming your fucking life and reclaiming how you want to feel." ✨ If we want men to step up, we as women need to better value our own time ✨ Giving yourself more capacity with that time, not doing more of something else ✨ The importance of not judging or defending the spaciousness you bought back "Planning for joy is really important. You can't be reactionary. You have to put that thought out there and look ahead into your week, your month. It doesn't have to be this big five-year plan, but even just protecting your time on a doable, regular basis." ✨ Focusing on the life you want rather than living by default ✨ Planning for your joy instead of being reactive to what's coming at you ✨ Valuing yourself and your time differently, and the challenges that come with it About Christine Landis: Christine Landis is the founder of Peacock Parent and the creator of Proxy, a text-based thinking partner for home life. A former fintech CEO who inherited and grew her family's company before selling it, Christine thought retirement would bring freedom — but instead it clarified her mission. She realized that time, not money, is the real measure of success. Today, she uses her decades of operational experience to help high-achieving families reduce the mental load, delegate with confidence, and buy back time for the moments that matter most. Through Peacock Parent's guides and Proxy's fast, judgment-free responses, Christine is redefining what modern support at home can look like. Connect with Christine Landis: Website:https://peacockparent.com/ Instagram: @PeacockParent Text: 820-PEACOCK (820-732-2625) Try Proxy: Use code HEATHER for 3 months free ($450 value). Purchase the 3-month plan, complete your profile, and get a thinking partner in your back pocket via text. https://proxy.peacockparent.com/purchase *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Apply for the next 1:1 Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator https://heatherchauvin.com/time

"If you just trusted people a little bit more, you would have more time, you would have more energy, and you could return home to yourself." We live in a culture that rewards fixing, striving, and holding everything together, yet the truth is that many women are exhausted not from doing too little but from carrying too much that was never theirs to hold. In this episode, Heather explores what happens when the identity that once fueled your growth begins to limit your freedom, why trusting others can radically expand your time and energy, and how success, achievement, and emotional satisfaction are often operating on entirely different tracks. From energy hoarding and nervous system recalibration after change to the emotional discomfort of having standards, agency, and self-respect, this episode invites you to stop "shoulding," reclaim discernment, and return home to yourself, not as a destination, but as a daily practice of honesty, surrender, and intentional feeling. What to listen for: ✨ The addiction to "fixing" oneself and why energy management matters more ✨ Why most people aren't evolving fast enough to keep up with broader changes ✨ Learning how to communicate your value is a skill that more women need "It is incredibly emotionally uncomfortable for the average woman, let alone the average human, to have discernment, agency, enough self-respect, and high standards on how she lets other people treat her. It actually comes from an identity that you have outgrown." ✨ What really is the finish line for "success," or will the goal post keep moving? ✨ Why "shoulding" on ourselves doesn't help, and how to see it is data to work from ✨ How your life looks on the outside has nothing to do with life satisfaction "Your feelings and your goals are two different things, and identifying that alone can be a game-changer. More money and achievements aren't going to make you happy. It's so cliché what they say about 'enjoy the journey,' but that's it. How do you want to feel in every moment and every second of the day?" ✨ Why the identity that got you to where you are isn't serving you anymore ✨ The reason our nervous systems get stuck in a "weird" state after change ✨ Getting honest with yourself and surrendering to what's happening "Parenting feels heavier because you're holding something that's not yours to carry. You've become an energy hoarder, and you don't know how to declutter your energy." ✨ It's our job to become adults and acquire the skills that we want our kids to have ✨ Why we love to act like victims of our lives when the world feels unstable ✨ Control is caused by our lack of wanting to feel our feelings healthily *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"Marketing is required in any business, and the marketing landscape is constantly changing. You have to evolve with it." In this episode, Heather and Jess Shirra break down what it actually looks like to evolve with the marketing landscape without burning yourself out or throwing money at strategies that don't move the needle in your unique business. This is a real conversation about the identity shift that comes with hiring a team, the weight of holding the bigger pieces alone, and why bringing in the right marketing leadership at the right time can change everything. If you've ever felt the pressure to "figure it out" yourself, questioned your strategy, or wondered whether you're investing in the right things, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, support, and building a business that honors your lifestyle, not just your revenue goals. What to listen for: ✨ The identity shift and initiation that come with hiring a team for your business ✨ How the heaviness of holding the bigger pieces can negatively impact your work ✨ Understanding the right hiring order for team members, and finding their best role "The CMO role is almost like having insurance for your marketing budget and marketing efforts. Someone inside your business is making sure you're not wasting money, spending too much, or focusing on the wrong thing,s and that every single little bit of energy, effort, revenue, like budget is being directed towards the most needle-moving things." ✨ Hiring a Chief Marketing Officer who honors your lifestyle and goals ✨ Why you need a marketing strategy and a dedicated lead-generation funnel ✨ The importance of asking for support in advance so you don't expect instant ROI "If you have a strong CMO, what that person will do is hear your ideas and then think about that in the bigger picture of where we're going, and this thing actually does make sense, or it's going to actually make that other thing faster or better." ✨ The importance of having a solid marketing strategy in place, even if you're new ✨ Building self-trust and navigating the lack of ethics in online marketing ✨ Understanding there's no one right way to market a business About Jess Shirra: Jess Shirra is a Fractional CMO and the founder of The CMO Office, where she partners with 7- and 8-figure creators and brands to bring them the clarity, direction, and leadership they've been missing in their marketing. Over her 15-year career, she's led marketing for global brands like Lululemon, Pottery Barn, Strava, and Deloitte, and has supported top creators including Jenna Kutcher, Lori Harder, and Vanessa and Xander Marin. Jess' superpower is her ability to cut through the noise and help founders understand what their businesses truly need to grow. Connect with Jess: Website: https://www.thecmooffice.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketing.by.jess LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicashirra/ *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"If you choose to quit and run away, you're 100% guaranteed to not get the result that you came for." In this episode, Heather shares an honest conversation about emotional endurance, how it's not the "hustle-hard, push-through" version we've been sold, and why it's important to stay with yourself when things get uncomfortable, inconvenient, or uncertain. She unpacks why reinvention often stalls out when self-abandonment is mistaken for strength, how real lightness comes from honoring capacity rather than overriding it, and what it actually means to keep going without betraying yourself. If you've ever felt torn between wanting more and feeling the weight of resistance from yourself or those around you, this episode is an invitation to redefine endurance as knowing when to lean in and when to take a damn break. What to listen for: ✨ The real reason most people aren't doing the work to reinvent themselves ✨ Heather's love letter on not abandoning yourself and creating more lightness ✨ Navigating resistance from the people around you as you go for more "You won't feel lighter or freer by forcing yourself to push harder. It doesn't come from endurance alone; it comes when you stop betraying your capacity in the name of proving you can handle more." ✨ Teaching your family and the people around you how to lead themselves ✨ Sitting with the discomfort of doing the shit that you don't want to do ✨ Why leaning into discomfort is part of what guarantees success "Become the change you want to see in the world around what you have control over. It's really hard for people to understand that concept because they self-abandon all the time." ✨ Why you need to play with identifying as somebody who isn't avoidant ✨ What do you need to do in alignment with how you want to feel? ✨ You can't give to other people while self-abandoning "Emotional endurance is looking within, leaning in when you need to be more curious, leaning out when you need a fucking break. Just don't quit." ✨ The difference between performative action and real leadership ✨ Co-creating your life with the people in it and without abandoning yourself ✨ Why emotional endurance has nothing to do with how heavy you feel *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"A lot of good things happen when we grab control of that space between our first in our second thought. There's a lot of gifts that come from just taking agency back over your own thoughts before you act." What happens when we stop trying to manage emotions and start taking responsibility for the space between reaction and choice? In this episode, Heather and Chris Cullen explore a deeper, more grounded conversation about emotional regulation, gender dynamics, and why so many well-intentioned approaches to growth and healing are failing most men. They talk about respect versus control, collaboration versus competition, and how reclaiming agency over our second thought can radically change the way we relate to ourselves, our partners, and our families. This isn't about "fixing" men or "watering down" women; it's about creating environments where both can actually show up differently. What to listen for: ✨ Why men are realizing that the old ways of "managing emotions" aren't working ✨ What makes traditional therapy feminine in a way that doesn't always support men ✨ The men in your life aren't "unmotivated"; they just have different needs "Men want to feel respected, women want to feel admired. Part of the respect is bringing us into the equation versus telling us what to do. Making it pro-social for a purpose bigger than you will help ignite that flame." ✨ How to create space for men to feel respected and supported in their growth ✨ When women reclaim their power, men will naturally show up differently ✨ Shifting into relationship as collaboration versus competition "If you come to me with a chin up and chest out, like, 'You need to do this', you're probably getting it right back. And I don't know that that friction creates a great environment to express or feel." ✨ Your first thought may be reactive, but you're always in charge of your second thought ✨ It's not your spiritual journey to manage your children or partner's experience ✨ Navigating the fear of anger when the men in your life are struggling About Chris Cullen: Chris Cullen is a keynote speaker, author, and founder of Win Within, where he helps people and organizations unlock their best through mindset training. A former Division 1 athlete and two-time Ironman finisher, he brings real-world lessons on resilience, growth, and performance into his talks and workshops. Over a decade in the medical field, he generated more than $100M in sales and led high-performing teams across the U.S. and Canada before shifting his focus to mindset and culture. He is the author of I Get To: Change Your Words, Change Your Life, a book that explores how three simple words can transform self-leadership, performance, and workplace culture. Chris also serves as the mental conditioning coach for the University of Georgia softball team, guiding Division 1 athletes with tools to sharpen their mindset and identity. His work blends science, story, and strategy to help others lead themselves first—and thrive in life, sport, and business. Connect with Chris Cullen: Website: https://www.chriscullen.com Instagram: @chriscullen_c3 Book: I Get To: Change Your Words, Change Your Life: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-get-to-chris-cullen/1148030572 *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"Who you are when you have to make an emotionally uncomfortable decision says everything about how quickly you will get results." In this episode, Heather shares a grounded, no-bypass conversation about decision-making when your nervous system is activated, clarity feels unavailable, and quitting would be easier than staying in it. She unpacks why decision fatigue isn't about doing too much, but about avoiding the decisions that actually matter, how unmade choices quietly turn into identity-level habits, and why real momentum is built by staying in motion even when outcomes, other people, or next steps are uncomfortable and uncertain. This episode will help you stop circling the same choices, outsourcing your power to external conditions, or spiritually rationalizing why now isn't the time, because success is something we all have to consciously choose in each moment. What to listen for: ✨ Why decision fatigue shows up and what it takes to persevere ✨ The real reason you're not seeing results and where you need to invest more time ✨ Working through the messy middle when your nervous system gets dysregulated "Lock in, figure it out, and go through this emotional discomfort. Are you committing to this journey and the result that you want, or are you going to run away from it?" ✨ Using repetition to build the muscle of being all in and figuring shit out ✨ How to stay in motion when you don't know what decision someone else will make ✨ Being successful and achieving your goals is a decision, and it needs to come from within "People are more addicted to their external environment than their internal environment. And the reality is, when you're maneuvering your emotional energy to your external environment versus your internal environment, you'll always feel out of control." ✨ How we use spiritual bypassing to avoid making uncomfortable decisions ✨ Decision fatigue is rooted in our avoidance of making decisions in real time ✨ No matter what your faith is, you still need to act from self-trust and discernment "When you choose not to make a decision in real time, you pay the natural consequence of unmade decisions. And so oftentimes, a lot of our fatigue, which is a huge energy leak and a huge time suck, is literally coming from unmade decisions." ✨ Why decisions that are a year old are now identity-based habits ✨ You can change your personality when you change your personal reality ✨ How to start thinking about decision-making differently and more productively *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"Almost everybody will overestimate how much they can grow in one year. At the same time, they underestimate how much they can grow in five." In this episode, Heather talks with Jay Papasan about why doing more isn't the answer, how relentless productivity can actually work against you, and what happens when you commit to the one thing that truly matters. This is a conversation about focus as a skill, boredom as a feature of mastery, and the quiet, intentional choices that make everything else easier (or unnecessary). If you're tired of spinning your wheels and ready to aim strategically instead of swinging harder, this episode will reframe how you approach your goals, your time, and yourself. What to listen for: ✨ What "the one thing" is, and how it applies to life roles and responsibilities ✨ How addiction to productivity is harming us and how to choose aligned priorities ✨ Training your brain to narrow its focus so that you make the most of your actions "You get to pick where you're aiming the tool. You ask the question, 'What's the one thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?'" ✨ Why doing tasks earlier in the day helps bypass resistance and distraction ✨ Implementing the essential practice of "goals before phones" to stay on track ✨ Working with the human element when accountability doesn't work "What would your world look like if every day, before you look at your phone, you had to look at your goals? When people are reminded of their priorities, they're more likely to keep them." ✨ What happens on the other side of being strategically focused and intentional ✨ How to make peace with the boredom of success that's required for mastery ✨ Getting honest about how suffering and self-sabotage are serving you (or not) About Jay Papasan: Jay Papasan [Pap-uh-zan] is a bestselling author who has served in multiple executive leadership positions during his 24-year career at Keller Williams Realty International, the world's largest real estate company. During his time with KW, Jay has led the company's education, publishing, research, and strategic content departments. Jay is also CEO of The ONE Thing training company Produktive, host of The ONE Thing podcast, and co-owner, alongside his wife Wendy, of Papasan Properties Group with Keller Williams Realty in Austin, Texas. He is also the co-host of the Think Like a CEO podcast with Keller Williams co-founder, Gary Keller. In 2003, Jay co-authored The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, a million-copy bestseller, alongside Gary Keller and Dave Jenks. His other bestselling real estate titles include The Millionaire Real Estate Investor and SHIFT. In September 2025, Jay will celebrate the launch of his first solo title, Rookie Real Estate Agent. Jay's most recent work with Gary Keller on The ONE Thing has sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide and garnered more than 500 appearances on national bestseller lists, including #1 on The Wall Street Journal's hardcover business list, and has been translated into 40+ different languages. Every Friday, Jay shares concise, actionable insights for growing your business, optimizing your time, and expanding your mindset in his newsletter, The TwentyPercenter. Connect with Jay: Website: https://jaypapasan.com Facebook and Instagram: @jaypapasan The ONE Thing book: https://the1thing.com *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"What happens when you talk about the things that you want to do is people start to make connections for you. And this is exactly what happened and what has enhanced this year's experience." In this episode, Heather explores what happens when we stop waiting for the perfect moment and start choosing courage instead. This isn't a travel highlight reel; it's a behind-the-scenes look at how Heather and her family prepared, decided, and executed the big life shift of snowbirding—without burning out their family or their bank account. She opens up about navigating her own (and her child's) resistance with compassion, holding space for discomfort without detracting from the learning opportunities, and recognizing how much freedom can come from facing your fears rather than avoiding them. If you secretly want more freedom but feel overwhelmed by the logistics, are a high-functioning mom who wonders if your current lifestyle is sustainable long-term, or you've thought about relocating, traveling, or changing your rhythm but get tripped up by fear, this episode is for you. What to listen for: ✨ Heather's fear of winter and the decision to start snowbirding for her mental health ✨ The intentionality and preparation that go into bringing big goals to fruition ✨ Navigating the underlying stress that almost kept Heather from seeing this through "What Mexico gave me was the courage to do emotionally uncomfortable things, the courage to test something, the courage to try. When you wait for things to be perfect, you're never going to live out your dream because it's about progress, not perfection." ✨ Using the "Wouldn't it be nice?" list to create a happier and healthier experience ✨ The power of being open to new possibilities and getting out of your comfort zone ✨ Working through your child's resistance to what you know is for their highest good "As long as my commitment is to be of the highest service to his mental and emotional well-being without doing his own spiritual work for him, meaning not trying to take away his pain for his own aha moments, and I can sit with his emotional discomfort, this is going to be such a growth opportunity for him." ✨ Looking at your shadow side, fears, and anxiety to create more freedom ✨ Heather's realization that her kids are detoxing from North American culture ✨ The magic of type two fun and why it can only come from emotional discomfort "Sometimes you have to realize that what appears to be paradise on people's Instagram feeds is growth opportunities. What you don't see is that person's willingness to take a risk, that person's courage to be emotionally uncomfortable, and to experience type two fun." ✨ How getting uncomfortable can open you up to incredible, new experiences ✨ Understanding that you're in control of your and your children's lives, no one else ✨ Heather's top tips for working around the inevitable fear of uncertainty *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"At the end of the day, our brains are wired to crave peace and order, and our outer environments can mirror our inner environment, or vice versa." In this episode, Heather sits down with Katy Wells to explore overconsumption and overcommitment, as well as the many forms of clutter that quietly erode our patience, focus, and presence. Many women find themselves struggling to concentrate or feeling constantly overwhelmed, which leads them to wonder, "What's wrong with me?" This conversation reveals that it's decision fatigue and unexamined accumulation pulling attention in too many directions at once, not a personal failing. Together, Heather and Katy unpack the deeper layers of clutter rooted in identity, loss aversion, and the guilt that keeps us holding on long past usefulness. What to listen for: ✨ The three different types of clutter that lead to continued overwhelm ✨ One question to break free from identity clutter and the guilt that comes with it ✨ Why the endowment effect keeps us from releasing what no longer aligns "Loss aversion is a real thing. I don't want to feel like I failed at getting healthier or that I'm using my money the wrong way. It's helpful to reframe that loss and say, 'You know what, I did what I could', or 'Here's five other ways I'm working on my health that are simpler and better for me that don't involve a Peloton', so I feel confident in letting go." ✨ Navigating the emotional discomfort that comes with releasing things ✨ The science behind the sudden urge to declutter when we've decided to change ✨ Why women struggle to change their behavior and opt out of consumerism ✨ How to create micro counterculture moments that support the life you want to live "Cultural pressure, societal pressure, or 'this is just the way it is', can make us feel like, 'Well, I guess this is just what we're gonna do', because they play to the part of our brains that wants the best for our kids. It's so nuanced, and the guilt is real as a parent." ✨ How to make decisions as a family unit around commitment clutter ✨ Ways you can give gifts without adding more clutter to other people's lives ✨ How to talk to your kids about shifting from material gifts to experiences About Katy Wells: Katy Wells, author of Making Home Your Happy Place, helps families break the cycle of clutter that keeps coming back—no matter how many times they've tried to get it under control. As the creator of Holistic Decluttering and host of The Maximized Minimalist podcast (5 million listens), Katy's been featured on NBC, Martha Stewart, and Real Simple for her approach that gets to the root of why we hold onto things we don't need. She teaches families how to let go of what's weighing them down so they can create an easy-to-manage home and finally stop feeling overwhelmed every time they walk through the door. Connect with Katy: Read Making Home Your Happy Place—A step-by-step guide to breaking the clutter cycle for good: (link available soon) Listen to The Maximized Minimalist—Real talk and practical strategies for simplifying your home, mind, and life: https://plinkhq.com/i/1460805372 Get once-a-week encouragement with behind-the-scenes strategies, actionable tips, and honest insights you won't find anywhere else: https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"I put myself in situations where I didn't have a back door and couldn't run away from myself. The natural consequence was that I felt lighter, and I'm finishing the year more proud of myself than I've ever been, with more confidence." In this episode, Heather guides you through her unique process for creating a personalized, focused plan for 2026 that brings real lightness into your life. But that doesn't mean bypassing internal struggles or heavy emotions, because you can't reclaim your time or create more peace without addressing your biggest energy leaks. If your goal is to feel lighter next year, while bringing on more responsibilities that move you forward, this conversation will guide you to work with the four essential energy types that support real growth, so you can release what no longer fits and move forward with more ease, clarity, and self-trust. What to listen for: ✨ 80% of how you spend your day is hiding, and why you need a north star ✨ The four types of energy you need to understand how to manage for growth ✨ Understanding the type of dreamer you are and how to work with yourself ✨ Why the more responsibility you have, the lighter you should feel "When you begin to embody this identity of 'the more responsibility I have, the lighter I should feel', your brain begins to find evidence of how that's possible. Because the way that you manage your time and energy is focused on how light you can feel." ✨ Shifting the belief systems that limit your ability to experience lightness ✨ Continuously and relentlessly facing the parts of yourself you avoid ✨ Living for others as a way to feel better, but with strong boundaries "You have to face parts of yourself that you've never, ever, ever faced, especially with that identity. And to be lighter, you have to let go." ✨ Getting radically honest about what you're sacrificing by holding on to stories ✨ Auditing the tasks currently on your plate to uncover what you can release ✨ Holding the emotional discomfort of learning how to trust and receive ✨ Why women often use strategy and information to avoid integration "You have one precious life, and if you're wasting time on a strategy that's not working, it's time to put it down. If you are wasting it on relationships or skills that aren't working, or you feel like you've outgrown a career, it's time to put them down." ✨ Using community support to enhance personal growth and accountability ✨ Understanding that fear can be a catalyst for growth if managed intentionally ✨ Creating a 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' list to help clarify your desires ******* For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership

"Success is your child getting what they want out of life, including who they want to be and how they want to be." College is rarely the right next step for our kids, yet parents are so bought into this outdated view of education and success. In this episode, Heather sits down with Degree Free founder, Hannah Maruyama, to unpack the best ways to support our teens in building skills that help them uncover their passion at the right time, rather than shoving them back onto the "education" conveyor belt that saddles them with freedom-stealing debt. This isn't about being anti-education; it's about being pro-reality, and Hannah brings the data, the strategy, and the cultural nuance to help parents support their kids with clarity, not fear. What to listen for: ✨ Stepping into a leadership role as a parent, rather than controlling ✨ Understanding that college isn't actually the "traditional" path we think it is ✨ The moment Hannah realized that college wasn't teaching her anything "Being strategic about what I needed from work, finding what I needed to learn, and then learning it in the most effective way possible for me at the time, within the budget that I had, I was able to get to my goal very quickly." ✨ How COVID opened parents' eyes to where the education system fails kids ✨ Why academic book smarts aren't always relevant in the real, working world ✨ Navigating the "failure to launch" and why pushing them into college isn't the fix "That space in between high school and college, where we feel like we have to funnel kids into something right then, is imaginary. It doesn't exist. The reason kids stall out at that time is that we've told them that the cutoff is coming so soon when it's not." ✨ The fallacy of pushing kids into choosing their future profession at 18 ✨ If GPA doesn't matter after high school, why are we killing our kids over it? ✨ Questions you need to ask as a parent to help guide your child's future "You have these kids that are handcuffed, and they're 22 years old. They have no freedom. Their whole life trajectory has been laid out because they made this crucial, incorrect decision at 17 or 18 years old, all because no one asked them, 'What do you want your life to look like?'" ✨ Navigating your child's future while questioning your own in midlife ✨ Two questions you should never ask your kids if you want to support them ✨ The mindset shift that will help your kids stack skills and find their passion About Hannah Maruyama: Hannah Maruyama is the founder of Degree Free, which helps parents and their young adults create custom career roadmaps so they can launch their lives. From tech to trades, any job under the sun. With her husband Ryan, she runs @degreefree on TikTok, which has over 500,000 followers and 150,000,000+ views, and the Degree Free Podcast (a top US Careers Podcast). She also co-wrote The Degree Free Way: How to Help Your 16-20 Year Old Build the Life They Want, which has sold more than 16,000 copies nationwide. Connect with Hannah: Website: https://degreefree.com/ The Degree Free: https://degreefree.com/book YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DegreeFree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@degreefree Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/degreefree/ *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me for a one-on-one Time & Energy Audit, a focused session designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Book a Time & Energy Audit: https://heatherchauvin.com/audit Apply for the next Coaching Cohort: https://heatherchauvin.com/apply Not ready for 1:1? Join the membership (cancel anytime): https://heatherchauvin.com/membership