She Burns with Hannah Austin
Hannah Austin
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Ready to break up with burnout and shatter a few glass ceilings along the way? The SheBurns Podcast is full of inspiration and hot cool practical self-care strategies you’ll love.
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Mar 9, 2023
S3 Bonus Episode 10: Fearlessness and Authenticity in Business
As women, we’re all too familiar with gender bias and inequality in the corporate world, with ‘finance’ and ‘tech’ being notorious boys’ clubs. Then imagine the impossible challenge of being a queer woman of color, breaking into venture capitalism.
It’s not enough to get a seat at the table; we need a ticket to the line for a chance to be at the door and maybe in the room – let alone a seat at the table.
But could fearlessness and authenticity be the key to more women taking the lead in finance, tech and the entrepreneurial stage?
In this episode, we talk to the inspiring Arlan Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital and Hire Runner. Having raised nearly $30 million for over 200 startups led by people of color and LGBTQ founders, she shares insights on taking your rightful seat at the table and creating a bigger table for those who come after.
Listen, and see where fearlessness and authenticity take you in life.SO WHAT’S THIS EPISODE REALLY ABOUT:
* How fearlessness and authenticity took Arlan from homelessness to venture capitalist
* How to navigate the world as a queer black woman in tech and finance
* The importance of a mentor and the no-fluff advice that will accelerate your business
* How knowing oneself is the key to breaking the burnout cycle
* The deep self-work it takes to understand the warning signs and triggers that you’re about to burnout
* How living you unapologetically, in all facets of yourself, is enough.
WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN
As women, especially women of color, the door of opportunity is often closed when it comes to our entrepreneurial dreams. In this episode, we learn when to break down the door, when to build your own, and how being fearlessly and unapologetically yourself is the key to your dream life.YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT
“You can’t be carrying everybody on your back. It’s not fair to you.” – Arlan Hamilton
“Putting your mouth behind your money behind what you’re saying.” – Arlan Hamilton
“Knowing your boundaries and what you’re not going to take, and then doing that, is important.” – Arlan Hamilton.
“What do I owe people is the answer to what I owe myself.” - Arlan Hamilton
“I wish I would have known that actions are everything.” – Arlan Hamilton.
LINKS:
SheBurns Podcast
Arlan’s Instagram
Arlan’s Academy
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Feb 17, 2023
S3 Bonus Episode 9: Work & Motherhood After Burnout
For more tips and tricks purchase my best-selling book, 'Hello, Head, Meet Heart' on Amazon now:
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Head-Meet-Heart-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B0BRT9YYJH
The expectations placed on women to be perfect in all areas of life, including work and motherhood, are leading to a culture of burnout. But why do we put so much pressure on ourselves, and how can we prevent, understand, and recover from burnout?
As women, we internalize burnout; it’s not just a lack of something; we feel like a failure in every aspect of life. We tear ourselves apart, digging ourselves deeper into the burnout abyss.
But what if we didn't…
* What if we could unpack all the nuances of burnout?
* What if, instead of punishing ourselves, we used it as an opportunity to take a much-needed internal audit?
* What if this was the invitation to know ourselves even better and create life-long habits and practices supporting us in every arena?
* And what if we started seeing burnout as the direct cause of not looking after ourselves and prioritizing our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being?
In this episode of the SheBurns podcast, we talk to Nikki Lau, the founder of Illuminate Development and Wisdom for Working Moms, dedicated to supporting career-driven women in balancing their work and family life sustainably and successfully without sacrificing their well-being.
Nikki shares her 10-year journey of recovering from burnout in her career and motherhood. She candidly discusses her experiences and how she overcame the internal struggle of burnout by embracing discomfort, rethinking her narratives around success and identity, and prioritising self-care and self-acceptance.
Listen, and let’s start seeing burnout as a wake-up call rather than a failure.
So what’s this episode really about:
* The unrealistic expectation of ‘perfection and sacrifice’ for women in all aspects of life, from career to relationships and motherhood.
* Understanding the relationship between poor well-being and burnout.
* Encouraging women to prioritize themselves as a direct antidote to burnout
* Redefining success and turning inward to address the root causes of burnout without self-blame or judgment.
* Building daily, weekly, and monthly habits and rituals that connect the person with their body, better identifying and managing the symptoms of burnout.
* Strategies to embrace all aspects of your womanhood that light you up without burning out.
Why you should listen
As women, mothers and talented people with so much to offer the world, we deserve to be in the arena. We deserve to take up space and live meaningful, fulfilled lives that embrace what we love, both at home and work, which means an end to toxic perfectionism, martyrdom, and never feeling good enough.
This episode encourages you to go inwards, championing self-care, well-being and a redefined version of success as the antidote to burnout.
You can quote me on that
“I'm a career-driven woman. I love my work. But I also love my family. And I want to show both sides of my identity in a way that feels fulfilling, but also lights me up without burning out.” - Nikki Lau.
“I kind of saw self-care as a luxury, and I now see it as self-preservation. And I learned through that experience that when you lose your well-being, it doesn't matter what else you've got, right? I couldn't be there for my children. I live in a beautiful house. I couldn't enjoy that. You know, I couldn't go out with friends. So it doesn't matter what else you've got.” - Nikki Lau.
"A lot of my practices are about bringing me back into my body. Because actually, there were a lot of little warning signs along my burnout journey that I would...
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Nov 3, 2022
S3 Episode 8: Activating “happy” at work
These days, both men and women have a great deal more freedom when it comes to defining – and redefining – our career paths.
The problem with having more freedom is that it tends to cause decision paralysis, particularly in those of us who aren’t sure exactly what we want or how to get there.
Add to that the fact that our skills don’t always align with our interests, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for confusion.
The good news is, since the pandemic tipped the scale, job applicants have been in high demand, giving them greater freedom to make decisions – and wherever guidance is needed, a good career coach is a must.
Known as the career activator, Madelyn Mackie is among the best in the career coaching business, with expertise spanning the job search process from “applied” to “hired”.
During COVID, job applicants decided it was time to find a job that allowed for work-life balance and happiness, Madelyn’s business went into growth mode, and now, her advice can help you do the same.
Whether you’re working on defining the job you want, building your professional brand, or nailing the interview, Madelyn has got you covered with practical tips founded on personal experience.
In this episode of the She Burns podcast, Madelyn and Hannah talk all about the process of finding work that gives you happiness and fulfillment, from building networks to signing contracts.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The real value in “talking up” the company you work for
* Four steps towards finding the right job for you
* Taking the “personal” out of business decisions
* The unexpected paths we take to find our dream jobs
Why you should listen
Many of us spend eight hours (or more) at work each day, and spending all that time in the wrong job can be seriously detrimental to our mental health. If you’re thinking about making a move and feeling unsure about how to navigate the process ahead, this episode will show you the way – and give you the nudge you need to make it happen.
Links
Madelyn Mackie
LinkedIn
Website
SheShatters
LinkedIn
Website
You can quote me on that…
“If you want to go far, go together. A lot of us – in our jobs and careers – [have] a lot of far places we want to go, and we’re going to need some help to do it.” - Madelyn Mackie
“Don’t be running away from something; run towards something.” - Hannah Austin
“The future of an organization is succession planning because if you’re succession planning correctly, you probably don’t have to recruit as much externally, depending on the organization.” - Hannah Austin
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Oct 27, 2022
S3 Episode 7: The 12 stages of burnout
Often, burnout comes in two waves:
* Overworking – trying to do way too much in not enough time.
* Wilful ignorance – refusing to acknowledge that the status quo isn’t serving us, even when our bodies and minds start to self-destruct.
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling with the cognitive dissonance that often comes with leaving a once-loved situation or environment that has become toxic, you’ll know that this combination can be complicated and difficult to escape.
It gets even harder when we compare what we’re experiencing to what we assume others are going through, and inevitably decide that our experience isn’t “difficult enough” to warrant raising the white flag.
Still, many burnout sufferers will agree that it’s much easier to give advice to others than to take that advice for themselves and slow things down for their health, perhaps because they consider their work to be an integral part of who they are, and they’re afraid to lose it.
The good news is, there are tools that can help with unraveling and defining those unhelpful behaviors, as well as strategies for confronting loud inner critics and setting effective goals – and if anyone knows about those things, it’s Dr Jacqueline Kerr.
A behavior scientist and burnout survivor, Dr Jacqueline researches health behavior change solutions for individuals and communities. After two decades in her career, she is on a mission to prevent burnout through comprehensive strategic planning for employee wellbeing and sustainable, impactful organizational change – and we think that’s worthy of ALL the airtime.
In this episode of the She Burns podcast, Hannah and Dr Jacqueline talk all things burnout, from the environments and belief systems to the darkness it can seed and grow.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The value in perceiving burnout as an institutional rather than individual problem
* What it means to bridge the gap between the internal and external world
* How our jobs tend to inform our identities
* The truth about suicidal ideation
Why you should listen
We could all do with more self-compassion, particularly during such a difficult time in world history – but, often, we have to take a few tumbles before we arrive at this realization. Dr. Jacqueline Kerr has been through many of these tumbles herself and come out stronger on the other side with plenty of wisdom to share.
Links
SheShatters
www.DrJacquelineKerr.com
Dr Jacqueline Kerr on LinkedIn
How to stop burnout before it starts – Dr Jacqueline Kerr
A quick guide to behavior-based systems change for workplace burnout - Dr Jacqueline Kerr
You can quote me on that…
“When [we] don’t believe in something or [we] think something should be changed, I feel like it is our responsibility to be a part of that change.” - Hannah Austin
“We can have a lot more self-compassion [when] we know that the system and these multilevel influences, they’re not excuses – they’re actually reasons why behavior change is so hard.” - Dr Jacqueline...
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Oct 20, 2022
S3 Episode 6: Burnout in the Bedroom
In theory, maintaining a romantic relationship and a sex life is simple – and for some, it can be just as simple in practice, but it’s also very common to go through different phases.
No matter how strong your sexual connection with your partner is, burnout can kill your sex drive and dampen the sense of intimacy in your relationship.
Unsurprisingly, when it comes to dealing with physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, sex often goes out the window altogether – and although that’s a normal response, you don’t want it to become the norm for you.
Burnout doesn’t have to spoil your relationship with your partner, with yourself, or with anyone else.
Re-education is key – and the truth is, most of us have a lot to learn about the ins and outs of sex and intimacy, and after many years of study, Nicole Kammerlocher knows this better than most.
Having completed a Masters in Community Mental Health Counseling and further training in the AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counsellors and Therapists) Certification Program, Nicole has plenty of powerful insights on sex and intimacy to share.
In this episode, Nicole talks to Hannah about the modern challenges facing people in loving sexual relationships, and how we can keep our bonds strong.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The difference between stress and stressors, and the impact of both on our sex lives
* Immediate actions you can take to alleviate stress
* What makes for effective communication around sex and boundaries with your partner
* How to reignite the spark after experiencing burnout
Why you should listen
Sex is a basic human need and a central component to most happy, healthy romantic relationships, but it can also be an incredibly complex subject – particularly once burnout enters the picture. If you have experienced (or are currently experiencing) burnout and looking for advice on maintaining your connection with your partner, this episode is for you.
Links
The Center for Couples and Sex Therapy
SheShatters
You can quote me on that…
“There’s no new normal to go back to – we’re trying to figure our new patterns and rewiring old behaviors.” - Hannah Austin
“One of the most important things to address with burnout is first separating the stress from the stressor. The stress is what is happening in your body – your body really ramps up to put all your power into dealing with the stressor.” - Nicole Kammerlocher
“We are running modern software on ancient human firmware.” - Nicole Kammerlocher
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Oct 13, 2022
S3 Episode 5: Putting Reserves in Play
In the SheShatters community, we know the power of a good metaphor – and fire is a particularly powerful one.
Cliches like “burning the candle at both ends” and “keeping the flame alive”, overused as they may be, have never been more important and relevant than they are today as burnout continues to spread.
That’s why we were so pleased when our latest guest, Dana LaVoie, raised a fiery metaphor of her own in a conversation about energy reserves and burnout in menopause.
As the Founder of Menopause Made Easy, licensed in accupuncture and herbal treatments, Dana has devoted her life to women’s health and eliminating symptoms of menopause.
Needless to say, she has come a long way since she first sought treatment for a persistent cough from a natural medicine practitioner.
The way Dana sees it, energy reserves are just like a candle, depleting over time – and the good news is that there are plenty of natural remedies that can slow the burn.
In this episode, Hannah and Dana talk about everything from the magic of ancient Chinese medicinal practices to the importance of replenishing rituals at every stage of life.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The links between changing environments and energy depletion
* Why you need to preserve the energy in your immune system
* The subtle sign of burnout you need to look out for
* How women’s menopause symptoms are still being misdiagnosed
* The options available to women seeking hormone treatment
Why you should listen
If you’re not already into learning about energy and hormones, the whole space can seem pretty confusing – but Dana’s help, you’ll discover powerful new links between energy reserves, hormones, menopause and medicine. You’ll also pick up an amazingly simple recipe for Dana’s trademark hormone smoothie.
Links
SheShatters
SheShatters Instagram
www.danalavoielac.com
See Dana's recipes here
You can quote me on that…
“So many of us, when we get on some kind of plan for feeling better, we're like, ‘This is working. That's it, I’ve found the solution.” We just think we're going to stay on that forever, but that's not the case – we need to update what we're doing to stay well.” - Dana LaVoie
“Stress is like a big hole in the bottom of your guest tank where all your energy reserves are leaking out.” - Dana LaVoie
“When you're burned out, and you're depleted, you don't have anything left for yourself, let alone your partner, [so you lose] intimacy, sex, and connection.” - Hannah Austin
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Oct 6, 2022
S3 Episode 4: From Duckling to Diva
Women are resilient creatures, but we’re not bulletproof.
In fact, certain experiences – like a cancer diagnosis, for example – can leave you completely shattered, and unsure of how to put yourself back together.
Any serious illness raises uncomfortable questions about how you’ll carry on, and beyond that, how you’ll manage to leave a legacy that carries on after you’re gone.
There’s a lot to think about post-diagnosis, but there’s also a lot to do in order to keep things on the straight and narrow. We’re talking:
* Finding (and nurturing) the community of supportive women in your life
* Letting your purpose take you to our passion – and making sure you get to do what you want to do with the time you have
* Dealing with your inner critic
* Learning to look after yourself
To do all of those things is to create a powerful legacy, almost subconsciously – one that will encourage other women to be the best version of themselves – and Iselyn Hamilton-Austin has got it all covered.
As a breast cancer survivor, she is experienced in the art of overcoming, finding another way and moving forward – and in her role as a pediatric nurse, she dedicates her time to sharing her wisdom with incoming generations.
She is also the founder and CEO of Duckling to Diva, an organization championing young women's empowerment.
In this episode of the She Burns podcast, Iselyn shares her hard-earned insights on everything from mortality motivation to defining your life path and creating positive relationships with others.
So what’s this episode really about?
* Finding the resilience to overcome life’s biggest challenges
* The importance of doing the things you want to do before it’s too late
* The power in a support network of driven, committed women
* Why you should invest time in learning good habits from childhood
Why you should listen
People who can blend unwavering support with total honesty are rare birds, and Iselyn Hamilton-Austin is one of them. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, author and breast cancer survivor, she has seen the harsh realities of life and kept her can-do attitude through it all.
Links
SheShatters
SheShatters Instagram
Iselyn Hamilton-Austin Instagram
You can quote me on that…
“You don’t need a man if you’ve got a book.” - Hannah Austin
“Most women who are game changers have been blindsided at one [point] or another. It’s how you pick your sh*t up off the ground and move forward.” - Hannah Austin
“You’ve got to plant your own shit. You’ve got to dig your own hole and put your own seed in it – you have to. You can’t let things and people stop you. You do have to take a moment, though.” - Iselyn Hamilton-Austin
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Sep 29, 2022
S3 Episode 3: Navigating The Winding Path Ahead
We’re all on our own paths in life, and sometimes, despite our best efforts, those paths can seem to twist and turn of their own volition.
From uncontrollable factors like your birthplace, your family and your early years to the little decisions we make every day, there are an infinite number of different ways to go in life – and yet, still, many women find themselves boxed into one of a few well-trodden paths.
Look closer still, and you’ll find that many of those paths can be traced all the way back to the same practices society has been enforcing on us for hundreds – if not thousands – of years.
The big question, now, is how can we find the courage to step off the path we’ve been told to walk and find the one that fits us better – and the answer can be found in the hard-won wisdom of Rebekah Bastian.
Rebekah is the CEO and founder of Own Trail – a company dedicated to helping women find, share and celebrate their unique journeys through life. She’s also an award winning writer, an artist, a tech executive mentor, a mother and an aerial acrobat.
Own Trail is, in essence, part of the antidote to the tired Western way of life that insists five days on, two days off is still the best way – or even the only way – to live and work.
Instead, Rebekah embraces big ideas and vision, discussions led by values, and, on occasion, well deserved time out from the busy work of the brain.
In this episode of the She Burns podcast, Rebekah shares a host of fascinating insights into her very own “Own Trail”, the steps she has taken to build a company culture that deviates from the hustle, the virtues of the four-day work week, and much more.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The importance of having big ideas and vision
* The value in building a value-driven company guided by the same “north star”
* Why every start-up founder needs a community of fellow entrepreneurs
* What “living your purpose” really looks like
* The truth about the myth of a “clean, linear path”
Why you should listen
They say comparison is the thief of joy, and if you’ve ever had yours unwittingly stolen by another woman – whether it’s on social media, in the workplace or in your social circle – this episode (and the OwnTrail platform) is for you.
Links
Own Trail
SheShatters
You can quote me on that…
“We often don't see people who look like us in the places we aspire to. [We go] through these motions of thinking we’re supposed to know exactly where we're going and how we're going to get there, and feeling like we get it wrong because we don't see what other people's real journeys look like. Thinking about the power of what it looks like to navigate your career, but as a whole human and really fitting work into your life as opposed to your life into your work – in a way, that can open up a lot more possibilities.” - Rebekah Bastian
“I feel like we're at a pivotal point in our universe in our lives – especially as women and men in our mid-40s and -50s, however old we are – where we're wanting something and yearning for something different and something more. It’s about figuring out how to align our inner purpose with the work that we're doing to make the world a different place – a better place.” - Hannah Austin
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Sep 22, 2022
S3 Episode 2: Make Love, Make a Difference
Many of us learn at an early age that sex is a dirty word – a subject that belongs in the space behind closed doors – and some would say it’s precisely this attitude that has created our warped relationship with pornography and sex in general.
With its distinct absence of consent, candid conversations and good sexual values, it’s little wonder that the divide between porn makes such a minefield of sex education, and yet, it’s still a major source of information for young people.
In a world characterised by endless scrutiny and comparisons between bodies, relationships and every other aspect of our lives, body image issues are rife, and the “perfect” footage used in most pornography only exacerbates the problem.
The good news is, porn is not the be-all and end-all of sexual attractiveness – at least, not if Cindy Gallop has anything to say about it.
She’s out to change it all – the way we think about porn, learn about sex and make love – in one fell swoop.
Best described as the Michael Bay of business who likes to blow sh*t up, Cindy is a diversity consultant, speaker, founder and CEO of the world’s first and only user-generated, human-curated social sex video sharing platform.
In Cindy’s own words, Make Love, Not Porn exists to “provide a unique window into the funny, messy, loving, awkward, beautiful sex we have in the real world”, and to give us what we really want: intimacy, human touch, connection, love and relationships that feel good.
In this episode of She Burns, Cindy takes a deep dive into the crucial difference between sex and porn, the value of seeing real bodies in the media we watch, the profound impact of social sex videos on survivors of sexual abuse and assault, and more.
So what’s this episode really about?
* The real difference between sex and porn
* The unexpected pathway to happier, healthier sexual relationships
* The beauty in celebrating “realness” – both on camera and in conversation
* How sharing real-world sex can be as transformative for participants as for the rest of the world
Why you should listen
There’s something very reassuring about being real, even in the most intimate spaces in our lives, and the content created by Cindy Gallop’s “Make Love, Not Porn” is nothing if not real. If you have ever felt self-conscious about your body because of the media
Links
Make Love, Not Porn
SheShatters
You can quote me on that…
“You can talk body positivity all you like – you can preach self-love ‘til you’re blue in the face… At the end of the day, nothing makes us feel great about our own bodies like seeing people who are no one’s idea of aspirational body types getting turned on by each other, desiring each other, and having an amazing time in bed.” - Cindy Gallop
“I am all about doing good and making money simultaneously, and so my aim with Make Love Not porn is to change the way the world has sex for the better and make a huge amount of money doing it.” - Cindy Gallop
“[When women are suffering from burnout], sex and intimacy are the first things to go, and they’re missing intimacy with themselves.” - Hannah Austin
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Sep 15, 2022
S3 Episode 1: The Climb and the Summit
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has been a uniquely challenging time on a global scale – similar, in many ways, to a mountainous hike with no visible end point.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges has been learning to climb together and follow the same guiding star, despite our different views and preferences.
For medical professionals, there has also been the challenge of acceptance – knowing that in some circumstances, things may not go to plan, no matter how meticulously the plan is created.
As with any long climb, this is a journey of balance – of knowing when to push for the outcomes that matter, and when to pull back – and if anyone knows that balance, it’s Dr Anne Zink.
After becoming Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer in 2019, Dr Zink was suddenly responsible for leading the state through COVID-19, and she learned a few important lessons on the way up.
Sometimes, consistency is key, like in the guiding North star principles that have kept Dr Zink on her career path and the focus on filling her own cup first.
Then, at other times, success is a moving target, as is always the case when dealing with individuals who have their own preferences, beliefs and desires.
In medicine, the ascent to the top is never really done – and for many women, the real climb is only just beginning – but Dr Zink as a shining example of what it possible, it’s easier to believe that we will make it.
In this episode, Dr Zink shares her insights into the medical profession and what it takes to achieve success – for yourself, your patients and your team.
So what’s this episode really about?
* How important it is to set expectations and manage things accordingly
* The value of a solid “base” in allowing you to take on challenges
* Showing up for the climb – even if you’re not sure you have the skills to reach the summit
* The strength of the human spirit, bringing us back together when it’s needed most
Why you should listen
Going with the flow led Dr Anne Zink into the medical field, no matter how hard she tried to resist it – but only hard work could have led her on the trajectory of her career so far. Even after leading Alaska through the COVID-19 pandemic, she still has plenty to give, and an inspiring story to tell.
Links
SheShatters
You can quote me on that…
“Don't plan. Don't worry about it. Don't try to map it out, because life is not very mappable.”
* Dr Anne Zink
“We're still learning how to treat a heart attack, we're still learning [whether] to operate on an injured spleen from a motor vehicle accident or to watch it – so that's medicine, and that's life and our individual, cultural and societal preferences… We'll all continue to change and evolve.”
* Dr Anne Zink
“A bright spot is really when everybody collectively can really feel that there's an impact and difference made.”
* Hannah Austin
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Apr 28, 2022
S2 Episode 7: Prioritizing Employee Wellness
Of all the things that have changed dramatically in the past few years, our shared understanding of “employee wellness” and what it really means is up there as one of the most important.
Once used to refer to the occasional approved sick day, employee wellness now represents a serious investment for many corporations – and for good reason.
Across the globe, burnout has become a full-blown epidemic, changing the world and our collective thinking so rapidly that many are still playing catch up.
Of course, although the physical signs may be similar and far-reaching – from exhaustion and overwhelm to panic attacks and all-consuming depression – burnout is anything but universal.
In fact, it’s different for each of us, impacted by a culmination of unique experiences and traits – and if you’re a leader with a team of employees behind you, your handling of the situation will hinge on this understanding.
With that knowledge comes the weight of pressure and expec…
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Apr 21, 2022
S2 Episode 6: Men and Burnout
There’s no denying that being a woman can be seriously tough. We have to manage everything from hormonal fluctuations to societal disadvantages and pay discrepancies, all while contending with ongoing comparisons to other women who seem to have it all.
Amidst all of that, it’s pretty easy to forget that men also have issues worthy of examining, but it’s true. They do – and by taking part in the examination, we can find the answers to a wide range of questions we might never have thought to ask.
Start with the classics and you’ll unearth outdated ideals of men as the sole providers, charged with taking care of everything – even issues that don’t belong to them.
You’ll also find the harmful, long-ranging impact of the belief that men aren’t supposed to ask for help – even when they find themselves up against impossible situations. The idea that emotions and vulnerabilities are taboo, not only at work but also in the home, has caused generations of men a g…
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Apr 14, 2022
S2 Episode 5: Foundations From Within
They say the truth will set you free, but the path to freedom isn’t always easy; in fact, it can be quite the opposite.
That’s why, when you come up against truths that refuse to be swallowed, creating your own truth is often the best way forward.
Whether that truth comes from biblical quotes, life experiences, or a well-worn personal mantra, a particularly powerful string of words can often make even the most difficult situations manageable – that, and a strong foundation of challenges faced and positive outcomes achieved.
If you have challenges to face and positive outcomes to achieve, Tricia Fishburne is the leading lady you’ll want to know.
After experiencing sexual assault at a young age, Tricia learned a few hard lessons about hitting rock bottom and beginning the long journey back to “normal” – lessons that so many other female victims have also had to learn.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though – through that journey, Tricia also came to unde…
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Apr 7, 2022
S2 Episode 4: The Other Side of Winning
For all of the division in the world right now, there’s one thing that brings us all together:
We all love that feeling of achieving – whether your big win is getting a gold medal in an Olympic swim meet or just getting out of bed on a tough day.
The thing is, like any good thing, too much of that winning feeling can be problematic and even damaging for your sense of wellbeing.
This is especially true if, like so many high achievers, you feel the pull to do more, be more and achieve more, often without ever slowing down to appreciate your achievements to date.
If anyone can relate to all that, it’s Nikki Kett.
As a former collegiate athlete, high-performing coach, and serial college graduate, Nikki has spent much of her life at a pinnacle of success – but as many all-round overachievers will attest, the wins don’t come without sacrifice.
Athletes, in particular, tend to push themselves to higher standards rather than pausing to process and appreciate the p…
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Mar 31, 2022
S2 Episode 3: The Human Behind The Mask
Right now, there are more masks in the world than ever before.
52 billion disposable masks were produced in 2020 alone. That’s one billion masks for every week of the year.
While they were a crucial part of the effort to protect our health, these masks have had one common and unwanted side effect:
A sense of isolation – both physically and emotionally.
We have spent the past two years learning how to stay connected in a world that has enforced space – and if you have struggled with that, you’re not alone.
Beyond the social stressors of the pandemic, many of us have also struggled with the additional workload, the pressure of making new decisions and the challenges of everyday life – all of which suddenly seemed much harder to juggle.
For healthcare professionals, life in the midst of COVID was a different kind of juggling act, supporting our communities and each other while navigating a complex political climate and putting once-in-a-lifetime medical train…
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Mar 24, 2022
S2 Episode 2: The Power of Stories
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt as though you had to plan your way through life in order to be successful…
Most of us have been there – myself included – and there are plenty of signs.
We buy fancy planners to write our meetings in, we use calendar apps on our phones and we schedule important meetings with colleagues and clients weeks in advance – but sometimes, life just doesn’t work that way.
Sometimes, life demands that we improvise our own solutions.
COVID-19 has been a perfect example of improvisation in action. It sent the world scrambling to adapt to new methods of living, working and connecting – and at the time, many of us would have agreed that it seemed as though nothing good could come of it.
Months later, an alternative perspective – a story about working from home, spending more time with family and enjoying the simple pleasures in life – has taken hold in our collective consciousness, and reminded us of something important:
We a…
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Mar 18, 2022
S2 Episode 1: Doing Things Differently
They say change is the only constant – and in the past few years, that saying has turned into a way of life.
During COVID, many of us have had to change the way we work, live and interact with others.
In an era driven by setting goals, achieving milestones and pushing boundaries, COVID pushed back – and when our (busy) routines were disrupted, two things happened:
* Perfectionism went out the window. Let’s be honest – even though you and I both know deep down that perfection has always been an impossible goal, the pandemic was the last straw. If there was ever a time to extend grace to yourself, this was it.
* Authentic self-reflection flew in. The pandemic was an opportunity to ask some difficult questions and find answers without the constant noise of hustling and rushing. Talk about doing things differently!
With that self-reflection came an opportunity to reset personal boundaries and encourage others to do the same, and in that process, humanity returned…
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Oct 21, 2021
Ep9: The Courage to be Happy
In many ways, growing up is about becoming self-sufficient, and nothing forces you to grow up faster than making major life changes at a young age.
Whether you move out of home, make a major decision about your education, or bring a new life into the world, these events often mark the precipice of adulthood - and for some, the beginning of a battle with burnout.
Of course, there are always some things we can do to make things easier on ourselves.
Getting regular exercise and meditation, sourcing plenty of inspiration from female role models (and serendipitous magazine entries), knowing when to say no - these things all make a difference…
But ultimately, it’s about taking control and responsibility for your own decisions, and making the changes you need to make for your own health and career - even under the extra pressure of once-in-a-lifetime events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately for Zenana Rose, she learned how to do all of these things at a young age.…
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Oct 14, 2021
Ep8: Radiating Grace
They say that when it rains, it pours - and for cancer patients in oncology clinics across the country, that truth has a sharp point.
As COVID-19 has ravaged hospitals and medical staff, these are the people who have experienced some of the worst effects of the pandemic - and often in isolation, without the physical proximity and support of friends and family.
Undeniably, the medical professionals on hand in these clinics have been the heroic presence we all need, but the question demands to be asked…
What happens when the people looking after us don’t have a chance to look after themselves?
In times like these, there’s a lot to be said for little moments of human connection and physical outlets, especially for radiation oncologists like Kristina Young.
Kristina’s passion for her field began with the cancer diagnosis of a close friend’s mother, and that passion has led her into a long career researching breakthrough technology and immune therapy for breast cancer…
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Oct 7, 2021
Ep7: Power of Adrenal Health
If you were being chased by a bear, how would you feel?
Terrified, exhausted, and pretty damn stressed, right?
Now, because it has been a hot minute since most people have had to fight off nature’s predators for survival, that scenario might be difficult to imagine - but the reality is, those same stress hormones are still flowing through many of us on a daily basis.
The ability to stretch our stress response can be a beautiful thing, allowing us to experience the fullest expression of life, but it only stretches so far…
And if you’re going into stressful situations (like a bear chase, or a pandemic) with a heavy load of existing stressors tied to your back, chances are that you won’t be able to carry them for long.
At least, not without a few robust coping mechanisms in place.
Like most pursuits in life, there’s a good and not-so-good way to deal with stressors, and it’s simpler than you might expect:
The key is to accept uncontrollable situations, rathe…
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Sep 30, 2021
Ep6: The Queen's Perspective
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about dreams is that they are not linear.
No matter how passionate you are about your life right now, there’s always the chance that something that feels even bigger and more exciting will emerge from that part of your soul that can’t always be heard.
The thing is, achieving those dreams depends on your ability to keep moving forward when life gets difficult, and there are plenty of things that threaten to get in your way.
Whether you’re facing up against a lack of resources, a limiting set of attitudes and beliefs, or even the restrictive thoughts and feelings of those around you, there will always be obstacles to your biggest dreams.
I would argue that the key to overcoming it all and achieving your dreams lies not in knocking down obstacles, but in becoming a person who sees each of them as an opportunity.
A person like Candice Eastman.
Candice is a life coach, a hairstylist, a therapist, and a writer who loves nothing more…
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Sep 23, 2021
Ep5: Loving Yourself
By the time we’re young adults, starting out in a new industry, we’re already hearing about how difficult – or impossible – it is to “have it all”.
The thing is, with such vast differences in cultural ideals, it’s impossible to create a universal definition of what “having it all” really means – whether it’s getting married at 18 or nailing seven interviews for a lounge assistant job.
One thing that stays consistent across cultures, though, is our hunger for shared experience and guidance from people who have walked the paths we want to walk.
There are obstacles, as there always seem to be – from cultural biases to privilege by location and relationships that don’t work out the way we wish they would…
But the impact of seeing powerful women go ahead and set the job out in front of you cannot be understated.
Ranmalie Jayasekera credits this very force with helping her get to where she is today, but it didn’t happen without a lot of hard work…
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Sep 16, 2021
Ep4: Hello Trauma
There’s no denying that the pandemic has hit hard, but the toll isn’t limited to the thousands of deaths, sick people, and emergency room chaos - it’s also about what’s going on in our heads.
After months of isolation, confusion, and fear, the negative thoughts and feelings we all experience have become a plague of their own, leading us to experience extreme stress, full-blown burnout, and even death.
Two plagues at once? Yep - it’s a lot, and while no one has felt the strain more keenly than our healthcare workers, adults and families everywhere are struggling.
The thing about trauma is that it’s bigger than fear or anxiety alone and more difficult to handle. It affects our development as people, and if we aren’t careful about managing it, we also pass it down to our children.
Don’t panic, though - there is some good news: with the right techniques, you can come to a better understanding of how your mind works and how you can give yourself the support you n…
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Sep 16, 2021
Ep3: What’s the Worst That Could Happen
Have you ever heard a sentence come out of your mouth and thought, “I sound exactly like my mother”?
It happens to all of us eventually - and is it any wonder, given all of the research behind the Social Proximity Effect?
You can’t underestimate the impact that your top five - the five people you spend the most time with - have on your life and the person you become.
For Linda Weston, founder of consulting practice Rapporto, those five people include her parents, her daughter, and her closest friends, and she credits those relationships with creating the person she is.
After more than 30 years of experience across senior leadership, tourism, professional sports, and entrepreneurship, Linda has learned a few valuable lessons about two interrelated things:
* The importance of finding your people, and…
* How those people can help you navigate the challenges of burnout.
These days, Linda credits her parents, daughter, and friends with giving her the traits t…
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Sep 16, 2021
Ep2: Going for it Without Apology
When I was young, I wanted to be “someone”, as I think many of us do – and when you think about it, there is no better time to want such things.
In childhood and adolescence, we have big dreams, hopes, and plans, and all the energy we need to bring them to life.
Then, as we get older, we come face to face with situations that awaken a sense of overwhelming pressure; pressure to be – and have – it all.
Since the beginning of COVID-19, perhaps no one has felt that pressure more acutely than medical and mental health professionals…
But the pandemic has also given rise to extraordinary “ordinary” people with skills and talents that will carry us further along the road to recovery.
People like Emily Jensen.
As the CEO of Thinking Tree Spirits, a distillery based in Oregon, Emily has mastered the art of pivoting, transforming her business into a large-scale producer of much-needed hand sanitizer for her community.
Emily became “someone” to the community…
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Sep 15, 2021
Ep1: A Spark of Insight
If you’re a woman suffering from burnout, you probably have the same complaints as the millions of others just like you - not enough time, not enough energy, and too little space to focus on the things that light you up.
The thing is, overcoming burnout is not complicated. The first step to doing just that and reclaiming your time and your agency in the process is exactly what you think it is:
Making time and space for yourself and for the things that matter to you, and reserving some of that precious energy for that pursuit.
It’s simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it might be one of the most difficult things you ever do, especially if you’re a loving mother, a passionate career woman, and a feminist - oh, and a weekend hiker-slash-mushroom hunter.
Just ask Mandy Gettler.
Mandy works as the co-leader of the Women’s Innovation Network at the University of Oregon, a nine-month program for female entrepreneurs, and volunteers for Bristol Hospice…
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