# Empowered Coaching

> I Help Busy Working Moms


## Posts

- [The Vision That Changes Everything](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-vision-that-changes-everything/): The Map Out of Any Valley Reading time: 5 minutes | Part 2 of 2 – Read Part 1: The Truth About Peaks and Valleys Last week, I told you about peaks and valleys—about how you’re not your circumstances, and how what you believe and do determines whether you stay stuck or move forward. Some of you are in peaks and hadn’t realized you were taking them for granted. Others are deep in valleys and feeling stuck. This week, I want to give you the most powerful tool from Spencer Johnson’s book—and honestly, it’s the piece that aligns perfectly with everything I teach about […]
- [The Truth About Peaks and Valleys](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-truth-about-peaks-and-valleys/): What I Learned at 30,000 Feet My kids had a few days off school 2 weeks ago, so we made the most of it and flew to Michigan to visit my sister, her family, and my dad! On the plane, somewhere between Jacksonville and Chicago, I cracked open Spencer Johnson’s Peaks and Valleys— the library really pulled through for me the day before I departed. I’ll preface this with that fact that I just finished his book Who Move My Cheese and he gave a little preview of this book; meanwhile, I have been thinking a lot about a few […]
- [Who Moved My Cheese?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/who-moved-my-cheese/): Lessons on Change, Fear, and Finding New Opportunities On recognizing when you’re clinging to icky cheese and why the courage to move on might be safer than staying put. I just finished a walk with my pups and listened to Who Moved My Cheese?by Spencer Johnson—an oldie but a goodie that hits a little differently–maybe because I’m in the middle of my own cheese-moving moment with a new job, or maybe because I’m finally ready to hear what this simple parable has been trying to tell us all along. The Story in a Nutshell The book follows two mice (Sniff and […]
- [New Beginnings: Finding Excitement in Vulnerability.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/new-beginnings-finding-excitement-in-vulnerability/): Back from a little hiatus because I’ve been doing some change-ups. And here’s a behind the scenes look: I love trying new things. And I hate failure. Sometimes these two sides of the coin create a push-pull between excitement and anxiety—a juxtaposition many of you probably know well. Seven weeks ago, my kids started their first day of school and I began orientation for a new job. I’m still an Emergency Medicine doctor by trade, but I’m switching institutions and taking a leap out of my comfort zone— a place I’d called home for the past 12 years—to try something new. […]
- [When Something Just Isn't Your Thing](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/when-something-just-isnt-your-thing/):   Beach Day Wisdom: When “Not Brave Enough” Really Means “This Just Might Not Be My Thing” My Beach day with the kids and boogie boards turned into an unexpected life lesson. My kids were trying out boogie boards for the first time in a long time over the weekend. They both were having a blast until my daughter missed the timing and got sloshed hard into the ocean. She surfaced, gulping for air, trying to wipe the salt which mashed into the sunscreen and the subsequent welling tears from her eyes, snorting out the seawater from her nose and […]
- [How I Turned Frustration Into Powerful Community Advocacy (And How You Can Too)](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/power-in-action-community-advocacy-project/): From Powerless to Purposeful: My Advocacy Journey Think about a time when you felt truly powerful – not in dominating others, but in creating positive change. How can you recreate more of those moments in your daily life? The world needs your “power with” and “power to” now more than ever! For a little more background, here are my last two blogs on power over/with/to/within: The Question That Changed My Approach to Power This question of power has been on my mind because I’ve been putting everything we’ve discussed about reclaiming power into real-world practice. Why I Chose School Policy […]
- [Reclaiming Your Power - Beyond the Ladder](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/reclaiming-your-power/): Here’s my food for thought this week. I’ve been thinking a lot about power. Who has it… how we get it… how to use it…   And let’s face it– we live in a culture that simultaneously glorifies power and yet often makes women feel guilty for claiming it– no wonder we’re confused. Last week, I touched on Thought Ladders and taking our power back when we feel stuck or voiceless. The response was incredible – seems like many of us are navigating situations where powerlessness creeps in. Let’s dig deeper, shall we? Helplessness and powerlessness are two of the most potentially devastating […]
- [When Powerlessness Feels Real (But isn't your only option)](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/when-powerlessness-feels-real/):   Last week, my sister and I did a podcast on Thought Ladders and Body Image. Check it out here if you’d like. Here’s the Apple podcast link. Here’s the link to last week’s post explaining a bit more. Listen in to some sister talk when I teamed up with my sister Hanna(Personal Stylist extraordinaire @hannaleestyle) on her podcast talking about Thought Ladders and transforming our relationships with our bodies.   Find Hanna @ hannaleestyle.com or Instagram: @hannaleestyle.    Using Thought Ladders Beyond Body Image When Staying Silent Feels Safer A few days after we recorded the podcast, I scrolled past a post that […]
- [How to Transform Your Relationship with Your Body (One Thought at a Time)](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/body-image-thought-ladder/): Hey there! The last two weeks, I touched on the exhaustion of most working moms and the Unapologetic No. While these two things are intimately linked in more ways than you might think… one way: how we see ourselves, both physically and mentally. Why Body Image Matters for Busy Working Moms Picture this: You’re looking in the mirror before a shower, and that familiar voice in your head starts up with the same old criticism. You know the one. “I hate my belly.” “My thighs are too big.” “Where the hell did that cellulite come from?” Let alone the thoughts that come […]
- [The Power of an Unapologetic "NO": Embracing the Let Them Philosophy](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/power-of-unapologetic-no/): Hey there! OK, I got off a coaching call last week and we ended with giving a shout-out to a husband of a group member. He totally unapologetically said no to a family member who was looking for a handout. Like completely guilt-free, unapologetic no. And what a breath of fresh air! Because when you own your NO (it could be a hell no! or a noppity nope-nope)… it is so refreshing to your soul…And to the people around you. Bonus points because when it’s owned in a bold way, it also lets people know what you are available for next time… or not! It really can feel […]
- [The Exhaustion Economy: Who Really Wins When Working Moms Run on Empty](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/overwhelmed-moms-exhaustion-economy/):   The Wake-Up Call in the Check-Out Line:  Two weeks ago, I witnessed something that stopped me in my tracks. I was standing in line at Costco, where I thought I’d grab a few things walking in but somehow was barely able to turn the last corner because of my over-loaded cart… just one of those days!  But I paused because the woman in front of me was juggling her toddler on her hip while her older child circled around her legs asking for treats at the food court (churros, pizza, soft serve, oh my!) Her phone kept buzzing. Each […]
- [High-Fives for Epic Wipeouts: Redefining Success for Working Moms](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/embracing-failure-working-mom-time-freedom/): Celebrating Failure: What the Skate Park Taught Me About Time Freedom I took my kids and our neighbor to a new skate park our city recently built under a bridge. To set the scene: my son brought his beat-up old scooter with a broken brake and a back wheel that somehow has been worn into a near perfect square. My daughter and our neighbor brought roller blades and are just starting to learn to skate… As I sat and watched my little novices, I looked around at the huge array of talents and skills, age ranges, and all the smiling faces. And my […]
- ["Am I the one who's wrong here?" ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/trust-your-inner-voice-overcome-self-doubt/): How to Trust Your Inner Voice In our fast-paced world of competing demands and endless opinions, sometimes the hardest voice to hear is your own. Today, I’m sharing a conversation that might sound all too familiar… The Voice That Gets Lost in the Noise I was recently talking with a client about my experience of going round and round in the horse pen, reflecting on a lesson life has “served us” over and over again. As I shared last week— when I walked out of the pen (and stopped spiraling), I found myself reflecting on my repeat lesson: learning to […]
- [The Courage to Say No: Honoring Your Inner Wisdom](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-courage-to-say-no/): What a Horse Taught Me About Saying No In our fast-paced world of endless demands, sometimes it takes an unexpected moment to reconnect with our deepest wisdom. Today, I’m sharing a personal experience that was a great reminder about coaching and growth. A Retreat Revelation: When Animals Speak Louder Than Words The Courage to Say No: Honoring Your Inner Wisdom True story: Just last month, I went on a retreat with my colleague and coach Dr. Erin McBride (@physicianburnoutcoach). One of the exercises Erin led us through was working with a horse in a circular pen, walking in spirals while […]
- [Finding Your Voice: ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/finding-your-voice/): Break Free from Silence and Shame The past few weeks, I’ve been startled awake by my kids at ungodly hours thanks to daylight savings time, spring break, and schedule swaps. Let’s be honest, the world seems a little extra off-tilt these days, and not just because of the time change. Yet, I’ve found myself yearning for renewal—something spring naturally inspires. This season always reminds me to stretch, grow, and maybe try something that scares me a little. The Pressure Cooker of Silence But there was this persistent problem holding me back. For years, I had bitten my tongue in situations where […]
- [The Spring Break Reality Check](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-spring-break-reality-check/): Last Saturday, after hopping on the peloton for a quick ride, I was quickly packing for our family spring break trip to South Florida while simultaneously answering a few emails, doing laundry, cleaning up the house, and trying to remember if I’d actually packed anything for myself. I’ve given up on the unicorn vacation where everything would be fun for my kids AND restful for me – but I’ll be honest, sometimes I still get sucked into the allure. (Anyone else?) Maybe one day… But as any mom knows, family vacations with young kids are rarely restful. Our son woke […]
- [The Invisible Weight We Carry](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-invisible-weight-we-carry/): I witnessed something recently that might sound familiar… A professional woman—pregnant and juggling a demanding medical career—received a text from her partner. Despite working ten days straight with only one mandatory conference day as a “break,” she was being told she needed to “be more present” and help more around the house. Bottom line: Ugh. Why are women always expected to do more? You could see the defeat in her expression as she tried to figure out how to juggle it all. Keeping everything together while growing another human. Being pulled in multiple directions—managing household responsibilities, working relentless hours, and […]
- [Stop Racing Against Time](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/stop-racing-against-time/): The Final Step to Time Freedom You’ve Been Missing: Navigate & Create Sustainable Success Do you feel like you’re constantly racing against time without making real progress? Welcome to the last and final stage of the ALIGN method. It’s here where my clients learn to navigate daily life and create sustainable success. Here is where we: This is where real, lasting change takes root. (Want more info about the previous steps: click here and scroll on through!) From Chaos to Calm Confidence Life doesn’t have to be a constant race against the clock. You are able to replace daily chaos with […]
- [From Chaos to Calm](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/from-chaos-to-calm/): Your Guide to Crafting an Ideal Week Let’s talk about time – specifically, how to make it work for you instead of feeling like it’s always working against you. Today, we’re diving into the ‘G’ of the ALIGN Method: Guide your ideal week design. And no, this isn’t about cramming more into your already packed schedule! The Reality Check We all start with the same 168 hours each week. (I’m guessing some of you just did the mental math to double-check that????) As working moms, much of that time is already claimed by non-negotiables – work schedules, school drop-offs, and the endless parade […]
- [Beyond Time Management:](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/beyond-time-management/): Creating Your Aligned Life From LEARN to INTEGRATE – Creating Your True Yes Framework This week I want to share some of my favorite time management secrets with you – yes, the exact framework I use with my private clients. Why? Because I deeply believe everyone deserves to live their best, most authentic life. While I love working with clients one-on-one, I know not everyone is ready for that step, and that’s perfectly okay. My mission is to help as many people as possible move from exhausted to energized, whether we work together directly or you’re implementing these strategies on […]
- [From Exhausted to Energized: ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/from-exhausted-to-energized/): Understanding Your Personal Energy Code “Being time poor makes us more depressed, more stressed, and more emotionally exhausted.”  – Cassie Holmes, PhD Happier Hour Last week, we explored the actual time audit. Perhaps the real question is – did you do it? If you didn’t but were interested… what’s holding you back? (Can I let you in on a secret—having a coach is an incredible step in accountability.) But I won’t press… onward and upward! Why Understanding Your Energy “Code” Matters The LEARN Phase: Discovering Your Energy Code As promised, this week we’re focusing on the “L” word… LEARN, because knowing where your […]
- [Your First Step to Time Freedom](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/your-first-step-to-time-freedom/): The 3-Day Time Audit Imagine knowing exactly where your time goes – and more importantly, how it makes you feel. That’s the power of a purposeful time audit. The A in the ALIGN Method stands for **Audit** – your first step toward time freedom.  Here’s what you’ll discover: – Where your time is really going – Hidden pockets of time you didn’t know existed – What’s truly draining your energy Last week, we explored The Hidden Cost of ‘Harmless’ Habits: Why You Need a Time Audit Now.  Now, let’s put it into practice. Maybe you want to create some change in your life—like […]
- [The Hidden Cost of 'Harmless' Habits: ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-hidden-cost-of-harmless-habits/): Why You Need a Time Audit Now From Audit to Action: Creating Lasting Change Last week we explored getting clear on what you want. Why? Because without clarity, we often end up with what I call “unintentional results” – life happening to us rather than for us. If you are anything like me these last two weeks, life certainly seems to be handing it to me… But today, let’s dive into how to change that through the first step of the ALIGN Method: AUDIT. So, what exactly does Audit your time with purpose mean? Audit your time with purpose means examining your time use […]
- [The Question That Changes Everything](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-question-that-changes-everything/):   Last week, I introduced The ALIGN Method. Before we begin our ALIGNed journey together – before we Audit your calendar or Learn your energy code – I want to ask you something that might feel uncomfortable at first: What do you ***really*** want?  And why? Not what you think you should want. Not what others expect. But deep down, what do you want? This question is the foundation of our work together as we move through the ALIGN Method – from Auditing your current reality to Navigating your new sustainable success. Today, I’m sharing the exact exercise that’s transformed how my clients approach their time. It’s not […]
- [Introducing The ALIGN Method](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/explore-and-align/): Setting the Course for 2025 Have you ever rolled your eyes at the idea of choosing “words for the year”? I’ll admit, sometimes it seems a bit cliché to me too. But this year, something clicked when I landed on two words: Explore and Align. I sent this to my email list last week (join here if you’d like) and was going to publish here yesterday, but in the midst of the world seeming so misaligned and upside-down, I paused. But nonetheless, here we are– a new day, needing to move forward. So let me share why these words are becoming my unexpected […]
- [Getting What You Want For 2025](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/getting-what-you-want-for-2025/): Picture this: You’re at a family gathering or holiday work party, wanting to leave early because you’re exhausted, but instead of asking, you sit there for a few more hours, growing resentful. Sound familiar? What if you could change that narrative?  Scroll down to the bottom for the TL;DR, but warning: you’ll miss the juicy parts. Asking for what you want: Is this a skill of yours? Or a struggle? This exact conversation came up over my holiday break with a client and separately with my daughter… We ended up talking about strategies to get what you want, and I thought […]
- [The Holiday Hangover](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-holiday-hangover/): I wrote this last week to my email list… maybe a few days late in posting here– but hey, it’s the holidays so I’m sneaking in right under the wire! Don’t want to miss a thing? Join here if you want to stay in the loop for more coaching tips and stay up to date on my latest courses and offers. When Magic Fades and Reality Sets In We’re in that strange limbo between holidays and the new year – I’m coming down from a three-month sugar high of Halloween candy, followed by a Thanksgiving when I over-indulged and treated […]
- [The Holiday Gift You Actually Need: Permission to Say No](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-holiday-gift-you-actually-need-permission-to-say-no/): I was talking to my sister recently about the holiday overwhelm when something struck me: we working moms are carrying an Olympic-level mental load at baseline, and then the holidays arrive like an avalanche of additional tasks. Think about it: – Coordinating holiday parties – Hunting down perfect outfits – Managing gift lists for kids/family/friends/co-workers – Orchestrating family photos – Designing and mailing cards Just last week, I found myself stressed about gifts, schedules, parties, and coordinating dog/ childcare over the holiday break (on top of juggling ER shifts filled with the extra angst of the season for everyone involved!).  […]
- [From Strikeout to Home Run: Silencing Your Inner Critic ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/from-strikeout-to-home-run-silencing-your-inner-critic/):   Last week, we explored Michael Gervais’ powerful message from ‘The First Rule of Mastery’: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You. Gervais argues that our preoccupation with others’ opinions often holds us back from reaching our full potential. We discussed how this fear of judgment can paralyze us, keeping us from taking risks and pursuing what truly matters.  As I reflected on Gervais’ message this week while working with clients, something striking emerged, I notice people typically get stuck at two critical points: they’re worried about what other people think (as Gervais pointed out), and I’m going to be blunt: they […]
- [The Art of Self-Appreciation: ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-art-of-self-appreciation/): A Lesson from Learning to Ride Bikes My daughter was recently careening down a hill on her bike. She loves this one particular street because she can “fly down.” Well, the flight ended with a bit of a rough landing as she tried to skid around her younger brother, sliding right into the curb at the end of the road. There were lots of tears, a little blood, and big hugs.  As she replayed the fall that night before bed, I got to see her thoughts about what happened and what she was telling herself: what she did or didn’t […]
- [Conquering Your Inner Critic: Tips for Growth](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/conquering-your-inner-critic-tips-for-growth/): I recently mentioned the “madwoman in the attic” a reference from the book Burnout taken from a metaphor from Jane Eyre. See the Grow Mighty section for the quick recap –> Bottom line: most of us have a little voice inside that talks… a lot.  And sometimes, she’s not very nice.  As an extra bonus, the Holidays often bring out a pretty stressed version of our inner voice. To top it off, many of us think that voice is “just who we are.” Grow Mighty:  What’s interesting though… we are not our thoughts. A helpful reminder from a mindfulness lesson: […]
- [Burnout: Final Thoughts](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/burnout-final-thoughts/): Final email on Burnout (the book, not the topic because I have come to accept it will always be a part of the coaching I do). When I initially was coaching doctors only a few years into the pandemic, I found myself coaching a lot on burnout. Through this time, I discovered that I really enjoyed coaching women/ moms who were navigating the struggles of being a working professional and parent and trying to make time for themselves, their passions, and their lives. What I came to realize, the burnout touching the medical community is often the same burnout reaching a lot […]
- [Burnout Part III: Connection, Growing Strong and Mighty](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/burnout-part-iii-connection-growing-strong-and-mighty/): In the wake of the recent election, perhaps this final part of the book  (Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA.) is more important than ever.  Here are my Part III highlights. I recognize this is longer than my norm, but I tried to cut it down as best I could without losing the essentials for you. Short on time? Fast-forward to the end for the TL; DR. Part III: Wax On, Wax Off I. Social Connection nourishes us. We need both connection and autonomy. II. We give and receive in relationships: money, time, attention, […]
- [Burnout Part II: The Game is Rigged](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/burnout-part-ii-the-game-is-rigged/): Well, I wrote this to my mailing list on Election Day here in the U.S. Even at the time, it I recognized it was both timely and untimely… not knowing who would win, but also acknowledging how far we have come and knowing how much more work there is to do. Now here we are, knowing the results of the election, it has a bit more of a sting– that brutally honest pain of truth that is hard to reconcile and yet needed to move forward. I’m hoping this book summary helps normalize your experience and allows for you to […]
- [Burnout: Why we get stuck and how to get out!?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/burnout-why-we-get-stuck-and-how-to-get-out/): Maybe you are clear on what Burnout is… and how it feels. So now what can you DO about it? (If you missed last week, check out my intro to the Nagoski sisters’ book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle: click here.) My takeaways: From a coaching perspective, I love this quote: “Just because you’ve dealt with a stressor doesn’t mean you’ve dealt with the stress.” Because oftentimes we change our “circumstance” but somehow we don’t always feel better. This is where burnout can really be viscous. We can get caught up not only in our circumstances but in our thoughts and […]
- [Burnout: Are you feeling it?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/burnout-are-you-feeling-it/): Burnout has been such a hot topic (especially in the medical world)!  In some ways, the term reminds me of the old adage, “You’ll know it when you see it.” It’s more of a feel it, not see it– but there are some nuances I think could be helpful to a lot of people “feeling the burn.” So I re-read Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA because I wanted to share my recaps with you. What is burnout? Defined by Freudenberger in 1975 A lot of the burnout data has come from […]
- [Ever Feel Like You're Sliding Backwards?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/ever-feel-like-youre-sliding-backwards/): As you slide into last quarter of the year… do you ever feel like you are sliding backwards? Not in a fun, adventurous going down a slide backwards kind of way, more in the ‘I had made progress only to find’… Just know– you aren’t alone. I’ll be very honest, between the start of the school year, working on some new coaching projects, two unexpected school closures for hurricanes, a trip out west for our anniversary, I’ve felt some back-slide lately… So, this post is dedicated to picking yourself up when you’ve slid backwards. Like we talked about last week with […]
- [Stress and an Antidote](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/stress-and-an-antidote/): I just finished the audio book: The Self-Driven Child by William Stixrud Ph.D. and Ned Johnson and I wanted to share a part where they talk about what makes life stressful and how that shows up in kids’ lives and the a big part of the antidote: agency/ control. Because it’s not just for kids… They had a helpful acronym NUTS: N – novelty; something new U – unpredictability; no way of knowing it could occur T – threat to the ego; feeling your competence is questioned S – sense of control; feeling you have little or no control in a situation It’s easy to think of scenarios where any […]
- [Radical Downtime](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/radical-downtime/): Just a quick note from me this week. My husband and I flew out to Denver to check out Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked for a few days (saw Bear Lake, Emerald Lake, Lake Haiyaha, Lake of Glass, Sky Pond and more) and have enjoyed some much-needed rest.  While the altitude caught up with us (coming from sea level in Florida) we’ve had a beautiful time! A special thanks to everyone at home that made it possible.  It’s funny when we think of “rest” or a break… and what that looks like to many people […]
- [The most harmful dragon we chase...](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-most-harmful-dragon-we-chase/): With everything that’s going on in the past week: hurricane devastation across many states, ongoing wars abroad, election uncertainty– this seems both an important reminder and yet insufficient, but I sent this out to my email list last week and wanted to share it here. If you are interested in my weekly emails: sign up here. I’d love to hear about your superpowers… and your kryptonite. We all have both.  Check out last week’s email/ post here if you missed it. For many of us, we view our kryptonite as an obstacle… one to desperately avoid, which brings me to […]
- [What's Your Superpower?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/whats-your-superpower/): My sister wrote a great email last week to her clients. She’s a personal stylist. Find her here if you are looking for inspiration: https://www.hannaleestyle.com/ ???????? She mentioned one of her client’s biggest fears: “I was nervous nothing would fit…” and her superpower: sizing! Makes total sense right? For her, her genius is in the knowing and the workarounds: multiple sizes brought to customers, range of styles flattering for certain body types, a personal seamstress to tweak things as needed.  Brilliance at every turn. It had me thinking… what’s my superpower?  [One hint: it has nothing to do with styling; in fact I joke […]
- [Start Chipping Away](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/start-chipping-away/): Have you ever thought about what you could take away that might increase your happiness? From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. By Arthur Brooks. I finished this audiobook a few weeks ago and I really like a passage from Chapter 4: Start Chipping Away.  The author tells a story about a guide at an art museum, and they talk about the idea of art. <<I was running with my dogs and listening on 1.75 speed, so this is simply my takeaway… don’t quote me here people.>>The guide asked him about what […]
- [Asking for Help/ Saying No: two small but critical pieces of the puzzle.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/asking-for-help-saying-no-two-small-but-critical-pieces-of-the-puzzle/): Last week, we talked about asking for help and some of the universal challenges in that. I talked about looking at your thoughts around asking for help and working through the coaching model to look at the thoughts and feelings that come up, and then your subsequent actions and results. And if the results aren’t what you want—try looking back at what thoughts are creating that cascade.  Saying no often drums up similar thoughts and the subsequent feelings for most of us: dread, fear, anxiety, guilty, etc. These can really derail us from what we want, especially when we are acting on auto-pilot. For anyone wanting a little […]
- [The Vulnerable Plunge of Asking for Help](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-vulnerable-plunge-of-asking-for-help/): If you’ve been here awhile, you’ve heard me talk about the Coaching Model/ framework I learned at the Life Coach School. Circumstances–> Thoughts–> Feelings–>   Actions–> Results (If you are new: welcome! Please, hang with me… I’ll explain more in a minute.) In the Coaching Model, at first glance, it seems like “asking for help” would best go in the “A-line”. It’s an action, right? But when my clients think of this as a problem and I’m coaching on it, sometimes it’s helpful to put it in the “C-line.” Stay with me. If you are a professional, businesswoman, doctor, lawyer, CEO… […]
- [A renewed sense of hope is brewing...](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/a-renewed-sense-of-hope-is-brewing/):   I feel a renewed sense of hope brewing.  Can you? Maybe it’s because school restarted, we’ve had an occasional “cool” morning (at least our highs aren’t nearing 100 degrees every day)… and I’ve also been recently inspired by Kamala Harris, Melinda Gates, and even the recent death of Susan Wojcicki… I’ve been thinking a lot about women, leadership, and change. There’s definitely a renewed energy in the air. I was out on a hilly run recently and started imaging how systems (both big and small) would run if women were at the helm for the last 100s of years. How would our medical […]
- [Personal Trainer Vs Coach](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/personal-trainer-vs-coach/): It’s back to school week, at least for many of us down here in Florida, home to the wild yet beloved #FloridaMan and wild but not so beloved #bannedbooks.  (P.S. Just know there are a lot of us down here fighting the good fight still people!)  As parents start to settle into the relief of getting their kids back to school, it often can bring a moment to focus on what’s next…  My sister made a great comparison between personal trainer and life coach this week. With personal training, often we know what we are supposed to do. We know about cardio and weights […]
- [Book recap this summer:](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/book-recap-this-summer/): Audiobooks really are my jam. Just a plug for Libby/ Hoopla which are free resources for audiobooks. Here have been some of my favorites this summer: Take Back Your Brain by Kara Loewentheil The Anatomy of a Calling by Lissa Rankin The Seat of the Soul by Gary Sukav Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke Strong Like Water by Aundi Kolber Community by Peter Block The Perfection Trap by Thomas Curran The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker 13 Things Mentally Strong Women Don’t Do by Amy Morin On the Docket: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Unbroken by MaryCatherine […]
- [Barriers to Better Self-Worth](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/barriers-to-better-self-worth/): Last week, I walked you through my recap of a section from Take Back Your Brain by Kara Loewentheil:  “Why We Seek External Validation.” This week I wanted to touch on a solution but also some of the barriers. Let’s be honest, if the solution was easy and natural, we’d all be doing that.  But just because it’s not easy or doesn’t come naturally to us, it doesn’t mean we can’t learn the skill. How many of us are convinced that part or most of our success is due to our internal critic? Truly, many of us think that we are only successful because of […]
- [Why We Seek External Validation](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/why-we-seek-external-validation/): “Why We Seek External Validation” comes from Chapter 6 Take Back Your Self-Esteem in Take Back Your Brain by Kara Loewentheil. This was a helpful framework that I simmered on so wanted to share it here. Not to knock on my people pleasers, but it makes so much sense why we turn to others for validation. First, there’s a desire to please and then the feedback loop: wait, did I do enough? Was that right? Ugh…. “ No matter what we want other people to think about us or how we want them to behave, it usually comes down to believing that we can’t be […]
- [Disentangle What From Who ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/disentangle-what-from-who/): Last week we looked at Dreaded Feedback. I mentioned the book Thanks For The Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well  By Douglas Stone and Shelia Heen; there’s another book I just finished Take Back Your Brain: How a Sexist Society Gets in Your Head—and How to Get It Out By Kara Loewentheil. I wanted to merge two chapters that I think might be helpful after last week. Feedback can come in many shapes and forms. Sometimes, it’s super helpful. This is how we grow: increasing knowledge, skills, and how we get or stay on track. Sometimes—not so much. Thanks For […]
- [Dreaded Feedback](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/dreaded-feedback/): Ok so maybe you’ve been reading my emails or posts for the past few weeks; perhaps you’ve been trying out how empowering NO can be? [PS A little plug: if you want to hop on my email lists and get a weekly email plus some fun extras, click here to sign up.] If not, why not? What’s holding you back?   If you have… perhaps you’ve gotten some feedback from family, friends, work… How’s that going? Feedback can feel really scary for a lot of us. The word itself may tie your stomach in knots or make you want to puke. I […]
- [Do you hate disappointing people?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/do-you-hate-disappointing-people/): Do you worry about how saying no to your boss, clients, or family might be interpreted? Worried they might be disappointed? Angry? Horrified? Frustrated? I hear you. Fear of their response often traps a lot of us. (Especially for my beloved people pleasers; I know how much you REALLY hate even thinking about disappointing people.) But do we give enough airtime to the flip side?  There are some major perks when people know you will say no freely.  In fact, you know what I think the best part of being on a team or in a family with people who know the power […]
- [An Obvious Exception to the Inauthentic No](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/an-obvious-exception-to-the-inauthentic-no/): Want to know the exception I mentioned last week? In the category: I want to say YES, but I say no… I called it the inauthentic no category. There’s an obvious exception. Let’s look at this scenario: I want to say yes, but I am prioritizing the many other things I’m managing: my health, my family, my work, etc… I say no from a deeply thought-out, checked-in space.  I know what I want and need and although the incoming request sounds meaningful/ interesting/fun/lovely— now just isn’t the time.  So it’s a no. And it’s authentic. This is a powerful no that we all […]
- [Incoming Request Audit](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/incoming-request-audit/): Introducing the Incoming Request Audit (IRA), a tool to analyze our responses to requests. Authentic "yes" and "no" responses come from feeling confident and empowered, while inauthentic responses stem from anxiety and self-doubt. Shifting our thoughts can change our responses, empowering us to trust ourselves and say "no" when needed.
- [Saying no is a practice. ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/saying-no-is-a-practice/):   It’s a skill that can be learned. Ask me how I know ????????I just want to be clear— this is something that did NOT come naturally to me.I was horrible at saying no. I definitely didn’t want to be perceived as selfish or not a team player. Like Ever.  I am flawed and messy and also just figuring it out. So while social media loves to portray the polished versions of life: the travel, the picture-worthy moments, the laughs and smiles; there are also always the messy moments. And I love instagram-able moments, but I have also come to appreciate there’s […]
- [The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-hidden-cost-of-saying-yes/):   Let’s be real – as women (especially working moms), we’re constantly juggling demands on our time and energy from work, family, friends, and more. Often, we find ourselves saying “yes” to things we don’t truly want to do, all in the name of being a team player, nice, kind, and generous. Many of us constantly worry about the “costs” of saying no, but I think it’s helpful to look at the pros and cons of saying yes. PROS PROS: Truthfully, many of us get a little dopamine hit from saying yes: the people pleasing, doing the kind and generous thing (many of us […]
- [Completely valid reasons for a "NO"](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/completely-valid-reasons-for-a-no/):   This one is dedicated to all my favorite people pleasers. I hear you. I see you.  I invite you to a little reframe about our favorite toddler pastime: NO!  I promise, many years ago you were an expert at this. How about now? When was the last time you said yes to something you wish you had said no to? If you have 60 seconds, truly pause and think about this. Do you like your reason for the yes?  Now: what if you weren’t available?  Sometimes you’re not available financially, emotionally, physically, mentally… and that’s ok. All of these are completely valid reasons for […]
- [The Power of Saying NO: Why saying NO will give you more time TODAY](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-power-of-saying-no-why-saying-no-will-give-you-more-time-today/):   Picture this: Another ‘request’ is added to your pile. Your boss wants you to do something new. Another sports event or birthday party or PTA meeting pops up. Deep down, you really don’t want to do it…but somehow “oh sure!” comes out of your mouth. And then you walk away feeling disappointed and frustrated, because saying YES took away something very important – your time. Let’s reframe the power of NO. Many times, we feel like saying “no” is selfish or lets people down. But firmly telling people “no” to things that don’t match what’s important to you is actually […]
- [Ready to Drop a Heavy Load?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/ready-to-drop-a-heavy-load/): Do you ever get stuck in a ruminative loop? Check out this story from Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth which illustrates the impact of carrying negative experiences. Also, employ a coaching model to analyze thoughts and feelings (with some helpful clarification by Brené Brown on disappointment, regret, discouragement, resignation, and frustration). Use some self-compassion and learn from experiences to break the ruminative cycle.
- [No Pain, No Gain: Limits and Boundaries](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/no-pain-no-gain-limits-and-boundaries/): The concept of "window of tolerance" and how it affects our ability to function and regulate emotions is directly tied to limits, boundaries and growth. The importance of recognizing and respecting internal and external limits and boundaries combined with the need for recovery and self-care after pushing one's limits is what ensures growth.
- [Making a Plan (from a rested, regulated, unhurried place)](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/making-a-plan-from-a-rested-regulated-unhurried-place/): The Life Coach School has a process called Monday Hour One. A book I’m finishing (Widen the Window by Elizabeth Stanley, PhD) has a section about Planning 2.0.  There are a ton of strategies for planning your time. For me, it all boils down to a few key strategies. First, make a plan for your week from a rested, regulated, unhurried place; it will allow you to put into perspective short- and long-term goals and a loose plan for the month, 90 days, the year, etc. It’s a strategic way to guide yourself intentionally down the path you want. And if you find yourself off the path, […]
- [Managing Time vs Energy](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/managing-time-vs-energy/): I recently saw a post on Linkedin by Reshma Saujani; she is the founder and CEO of Moms First and of Girls who Code. I read her book Brave Not Perfect: Fear less, Fail More, and Live Bolder last year.  She has another book out recently Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It’s Different Than You Think) that’s on my reading list…But this post struck me, and I wanted to share. “Happy #FailureFriday. So my coach shared a powerful quote with me. She said successful people manage their energy, not their time. It made me realize that I have been doing it all wrong. […]
- [The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-disease-to-please-curing-the-people-pleasing-syndrome/): The post discusses insights from the book "The Disease to Please," emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say no. There are many versions of NO: polite, humorous, and snarky ways. The key message is to prioritize self-care and reclaim time by confidently saying no when necessary.
- [The Good Enough Job. Reclaiming Life from Work.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-good-enough-job-reclaiming-life-from-work/): My recent reads include "90 Seconds to a Life You Love," "The Disease to Please," "Dopamine Nation," and "The Good Enough Job." The last, by Simone Stolzoff, explores the concept of "good enough" work, urging a balance between meaningful work and self-identity. The book’s insights triggered a realization about detaching self-worth from work and embracing diverse roles in life.
- [Pain with a Purpose](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/pain-with-a-purpose/): During a conversation with clients, we explored pain and suffering, considering the equation "Suffering = Pain x Resistance." The idea of "Heart Work = Pain X Purpose" emerged, emphasizing the importance of allowing difficult emotions and finding purpose in pain. The key is to choose awareness over resistance and seek the purpose in challenging experiences.
- [Mastering Difficult Emotions](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/mastering-difficult-emotions/): In "90 Seconds to a Life You Love," Joan Rosenberg, PhD, discusses embracing uncomfortable emotions to build confidence and authenticity. By allowing and tolerating these feelings for 90 seconds, one can move past them and cultivate  confidence, resilience, and authenticity.  Through coaching, individuals can develop awareness, recognize their thoughts, and embrace an empowering identity. Confidence in facing discomfort unlocks limitless potential.
- [Asking Lofty Questions](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/asking-lofty-questions/): A nod to The Buddha and The Badass which suggests shifting internal conversations by asking lofty questions instead of using affirmations. Lofty questions prompt the brain to gather evidence, leading to true belief. Asking questions can shift the brain to find unconsidered evidence, transforming beliefs and identity.
- [Creating a Win-Win](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/creating-a-win-win/): I listened to a podcast a long time ago with Brené Brown and Simon Sinek on Developing an Infinite Mindset , and it may have been in a subsequent podcast but one of the parts that struck me the most when they were talking about winning vs losing was the idea about ‘what’s the opposite of winning and losing?’. He mentioned most people say not playing but some will say, just for fun! I remember asking my daughter, who was five at the time, this question. It was such a quick genuine: ‘oh, playing for fun!’  [P.S. This kid is definitely a mini-me […]
- [Love is a Four Letter Word](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/love-is-a-four-letter-word/): Perhaps generosity isn't generous if you are always giving at the expense of yourself. Lack of personal time for working moms often leads to frustration, resentment, and overwhelm. Reclaiming time involves a calendar audit, identifying personal desires, and building an intentional schedule. I think it's vital for both happiness and satisfaction.
- [Self Care on a Spectrum](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/self-care-on-a-spectrum/):   Last week, I talked about the internal voice of “not enough” and whatever version that might be for you.  This week, I wanted to address another common inner critic. The one that tells you “You’re being selfish.” And the shame that comes with it. And I’m going with the word shame here because ‘mom guilt’ is thrown around a lot, but it’s often deeper than that. I like Brené Brown’s definition of guilt vs shame here. Guilt is often “I did something bad” and shame: “I am bad.” Shame is never helpful or productive and systems have often used shame as a weapon of […]
- [Have you ever been told you can have it all?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/have-you-ever-been-told-you-can-have-it-all/): It seems a few decades ago, women were sold a narrative: you can have it all! It opened the door to work outside of the home and normalized working moms. There’s a lot of history here and we’ll leave that for another day.   I’ll be the first to say that I’m grateful to all the women who paved the path for it to happen. I certainly think we have plenty to offer the world in the workplace. (**FYI I’m linking 2 interesting studies looking at female vs male physicians and patient outcomes at the bottom if interested.) But there is an undertone: If […]
- [Self-Love](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/self-love/): In celebration of Valentine’s Day this week, I hope you were able to spend some time with the ones you love and cherish them, I hope that also included you!   I was asked to give a brief talk on Tuesday, and the topic was Rethinking Self-love and Self-care. It was a good reminder to love on your past, present and future self— your completely whole, lovable self.  Love your past self: may you cherish all your successes and love on yourself even with mistakes and failures.  Love on your present self: talk to yourself with kindness and compassion and do the […]
- [Moving from Hump Day to Super Bowl](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/moving-from-hump-day-to-super-bowl/): A quick nod to last week if you missed it.* Sometimes it’s helpful to look at what’s at stake. This is what I’m going to call the cost of not experimenting.  Nothing changes.  Perhaps you stay sleep deprived… You continue to eat junk that doesn’t nourish you… and gain weight year after year. You stay time poor. You show up grumpy or dysregulated or remain overwhelmed. And tired. And perhaps a little resentful of your job, your spouse and sometimes even your kid(s). In the spirit of Super Bowl week, I’m going to roll with this analogy. If you’re not in the game, […]
- [Let's Look at Your Needs: The Hump Day Experiment](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/lets-look-at-your-needs-the-hump-day-experiment/):   (Clarification: I sent this out in my newsletter on Wednesday, hence the Hump Day reference– I’m leaving it in for your enjoyment. And if you’d like to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for coaching tips, tricks, and extra bonuses: click here!) In the spirit of continuing my experiment theme this month, if you could ask for one thing this week, what would it be?  More time? Some downtime? Rest time? Relaxation time? Quiet family time? Time to work out… a nice dinner date with my partner. Or maybe it’s feeling less overwhelmed? Having less on your to do list? Some […]
- [Call it an Experiment](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/call-it-an-experiment/):   Are you wanting to change something but it seems heavy, daunting, arduous, or maybe even downright scary? Or perhaps it invokes all the scarcity and ‘what ifs’ the world has to offer??  You’re not alone. Notice what you are telling yourself about the change.  Normalize it: change can be really hard. If it’s something that is core to your identity, even harder. Our brains are well-oiled machines telling us that something different might be terrible. It’s part of what keeps people stuck in dead-end jobs or relationships, over-drinking, smoking, or mired in habits they wish they could break. For the primitive brain, it’s […]
- [Mindset Shifts](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/mindset-shifts/): Whether you are working on a new project, new parenting phase/technique, or a New Year’s resolution, finding TIME tends to be a BIG BARRIER for a lot of people. It’s often after a few weeks people simply give up. There’s a lofty goal or aspiration, initial excitement and inspiration, followed by time and life constraints, a few setbacks which swiftly culminate into defeat and inaction.  Sound familiar? You are not alone my dear.  I want to offer another option if you are venturing into the struggle, what I like to call stuck in the mud, phase. (And perhaps it has nothing to do with […]
- [Choosing something different for 2024.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/choosing-something-different-for-2024/): I’ve been toying with an idea for several months now. It loops me back to a lesson I learned (or thought I had!) when I was working in hospital administration. Sometimes, it’s important to listen to yourself over outside “experts.” I mean of course, it’s important to have people in your life you know and trust and are a wealth of knowledge (especially in fields you know less about). I value deeply the experts in my life for financial advice, dentistry, doctors, tax accounting etc. But for things more personal, perhaps it’s important to let your own opinion matter, too. I’m […]
- [Reflecting On The Past Year](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/reflecting-on-the-past-year/): As the holidays start to roll by, sometimes I find myself in a blur wondering where the time went… Some days, it seems like it could be July and others, I feel approximately 76 years old and it could be 2060.  As December creeps along, I think it’s helpful to reflect on the year and celebrate wins, grieve losses, enjoy the present and plan for the future.    If you want to spend a few minutes reflecting, peak through your calendar (digital or old school paper) and look a all the important things that stick out: events with family or friends, significant […]
- [Grateful but not Satisfied.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/grateful-but-not-satisfied/):   It’s a funny time of year to talk about gratitude as a YES BUT…..  I want more. For context, I was listening to a podcast: Hello Seven with Rachel Rodgers Episode 118, and I loved this so wanted to share here. “I’ve heard it called, actually, grateful but not satisfied, right? And it’s such a great way to describe that feeling, right? Like I feel gratitude for all that I have and all that I am and all that I’m experiencing in this world. And I want more. There can be those two things coexisting at the same time. And I think sometimes people almost […]
- [Grateful for Time](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/grateful-for-time/): I’m thankful for an amazing Thanksgiving. Hoping you enjoyed the fruits of your labors or someone else’s! Cooking is truly one of my joys; I was grateful for some quiet time prepping and for the time with friends and family– filled with giggles, yummy food and tons of fun. I know a lot of women who are incredibly successful in their careers and are also amazing parents, but often they feel like they’re missing a little something (let’s be honest, sometimes it’s a big something). It’s something placed on the back-burner of “someday”… or the gnawing angst of feeling unsettled. Sometimes it’s […]
- [What do Toyota, a 5-year-old, and your coach have in common?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/what-do-toyota-a-5-year-old-and-your-coach-have-in-common/): It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but what do Toyota, a 5 year old, and your coach all have in common?  The love of WHY.  Apparently, Sakichi Toyoda developed what has become known as the FIVE WHY’s, a tool Toyota has used as a Root Cause Analysis, which ultimately has been credited for making the car company effective, efficient, and profitable.  By asking 5 Why’s, you too can get to the root of most problems.  It helps uncover deeper layers of causation and avoid superficial or immediate solutions. The exercise encourages critical thinking and analysis, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of […]
- [The One Thing](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-one-thing/): In a world filled with distractions and endless to-do lists, sometimes focusing on one thing can create a cascade of progress. In the book “The One Thing,” Gary Keller and Jay Papasan ask:  “What is the one thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” This can apply to so many aspects of life: professional, personal, parenting…  Here’s my version: What’s one thing that I can do (today) that will make everything else easier (or unnecessary)?  Takes me back to post about Michael Hyatt’s list from Free to Focus and a recent conversation with a […]
- [Escaping the Trap of Self-Denial ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/escaping-the-trap-of-self-denial/): The Sacrificial Mother: Escaping the Trap of Self-Denial by Carin Rubenstein PhD Ok I’m going to dive in a little more this week. There are a lot of heteronormative stereotypes in this book; it dates itself and certainly does not represent all couples—but I think there is merit in the discussion about the sacrificial mother, though this role can easily be filled by any gender, in same-sex marriages, as well as single parents of either gender. In fact, I think this label can apply to any care-giving role… use it when it helps but please ditch it when it does not.  Early […]
- [From Sacrifice to Satisfied](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/from-sacrifice-to-satisfied/): A few weeks ago I finished two books: The Sacrificial Mother by Carin Rubenstein PhD and Satisfaction by Gregory Berns MD, PhD. Both had really great points— not sure I’d re-read or recommend either for someone with limited time… I’m glad I did so I can share a few highlights. There was some weirdness that I won’t go into here… perhaps another time. First, I felt a connection with the notion of The Sacrificial Mother; the name was off-putting and I originally wanted to rebel and say, ‘nah, that’s not me.’ BUT I’ve seen her in the mirror and in my clients.  It’s […]
- [Proof Coaching Works](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/proof-coaching-works/): For all the healthy skeptics out there, there’s now published research in JAMA, in fact a Randomized Clinical Trial demonstrating statistically significant reduction in emotional exhaustion and impostor syndrome scores and increased self-compassion scores among female resident physicians. Effect of a Novel Online Group-Coaching Program to Reduce Burnout in Female Resident Physicians. Here’s the full link:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle…  Want a great quick podcast to listen to the authors? Check out UNF*CK Your Brain #312: SCIENTIFIC PROOF THIS COACHING WORKS PUBLISHED IN JAMA: A CONVERSATION WITH DR. TYRA FAINSTAD AND DR. ADRIENNE MANN Here’s the quick and dirty taken directly from the JAMA article: Main Outcomes and […]
- [You Matter.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/you-matter/):  I’m taking a few extra minutes today to let you know something really important and central to my work as a coach.  YOU MATTER. I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now. Jimmy Turner (Anesthesiologist, Coach, Podcaster) wrote a book Determined: How burned out doctors can thrive in a broken medical system. He talked about autonomy, belonging, and competence and how they are key factors in becoming what he calls a self-determined physician. This applies to many careers, especially ones people often feel “called to do.” It’s a great read and I highly encourage it for all my medical people. In the belonging […]
- [Be a Selfist.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/be-a-selfist/): (Not to be confused with selfish.) “Be a selfist. The psychologist Carin Rubenstein writes about how quickly she fell into the modern trap of denying herself for the sake of her children. To remedy this, she developed the idea of being a “selfist” (not to be confused with selfish), whose needs are just as important as her family’s. A selfist ensures that she is well taken care of too. “ “Strive to be a good enough, not perfect parent, teacher, or coach. Kids don’t need perfect role models. In fact, perfection doesn’t serve them, and it doesn’t serve the adults in their lives. Our kids […]
- [Your LEGACY: how do you want to be remembered?](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/your-legacy-how-do-you-want-to-be-remembered/):   Near the end of Happier Hour (by Dr Cassie Holmes, PhD) there’s an exercise she uses with her students (she teaches MBA students at UCLA). It helps to give a bird’s eye view that (while it may seem a bit morbid at first) gives such an interesting perspective, I think it’s useful for all of us.  It helped me think about the hustle and bustle of every day and pause to think of what really matters: right here, right now.  She asks: How do you want to be remembered?  What do you want people to say, and which stories do you […]
- [YOU’RE READY. ](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/youre-ready/): WHY NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed right now. I know you are juggling a million balls.  Whether it’s at work, with children, family– I know you feel like there’s just not enough time. I also know when you carve out this small piece of time for yourself, a world of time will open.  You’ll be able to examine what matters, where you want your time and efforts to go, and be able to freely say no to things that don’t align. Life shifts and priorities change. This course helps you gracefully pivot to the next phase without […]
- [Recharge your battery](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/recharge-your-battery/): I was listening to a new audiobook: Michael Hyatt’s Free to Focus and I wanted to highlight one concept because it pertains to my upcoming course. It comes down to energy and renewal. We’ve all heard of the concept of filling your own cup or putting on your oxygen mask first in an airplane if you lose cabin pressure, but I recently thought about batteries and an analogy to our energy levels. When we are dangerously low (imagine you are lost in some back country roads with a red bar on your phone and almost out of battery or gas in your car), our tolerance for when […]
- [Start saving time today](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/start-saving-time-today/):   I’m really excited for my new program launching October 1st. If you are a working mom feeling overworked and overwhelmed trying to juggle your family and career, you are in the right place.  This program is specifically designed for you. It’s about finding out where your time is going, where you want it to go, and opening up time for you, guilt-free. With enough Free Time, you can pursue the things that bring you joy and ditch the overwhelm that comes from never having enough time. Why? Because YOU deserve good care, too. And when our batteries are low, or empty– everything seems so much damn harder.  […]
- [Just on Time](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/just-on-time/):   Have you ever had a moment and realized that something happened “just on time”? I wanted to share a recent “just on time” story; it was as if the universe conspired to deliver exactly what I needed at the precise moment.  In this fast-paced world, we often find ourselves rushing to meet deadlines or achieve goals, but sometimes, life has a way of reminding us to trust the process and enjoy the journey. Recently, I was reading “Steering by Starlight” by Martha Beck (and loving it), but I had inexplicably left the last 50 pages unread. Frustrated with myself, I wanted to finish […]
- [Quit Tolerating Your Life](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/quit-tolerating-your-life/): The goal of coaching is not to eliminate all the negative emotions in our lives, but rather to be able to process them (and not add additional suffering: often in the form of overeating/ drinking/ spending, etc.) These are examples of what we call buffering. In fact, we want to feel negative and positive emotions. Buffering is what you do to avoid pain.  I.e. When we use external things to change how we feel emotionally, with a net negative in the long run. Any activity that helps you avoid painful or negative emotions (or uncomfortable emotions*), procrastinate, or just hide from reality.  Why do we […]
- [The Empowered Mom's Guide to Unlocking More Free Time](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/the-empowered-moms-guide-to-unlocking-more-free-time/): Switching gears a little this week because I have a project up my sleeve I can’t wait to share. AND: it’s not just for doctors… it’s for all MY WORKING MOMS! This ‘Back to School’ program is for all my working moms with kids, who are feeling completely deflated and overwhelmed by the constant demands of career and family… and then left with zero time for your own needs or wants. Wish you had free time? To do yoga, run, play piano, stand-up paddle board, surf,  SLEEP, paint, read, swim, meet up with a friend, solitude… My new coaching course is designed to give you […]
- [Belonging: To Be Seen, Heard, and Valued](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/belonging-to-be-seen-heard-and-valued/): “Any belonging that asks us to betray ourselves is not true belonging.” ~ Brené Brown The need for connection and belonging are core human needs. To be seen, heard, and valued are important to all of us, but in medicine, I think this can be at the root of moral injury. It made me think of how many of us have shaped ourselves in order to conform– in attempts to belong in and outside of medicine. But then, we lose ourselves. This reminded me of a few great quotes from Atlas of the Heart. “We have to belong to ourselves as […]
- [“Shackles on, shackles off test."](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/shackles-on-shackles-off-test/): Sharing another one of my favorites: Steering by Starlight By Martha Beck (the OG Life Coach) I love chapter 2: Wizard versus Lizard: The Battle for Your Brain Quick recap: we all have an inner lizard: she brings us to our reptilian brain, which is old evolutionarily; its only job is to keep us safe and to “broadcast survival fears—alarm reactions that keep animals alive in the wild. These fears fall into two categories: lack and attack… that we lack everything we need: we don’t have enough love, time, money, everything. On the other hand, something terrible is about to happen.” Think about what most […]
- [Uncomfortable Feelings: Learning to Surf the Wave](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/uncomfortable-feelings-learning-to-surf-the-wave/): There’s a phenomenal TedX talk with Dr Joan Rosenberg; it’s about being with unpleasant feelings. It falls in line with many of the coaching topics we go over, and I think this is a key many of us are missing (the key to our dream home that we are trying to build… it’s really hard to enjoy if you don’t have the key)! She describes that what holds most people back is their inability to deal with unpleasant feelings, partly because no one really teaches us how to handle them. Dr Susan David (Emotional Agility) talks about the impact of avoiding […]
- [Unconditional Love](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/unconditional-love/): “We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection. Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can be cultivated between two people only when it exists within each one of them– we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.” ~Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart My next coaching concept I wanted to focus on is unconditional love. This was a hard one for […]
- [I want you to...](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/i-want-you-to/): The Manual: The last two weeks, I talked about the manual or the “instruction guide” we have for someone in our lives about how we would like them to behave so we can feel good and happy. Often, we don’t tell the other person what’s in our manual… somehow they should “just know.” The other piece: we often don’t even realize we have it OR see the pain it causes. I saw an anonymous post recently from a frustrated mom/ physician struggling with a boss and ready to not take a job that was a great fit for her because of this boss… This exercise is perfect for […]
- [Your instruction guide for you.](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/your-instruction-guide-for-you/): I’m going to flip last week’s concept into something I’ve been thinking more about: do you have a ‘manual’ for yourself? What’s in the instruction guide on how you should behave so that you can feel good and happy about yourself? What are the ‘shoulds’–especially those that are unexamined and/or unexpressed? These are the self-imposed shoulds: as a health care provider, partner, parent, child, employee, leader, boss, friend, etc… Are these ‘shoulds’ true, kind or helpful? Would we hold the same expectations for a close friend?  What if we drop the manual on who we are supposed to be? Or what we are supposed […]

## Pages

- [Another Service](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/another-service/): Additional Coaching Support Tailored for You An extended service option for clients who want more personalized sessions, deeper exploration, or continued progress after completing the main program. Needing more support? No problem. My second package is designed for all my high-achieving wonder-women who are ready to make a big impact, but are sick of constantly self-sacrificing. You have a game box full of pieces. You have been ‘winning‘ in all these games, but simply aren’t satisfied. Maybe you feel stagnant? Maybe burned out? Maybe you are contemplating big changes or are ready to seriously level up?Let’s be honest. We all […]
- [Subscribe](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/free-resource/): free guide Fifty Shades of No Reclaim Your Time: The Power of Saying No, Guilt-Free Learn how setting boundaries and confidently saying “no” can protect your energy, create balance, and make space for what truly matters. This gentle guide helps you prioritize yourself without guilt so you can live with clarity and intention. YES I WANT THE FREE GUIDE Sound Familiar? You say “yes” to everything – even when you’re exhausted and have nothing left to give You feel guilty every time you try to prioritize yourself Your calendar is packed with everyone else’s priorities while your needs stay at […]
- [Contact](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/contact/): Let’s Connect Have questions or ready to take the next step? Reach out and start your journey today. Get in Touch Have a question or need support? Reach out anytime — I’m here to help with clear guidance and confident next steps   Email Now coachheidi@empoweredcoachingHA.com Call Now (305) 733-7771 Get in Touch Have a question or need support? Reach out anytime — I’m here to help with clear guidance and confident next steps   Email Now coachheidi@empoweredcoachingHA.com Call Now (305) 733-7771 Ready to Create Actual Time Freedom? Stop waiting for the “perfect time” to prioritize yourself – it doesn’t […]
- [FAQs](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/faqs/): Need Clarity? Start Here Get simple, helpful answers to the questions clients ask most—so you can feel confident and informed before getting started. What on Earth is life coaching? Coaching: it’s not therapy, it’s not mentorship or advice giving. Coaching helps look at what results you want in your life, where you are stuck, and how to unpack beliefs that might be holding you back from where you want to go.Vikki Brock described coaching as this: “coaching came into existence to fill an unmet need, which coincided with a shift away from a model of psychological illness and toward the humanistic […]
- [Alternative Resources](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/alternative-resources/): my Resources I think it’s important to acknowledge where you are. Greet yourself here and love on yourself. Know what support would look like in this moment. Coaching is amazing, but sometimes you need a psychiatrist, psychologist and/or therapist. Sometimes you need and want them all. And that’s OK. Join me if and when you are ready. Get started These are some resources I’ve found and I will continue to add to. While coaching focuses on goals, accountability, mindset shifts and practical strategies, sometimes deeper support is needed. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns, […]
- [Blogs](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/coaching-tools/): Insights & Inspiration Explore my collection of articles, tips, and expert guidance to stay informed, inspired, and empowered on your journey to wellness, growth, and personal development. Don’t miss a thing: Subscribe here! Featured Insights Heidi Ashbaugh I’m Heidi. I’m a mom of two amazing kids, wife, Emergency Medicine physician, and Life Coach. I ventured into the coaching world at a low point, but learned I could bring joy and fulfillment into my life. Facebook Instagram RECENT POSTS
- [Services](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/services/): Life Coaching From Someone Who Actually Gets It When you’re constantly juggling work, family, and responsibilities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or stretched thin. You show up for everyone—yet rarely have a moment to show up for yourself. As a Certified Life Coach and Emergency Medicine Physician, I bring both evidence-based insight and compassionate guidance to help you break out of survival mode and step into a life that feels grounded, empowered, and intentional.Whether you’re struggling with burnout, boundaries, guilt, or simply feeling stuck, my coaching meets you exactly where you are—and supports you in building the balanced, fulfilling […]
- [About Me](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/about-me/): Empowering Working Moms to Live with More Clarity, Confidence, and Balance You deserve a life that supports your needs, honors your boundaries, and leaves room for what truly matters. Here, you’ll find guidance, tools, and compassionate coaching designed to help you break free from overwhelm and build a life that feels aligned and sustainable. GET STARTED You can’t take care of others when you’re running on empty. As a working mom, you spend so much time showing up for everyone at work, at home, and everywhere in between. But have you paused to ask what you need?It’s easy to put […]
- [Home](https://empoweredcoachingha.com/): I help busy working moms take back their time. Stop Putting Everyone Else First. It’s time to prioritize YOU – without the guilt. You’re exhausted from juggling work, kids, and everyone else’s needs while yours fall to the bottom of the list. I help working moms break free from calendar chaos, discover what truly energizes you, and design a life where YOUR needs aren’t negotiable. No more overwhelm. No more resentment. Just actual time freedom. I help you create a life that aligns with your values, energizes rather than depletes you, and makes time for what you truly want. Because […]


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