The Grounded Wildness podcast is taking a break over the summer - and possibly beyond. I wanted to make this episode to talk through why I'm taking this break because the reasons apply to everything in your life as well, from how to spend your free time to the job you have to the friendships you maintain.

We'll get into:

• How to take your life of autopilot
• Clues to determine if you want to keep doing something or not
• Creating spaciousness in your life

There are MANY other ways to stay connected outside of the podcast! Here's what you can do:

• Join my email list - This is the best and most reliable way to stay up to date on everything and get resources delivered right to your inbox. You'll also get the Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries, which goes right along with the theme for this episode!
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Email me directly at heather@whelpleyconsulting.com
• Go to my website, https://www.heatherwhelpley.com/, for information on speaking engagements, leadership development, coaching, books, and the blog

What do you do when fear, worry, and discomfort get in the way of you doing the thing you really want to do? That could be something big, like a career change, or something little, like going to an event where you don't know anyone. How do you take action even when fear is there?

It's not about getting rid of the fear. It's also not about trying to force yourself to be 100% confident. Instead, there is a question to ask that will give you an answer that's unique to you and your specific situation. I've used this key for MANY years and it always gives me the motivation I need to move forward even when it's scary.

In the episode, you'll get this key and how to apply it to different situations in your life, like:

• Setting boundaries and saying no (which can be so uncomfortable!)
• Imposter syndrome and questioning if you really know enough and have enough experience
• Projects, decisions, and career choices that people may not get - or may actively upset them

Links:

• Learn more about hiring Heather as a speaker and her sessions on imposter syndrome, discovering your authentic voice, and setting boundaries: https://www.heatherwhelpley.com/speaking
• Get signed, hardcover copies of Heather's books on her website and the audiobook, ebook, and hardcover of Grounded Wildness on Amazon
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!

We're diving into two topics on the podcast today: How to stop apologizing when you have nothing to apologize for AND getting unstuck in your work and life. Shira Miller is an expert on both! She's also a TedX speaker, certified coach, author and the Chief Communications Officer at National DCP. Let's be clear - there are reasons you apologize ALL THE TIME. And there are also consequences - on your career, how you're heard, and how you feel on the inside (it's not good for your soul to constantly apologize for yourself!).

We dive into:

• Recognizing your own "apology speak" - it goes way beyond just "sorry" (I learned a few new things with this one!)
• How to increase your confidence so you can share your ideas without apologizing for them
• Strategies to decrease chronic apologizing
• Shira's definition of "stuck" - and how it can help you get UNstuck
• How forgiveness plays a role in getting unstuck - both forgiving others AND forgiving yourself

Links:

• Get Shira's book Free and Clear: Get Unstuck and Live the Life Your Want
• Shira's website: https://shiramiller.com/
• Connect with Shira on LinkedIn
• Learn more about hiring Heather as a speaker
• Get signed, hardcover copies of Heather's books on her website (and links to get them on Amazon, too!)

Today's episode is an inspirational lesson in how to be a positive force for change in your workplace – and in our world as a whole. Carliss Miller, our guest today, is an organizational transformation architect, changemaker, and dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leader on a mission to drive positive change in organizations powered by employee engagement. She wants to bring people along with a shared vision of hope. This work is not without its challenges, though! In our conversation, Carliss shares the barriers and doubt she's experienced – and how she has found continued motivation and courage to advocate for change.

We also dive into:

• What to do when you doubt yourself or your voice
• How to take care of yourself when things are hard
• Leading change when things are complex and nuanced
• What's challenging in DEI right now and what's giving Carliss hope
• Giving yourself permission to reschedule important conversations when you know you don't have the energy needed for them

Links:

• Connect with Carliss on LinkedIn
• Connect with Heather on LinkedIn and join the conversation about this episode!
• Learn more about Heather's keynote on Discovering Your Authentic Voice - And How To Use It To Lead Change (and her other speaking topics, too!)
• Get signed, hardcover copies of Heather's books on her website and the audiobook, ebook, and hardcover of Grounded Wildness on Amazon
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!

Big emotions. We all have them. Sometimes they're hard, sometimes joyful, sometimes just plain overwhelming. So what can you do with them?

In today's episode we dive into just that, including:

• The rules and feedback that can get in the way of feeling and showing our emotions, like being told you're too emotional or that you need to be polite and not show anger
• How to create space for your emotions and welcome them in, even when it's uncomfortable
• Practices to move with your feelings and release them
• How to use your emotions as information about what's important to you, what needs to change, etc.

Links:

• Learn more about Heather's keynote on Surviving To Thriving - A New Way To Manage Burnout (and her other speaking topics, too!)
• Get signed, hardcover copies of Grounded Wildness on Heather's website and the audiobook, ebook, and hardcover on Amazon
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!

How do you get heard in meetings? And how do you do that in a way that is both authentic AND effective? Because, let's be honest, a lot of advice given to women about how to get heard is based in bias and discrimination. It emphasizes all the ways you are "supposed to" show up vs. what is authentic to you.

The same holds true for meetings and I know you are most likely in A LOT of meetings. They are a place to be heard and a place where it's easy to be overlooked, interrupted, and generally NOT heard.

In the podcast, we'll cover four super practical tips that you can apply in your upcoming meeting to ensure your voice is heard:

• Taking up space and how to do that in virtual, hybrid, and in-person meetings
• Reclaiming an interruption and steering the conversation back in your direction
• Setting team norms that minimize interruptions and maximize people getting heard
• Getting an ally to support you in getting heard (and how you can support them, too!)

Links:

• Learn more about Heather's keynote on Discover Your Authentic Voice - And How To Use It To Lead Change (and her other speaking topics, too!)
• Email Heather directly about speaking or with feedback on this episode: heather@whelpleyconsulting.com
• Get signed, hardcover copies of Grounded Wildness on Heather's website and the audiobook, ebook, and hardcover on Amazon
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!

Today we're diving into how to design your life with certified Design Your Life coach, Katie Selby! This is a great episode if you're considering a big change in your career or life -- or if you simply want to evolve in small ways. Katie will show you how to design a life aligned to your values, energy, and what works for you at this particular point in your life.

We discuss:

• What does it mean to design your life and what are the specific steps you can take to start designing YOUR life?
• A powerful exercise you can do today to start envisioning a different future for yourself, even if you feel stuck (Katie and I have both gotten a ton out of doing this!)
• Feeling like you're not allowed to make a change and how to break that rule
• Giving yourself permission to take "electives" as an adult
• The moment that touched me deeply and brought immediate tears to my eyes - and I think it will hit you right in the heart as well

Connect with Katie:

• Katie's website for coaching, speaking, and retreat info: https://www.quarterlife.coach/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieselby/

Additional links:

• Learn more about hiring Heather as a speaker
• Get Grounded Wildness on Amazon and Heather's website
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!

This is a POWERFUL conversation about unhiding. If you've ever felt the need to hide parts of yourself or your story, whether it's related to your family background, education, finances, relationship status, or anything else, then this episode is specifically for you.

Ruth Rathblott, an esteemed TEDx speaker, author, and former leader in the non-profit sector, bravely recounts her twenty-five-year journey of concealing her limb difference. Discover how she courageously embraced authenticity, fostering deeper personal empowerment and meaningful interpersonal bonds. Ruth's story is entirely unique and her message applies to every single one of us. Hiding often brings feelings of shame and isolation, yet it doesn't have to be this way. That's why this conversation is incredibly important. In the episode we dive into:

• Why we hide parts of ourselves and our story (shame and fear of judgment play a big role)
• The value of unhiding in small, safe spaces (you don't have to get on stage and tell your story to audience to unhide!)
• The four steps to unhiding, even if you've been hiding something for a long time and aren't sure how to stop

Connect with Ruth:

• Website
• TEDx talk, When I Stopped Hiding, I Found Freedom
• LinkedIn
• Ruth's book, Singlehandedly

Additional links:

• Learn more about hiring Heather as a speaker
• Heather's book, Grounded Wildness, on Amazon and her website
• Join Heather's email list and also get The Ultimate Guide To Saying No and Setting Boundaries At Work!