Robert Vargas: The Secret to Staying Creative, Taking Criticism, and Never Getting Stuck!

What does it take to stand before a 14-story blank wall and make the first mark with no grid, no projection and no fear?In this powerful conversation, Liz sits down with acclaimed Los Angeles muralist Robert Vargas, a sixth-generation Mexican American artist from Boyle Heights whose breathtaking work transforms buildings, neighborhoods and the people who experience them.Want to know Liz's secrets to get out of stuckness? https://youtu.be/EoGuzPx3qDY?si=yDwwCAiOCAB-Tia4Robert shares how his childhood view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline inspired him to dream big and paint even bigger. He opens up about creating art freehand, trusting his intuition, staying present and developing the discipline to keep moving, even when the vision isn’t fully formed.From painting his first mural at age 10 to creating a massive 60,000-square-foot mural, Robert’s story is a reminder that creativity doesn’t begin with perfection. It begins when you pick up the brush, get your hands dirty and start.In this episode, you’ll discover:• Why intention is at the heart of meaningful work• How discipline can overcome creative blocks• Why criticism shouldn’t stop you from expressing yourself• How public art helps communities feel seen• What it means to “stay the child”• Why trusting yourself is essential to making your impactWhether you consider yourself an artist or haven’t created anything in years, this conversation will inspire you to reconnect with your imagination, take messy action and create something that feels authentically yours.As Robert says: “If you’re true to your work, your work will be true to you.”What would you create if you stopped worrying about what other people might think? Tell us in the comments and don’t forget to like, subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs permission to create.Follow Robert Vargas on Instagram: @TheRobertVargasFollow Liz on Instagram: @Liz.Svatek#RobertVargas #LizSvatekShow #MuralArtist #LosAngelesArtist #BoyleHeights #PublicArt #StreetArt #Creativity #CreativeProcess #ArtistInterview #TrustTheProcess #CreativeCourage #MakeYourMark #DreamBig #StayTheChild #OvercomeCreativeBlock #MexicanAmericanArtist #LatinoArtists #Inspiration #PersonalGrowth #stuckness #gettingstuck #creativeflow #creativity #art #inspiration #artist #criticism #creativeblock #takingcriticism #stayingcreative

Dr. Leslie Bonar has built a successful dental practice, served in the military, flown in an F-18, completed triathlons, traveled the world—and she’s nowhere near finished.In this episode, Leslie opens up about pushing through fear, learning to stop minimizing her accomplishments, and embracing a powerful new belief: the best is yet to come.She shares how “radical pride,” intentional living, and choosing adventure have changed the way she sees aging, purpose, and what’s possible in the next chapter of life.This conversation is a reminder that getting older doesn’t mean becoming smaller. Your next chapter might actually be the one where you become the most fully expressed version of yourself.Comment Below:What’s one thing you still want to do that fear—or your age—has been holding you back from?LizSvatekShow #BestIsYetToCome #RadicalPride #HealthyAging #AgingPowerfully #WomenOver50 #WomenOver60 #ReinventYourself #FearToFreedom #PersonalGrowth #IntentionalLiving #LifeAfterRetirement #SecondAct #WomenWhoInspire #NeverTooLate #LiveFully #PurposeDrivenLife #70 #legacy #fear #purpose #transformation #personalgrowth #aging #agingwell

What if instead of waiting for everyone else to change you focused on YOU? What if the most powerful thing you could do for everyone you love… is finally choose yourself?JOIN LIZ LIVE ON ZOOM for EVOLVE: https://www.lizsvatek.com/evolve-experienceFor years, women have been taught that being a “good” mother, wife, daughter, or friend means carrying everyone’s emotions, fixing their problems, keeping the peace, and putting themselves last. But that constant sacrifice often leaves us exhausted, resentful, and disconnected from who we truly are.In this powerful episode, Liz challenges the rules women have inherited and asks: What would happen if we stopped rescuing everyone and started trusting ourselves?Discover how choosing yourself can transform your relationships, your parenting, and your entire life. Because putting yourself first doesn’t mean no one else matters—it means you finally understand that you matter, too.The old way isn’t working. A new season is waiting. Are you willing to be the woman who goes first?QUESTION: What is one responsibility, expectation, or emotional burden you’re ready to stop carrying?Join Liz for EVOLVE—a free three-day experience focused on evolving your relationships, your parenting, and yourself.https://www.lizsvatek.com/evolve-experience#ChooseYourself #PutYourselfFirst #WomenSupportingWomen #PersonalGrowth #SelfWorth #PeoplePleasing #HealthyBoundaries #EmotionalHealing #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #SelfTrust #BreakTheCycle #TransformYourLife #EmpoweredWomen #TheLizSvatekShow #empowerment #transformation #emptynesting #parenting #marriage #relationships #healing #peoplepleasing #relationshipanxiety #controlissues

She started working at Denny's at 16. At 23, Dawn Lafreeda bought her first restaurant using tips and credit cards. Today, she owns more than 62 locations and has built a business generating $98 million in annual revenue.So how does a woman build that kind of belief BEFORE she has any evidence it's going to work?In this conversation, Dawn and I go far beyond her extraordinary business success. We talk about childhood trauma, fear, taking messy action, walking into rooms where women weren't welcome, being underestimated, building a reputation through follow-through—and learning to take the risk before you feel ready. How did she go from survival to success?Dawn shares what she learned about:Taking action before confidence arrivesSeeing opportunity where other people see riskNavigating male-dominated roomsTurning discrimination into actionBuilding trust by doing what you say you'll doWhy being underestimated can become an advantageTaking bigger risks at any ageBelieving in yourself before you have the evidenceIf you've been waiting to feel ready before making your next move, this conversation is for you.✨ READY TO BECOME LIMITLESS?If you're ready to understand the patterns keeping you stuck and become the woman capable of creating your next chapter, learn more about LIMITLESS: https://www.lizsvatek.com/limitlessMusic licensed through SoundstripeCode: XY8QSK3QRSQXOULO#DawnLaFreeda #WomenInBusiness #FemaleEntrepreneur #WomenSupportingWomen #BelieveInYourself #TakeTheRisk #EntrepreneurMindset #OvercomingAdversity #Resilience #HealingJourney #PersonalGrowth #WomenWhoLead #Leadership #ManifestYourDreams #BuildYourLegacy #ItsNeverTooLate #KnowYourWorth #AskForWhatYouWant #womensempowerment #manifestation #selfimprovement

We spend so much time trying to heal, grow, and become the best version of ourselves. But what if there's a hidden trap that actually keeps us stuck?What if the goal of personal growth isn't to become more spiritual...but to remember how to be both deeply human and deeply connected to the Divine?In this deeply personal episode, Liz shares a powerful story from a recent trip to Fargo, where she realized she had quietly stopped doing the very practices she teaches. After walking through a difficult season supporting her daughter, she found herself disconnected from her morning rituals, her inner stillness, and ultimately, from herself. That experience became an invitation to explore one of the greatest misunderstandings in the personal growth world: the tendency to swing between victimhood and spiritual arrogance. What does it really mean to evolve? How do we stay grounded in our humanity while remembering our divine nature? And why do so many of us judge ourselves for simply being human?In this episode, Liz explores:Why we were never meant to choose between being human and being spiritual.The subtle trap of spiritual arrogance—and how it can quietly disconnect us from ourselves and others.Why your daily spiritual practice isn't something you graduate from.The neuroscience of identity and how your subconscious shapes your experience of life.How judging your humanity blocks your next level of growth.The difference between remembering who you are and trying to become someone you're not.Practical ways to reconnect with yourself when life pulls you away from your center.This episode is a reminder that healing isn't about becoming perfect. It's about becoming present. It's about meeting yourself with compassion instead of criticism, choosing curiosity over judgment, and remembering that your soul has never forgotten who you are—even when you have.If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or like you've somehow "fallen off the path," this conversation is your invitation to come home to yourself.Because maybe the goal was never to become less human...Maybe the goal was to become fully human while remembering you're divine.I'd love to hear from you!👇 Comment below:What's been the biggest trap in your own personal growth journey?Have you ever felt like you were shaming yourself because you went too far into your human side?What questions do you have about personal growth, healing, or living in the balance of your human and spiritual side?Your questions may be featured in a future episode!Chapters00:00:00 - Balancing Your Human and Spiritual Sides00:01:19 - What History’s Great Thinkers Teach About Growth00:06:16 - Forgetting the Practices That Keep Us Connected00:08:16 - The Messy, Sacred Middle00:10:32 - A Personal Return to Humanness00:13:08 - Growth Requires Compassion, Not Perfection00:14:10 - Remembering Who You Are Through Daily Practice00:15:58 - Real Consciousness Is Finding Your Way Back00:16:58 - The Hummingbird’s Lesson in Stillness00:17:35 - An Invitation to Come Back#PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #SelfAwareness #Mindset #HealingJourney #InnerWork #Healing #mentalhealth #lifecoach#SelfImprovement #GrowthMindset #EmotionalHealing #AuthenticLiving #evolution#FearlessLiving #PersonalDevelopment #MentalWellness #LiveWithPurpose #Transformation

What if the parts of your story you once felt ashamed of were actually preparing you to help someone else? 🔥Celebrity stylist, author, and founder of The Phoenix Effect, Jen Principe, opens up about surviving childhood abandonment and abuse, using clothing as armor, and learning to transform pain into purpose.Feeling Stuck? Restless? Take Liz in your pocket on a walk! Try her FREE Walking Transformation Meditation! https://www.lizsvatek.com/walking-meditationJen shares how fashion became more than a career—it became a powerful tool for confidence, healing, and rebirth. Through The Phoenix Effect, she now creates transformational photoshoot experiences for young people who have faced cancer, trauma, disability, and other life-changing challenges, helping them see their beauty, strength, and courage in an entirely new light.This conversation is a beautiful reminder that your pain does not have to define you. It can become the portal through which you discover your purpose. ✨🎧 Listen now to hear Jen’s inspiring journey and learn how you can nominate, support, or volunteer with The Phoenix Effect.What part of your story have you transformed into strength?#ThePhoenixEffect #JenPrincipe #CommonThread #HealingJourney #TraumaToTriumph #PainIntoPurpose #RiseFromTheAshes #WomenSupportingWomen #SurvivorStory #InnerHealing #SelfWorth #ConfidenceFromWithin #FashionWithPurpose #BeautyFromWithin #ChildhoodTraumaHealing #PersonalTransformation #PurposeDrivenLife #WomenWhoInspire #PodcastInspiration #MidlifeReinventionChapters00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:22 - Welcome to the Liz Svatek Show00:00:40 - Guest Introduction: Jen Principe00:01:18 - Jen's Story and The Common Thread00:01:57 - Jen's Interview Begins00:05:23 - Discussing the Impact of Early Wounding00:08:33 - Dropping the Armor00:11:28 - The Journey of Midlife00:13:14 - Weeding Through Your Closet00:15:34 - The Power of Clothing and Enclosed Cognition00:15:39 - The Start of Jen's Styling Career00:19:56 - Jen's Faith and Coping with Trauma00:25:36 - The Phoenix Effect: Turning Pain into Purpose00:25:48 - The Start of the Phoenix Effect00:30:25 - The Photo Shoot Rebirth Experience00:32:37 - Reflecting on Little Girl Jen00:34:46 - Writing the Book: A Journey of Vulnerability00:37:42 - The Pain of Family Reactions to the Book00:39:47 - Jen's Legacy: Empowering and Beautifying Relationships00:41:17 - Connecting with Jen and the Phoenix Effect00:42:44 - Closing Remarks and Reflections

What if things falling away isn’t proof that your life is falling apart but evidence that you’re ready to rise? 🏔️✨In this raw and vulnerable episode, Liz shares what happened when fear hit her in the middle of leading one of her mastermind retreats. As friendships shifted, support systems changed, and familiar pieces of her life began falling away, she found herself asking, “Who do I think I am?”and "Can I really do this?"Join Liz's Finding Your Diamonds Book Workshop! https://www.lizsvatek.com/offers/5L3vUsZH/checkoutThen came a powerful realization: letting go can feel a lot like falling apart...until you recognize that you’re ascending.For decades, women climb the mountains of careers, marriage, motherhood, achievement, and proving their worth. But what happens when you finally reach the summit and realize the next path looks completely unfamiliar?The next mountain isn’t about performing, proving, or surviving. It’s about purpose, impact, legacy, and becoming the fullest expression of who you truly are.Because the top of one mountain may simply be the beginning of your next, and the most beautiful climb of your life could still be ahead of you.🎧 Listen now and discover why midlife isn’t the end of your story. It’s the beginning of the mountain of you.What is the next mountain calling you to climb?#TheMountainOfYou #MidlifeWomen #MidlifeTransformation #WomenInMidlife #MidlifeReinvention #PersonalGrowth #FindingYourPurpose #WomenWhoLead #RiseAboveFear #FearToFreedom #LettingGo #NewBeginnings #PurposeDrivenWoman #WomenSupportingWomen #LegacyBuilding #LifeTransitions #BecomingHer #MainCharacterEnergy #PodcastForWomen #InspirationalPodcastChapters00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:29 - Vulnerability and Change00:01:05 - Retreats and Growth00:01:43 - Facing Fear00:02:29 - Personal Changes and Challenges00:02:42 - Dealing with Self-Doubt00:03:08 - The Space Shuttle Metaphor00:04:15 - Overcoming Fear through Service00:04:39 - The Other Side of the Mountain00:04:49 - The Climb and the Descent00:07:41 - The New Mountain00:08:57 - Midlife and the Next Chapter00:10:58 - The Invitation of Midlife00:12:19 - The Next Mountain00:13:37 - Conclusion: The Most Beautiful Climb

✨ What if your midlife restlessness isn't burnout, depression, or dissatisfaction... but grief?So many women reach a point where life looks successful on the outside, yet something feels off. The career is there. The family is there. The responsibilities are handled. But underneath it all is a quiet longing, a sadness, or a feeling that an important chapter has ended.In this powerful conversation, Liz Svatek sits down with holistic psychotherapist Dr. Marcy Cole, to explore the hidden grief many women experience in midlife—the grief of changing identities, unrealized dreams, evolving relationships, empty nests, career transitions, and becoming someone new.💫 What if grief isn't something to fix?💫 What if it's an invitation?💫 What if it's leading you toward the next, most authentic version of yourself?This episode is a reminder that endings are often the beginning of something extraordinary.🎧 Listen now and discover how to transform grief into growth, purpose, and personal awakening.👇 Tell us in the comments:What transition has taught you the most about yourself?👉 If this conversation resonates with you, save this post for later, share it with a woman navigating a life transition, and follow for more conversations that inspire healing, growth, and transformation. 💜Join Liz this Summer LIVE! Join the Finding Your Diamonds Workshop: https://www.lizsvatek.com/offers/5L3vUsZH/checkout#MidlifeWomen #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #MidlifeTransformation #EmotionalWellness #SelfDiscovery #GriefAndGrowth #LifeTransitions #MindsetShift #PersonalDevelopment #MentalHealthAwareness #AuthenticLiving #EmpoweredWomen #WomenSupportingWomen #TransformationJourney #PodcastLife #LizSvatek #MarcyColeChapters00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:30 - Exploring Grief in Midlife00:01:23 - Grief as an Invitation00:04:21 - Identity Shifts in Midlife00:06:56 - Unique Transitions in Midlife00:17:05 - Navigating Grief in Midlife Continued00:17:37 - Embracing the Process of Grief00:22:29 - Understanding the Spiral of Healing00:25:16 - Acknowledging the Bittersweet Experience of Grief00:27:36 - Dealing with Anticipatory Grief00:30:30 - Exploring Connection Beyond Life00:31:24 - Experiencing Anticipatory Grief00:33:43 - Collective Grief and Presence00:37:14 - Grief as a Teacher00:38:53 - Creating Space for New Beginnings00:41:08 - Concluding Thoughts on Grief

✨ Why do so many women feel restless, exhausted, and disconnected from their lives, even when everything looks "fine" on the outside?Maybe you're not unhappy. Maybe you're not broken. Maybe you've simply outgrown the life you've been living.For years, many women become experts at holding it all together. Showing up, performing, people-pleasing, and carrying everyone else's needs. But there comes a moment when the question becomes impossible to ignore:💭 What if this isn't as good as it gets?In this powerful episode of The Liz Svatek Show, Liz dives into the hidden reasons so many women feel stuck in midlife and why that feeling of restlessness may actually be an invitation to something greater.It's time to stop performing. It's time to stop settling. It's time to reconnect with the woman you've always been underneath the expectations.🔥 This conversation could change the way you see your future.Join Liz for the Finding Your Diamonds Book Series! Focus on YOU this Summer! https://www.lizsvatek.com/offers/5L3vUsZH/checkoutWhat is one thing you've outgrown that you're ready to leave behind? Share below. ⬇️#LizSvatek #MidlifeTransformation #WomenEmpowerment #PersonalGrowth #MidlifeWomen #SelfDiscovery #LifePurpose #WomenSupportingWomen #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #AuthenticLiving #PersonalDevelopment #EmotionalWellness #GrowthMindset #SelfWorth #ConfidenceCoach #TransformationJourney #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #ReinventYourself #LiveYourBestLife #PodcastLife #InspirationDaily #MotivationForWomen #FindingYourself #PurposeDrivenLife #SelfLoveJourney #EmpoweredWomen #TheLizSvatekShow #MidlifeAwakening #midlife #transofrmation #personalgrowthChapters00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:26 - The Problem with Midlife00:02:42 - The Illusion of Faking It00:04:05 - The Fear of Being Ungrateful00:08:16 - The Danger of Settling00:10:07 - The Power of Discomfort00:10:53 - The Importance of Honesty00:12:54 - The Role of God or Universe00:13:59 - Self-Reflection Questions00:15:47 - The Hidden Truth of Your Life00:16:27 - The Call of Your Higher Self00:16:44 - The Invitation to Change and Growth00:17:18 - Invitation to Finding Your Diamonds00:17:45 - Rediscovering Your Hidden Gifts00:18:10 - The Life You're Longing For00:18:22 - Closing Remarks and Invitation

ADHD, anxiety, burnout, people-pleasing, emotional overwhelm...have been largely misunderstood. What if we're getting it all wrong?In this deeply validating and eye-opening episode, Liz Svatek sits down with Dr. Shawn Horn, author of Thrive Socially with Adult ADHD: Shame-Busting Strategies to Build Better Relationships Using Polyvagal Theory and Neuroscience, for a powerful conversation about adult ADHD, trauma, shame, emotional regulation, and the hidden struggles so many high achievers carry behind the scenes.Together, they unpack why intelligent, capable people still feel stuck, overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, and disconnected from themselves — even after years of personal growth work.Dr. Shawn Horn shares his personal story and explains how ADHD, nervous system dysregulation, childhood experiences, and trauma responses shape the way we think, react, connect, and move through the world.Get Dr. Shawns Book: https://amzn.to/4ffOVbsGet Liz's Book: https://a.co/d/0et8u9MFThis episode is packed with practical insight, emotional healing, and powerful mindset shifts for anyone struggling with:✨ Adult ADHD✨ High-functioning anxiety✨ Emotional overwhelm✨ Burnout and exhaustion✨ Shame and self-worth✨ Trauma responses✨ People-pleasing✨ Nervous system healing✨ Emotional regulation✨ Identity and self-acceptanceIf you’ve ever thought:“Why do I know better… but still struggle to do better?”“Why do I feel so emotionally exhausted?”“Why am I so hard on myself?”“Why does everything feel harder for me?”This conversation will make you feel seen, understood, and hopeful.Because healing isn’t about fixing yourself.It’s about understanding yourself.🎧 In this episode, Liz and Dr. Shawn Horn discuss:✔️ Adult ADHD and emotional regulation✔️ The connection between trauma and ADHD✔️ Nervous system dysregulation and burnout✔️ Why shame keeps people stuck✔️ High-achieving women and hidden emotional exhaustion✔️ ADHD, anxiety, and people-pleasing✔️ Neuroception and the body’s stress response✔️ Rewiring limiting beliefs and self-perception✔️ Parenting children with ADHD✔️ How to stop seeing yourself as brokenWhether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, suspect you may be neurodivergent, or simply feel emotionally overwhelmed by life, this episode offers practical tools, validation, and a completely new lens for understanding yourself.🎙️ Listen now and discover why your struggles may not be proof that you’re broken… but evidence that your nervous system has been trying to protect you all along. Share this episode and leave a comment about what you're realizing.#AdultADHD #ADHDPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaHealing #EmotionalRegulation #BurnoutRecovery #HighFunctioningAnxiety #HealingJourney #ADHDInWomen #SelfWorth #TraumaResponse #MentalHealthAwareness #EmotionalHealing #Neurodivergent #AnxietyHealing #PeoplePleasing #SelfGrowth #HealingTrauma #MindsetShift #PsychologyPodcast #TherapyPodcast #LizSvatek #ShawnHorn #WomenHealing #MentalWellness #ADHDAwareness #HealingPodcast #PersonalGrowth