EP 003: The Courage to Scale Down: Why I Walked Away From My Thriving Business

What if your resistance to change isn't weakness, but wisdom trying to keep you safe? In this eye-opening episode, Meghan explores the fascinating concept of "immunity to change"—why even the smallest shifts can feel impossibly difficult, and why willpower alone isn't enough. Drawing from groundbreaking research by psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, she reveals how our unconscious "competing commitments" create an internal tug-of-war that sabotages our best intentions. Through personal stories and practical examples, Meghan shows how to work with your resistance instead of against it, using gentle experiments to test the fears that keep you stuck. Whether you've been beating yourself up for not following through on micro-pivots, or you're curious why change feels so hard even when you genuinely want it, this episode offers a compassionate new framework for understanding your inner protective system. Essential listening for anyone ready to stop fighting themselves and start creating sustainable change from a place of self-compassion. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Shop: 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

What if transformation doesn't require blowing up your entire life? In this essential episode, Meghan Telpner introduces the powerful concept of "micro-pivots"—those small, strategic shifts that move you toward greater alignment without the dramatic upheaval. Whether you're constrained by young children, financial commitments, or simply aren't ready for the grand gesture, this episode offers a practical roadmap for change that honours your current reality. Micro-pivots prove that courage doesn't always look like a bold leap—sometimes it's simply the choice to honour your heart in ways that are available to you right now. Perfect for anyone feeling the pull toward change but wondering how to start, or those who need permission to take the smaller, gentler path toward alignment. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Shop: 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

What if the biggest obstacle to your success isn't external circumstances, but the mental barriers you've inherited without question? In this provocative conversation, Sean Croxton reveals how challenging tribal thinking and limiting beliefs transformed him from a broke personal trainer to a multi-millionaire entrepreneur—and why he walked away from it all to rebuild on his own terms. From deleting millions of YouTube views in a moment of self-doubt to losing friendships over refusing to stay silent, Sean shares the real cost of independent thinking and why most people choose comfort (even when it's miserable) over uncertain possibility. If you've ever felt trapped by others' expectations or wondered why you keep sabotaging your own progress, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about success, wealth, and what it really takes to live authentically and follow the whispers of your heart. Essential listening for anyone ready to break free from a self-made mental prison and build your life on your own terms. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: 30% off Money Mastery: A simplified, effective and joyfully aligned path to money literacy and financial freedom

What if the most productive thing you could do right now is absolutely nothing? In this essential episode, host Meghan Telpner explores the sacred space between hearing your heart's whisper and knowing your next move—that uncomfortable liminal zone where transformation actually happens. Drawing from her own two-year journey in the "fertile void" after scaling down her successful business, Meghan reveals why rushing to fill uncertainty might be robbing you of your most profound pivot. She shares practical wisdom on creating intentional space, grieving old identities, and trusting life's timeline over your own agenda. If you're caught between what was and what could be, feeling pressure to have it all figured out, or struggling with the discomfort of not knowing, this episode offers a radical reframe: the unknown isn't empty—it's full of potential Essential listening for anyone in transition who needs permission to trust the process and stop forcing clarity before it's ready. Links + Resources Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Blog: The Time In Between: How To Be Present

Meghan reveals why the words to Roxette's "Listen to Your Heart" isn't just feel-good advice—it's scientifically backed wisdom your body's been trying to tell you all along. Meghan breaks down the biology behind intuition, explains why your mind keeps you stuck in familiar (but soul-crushing) territory, and shares simple practices to tune into the expansion vs. contraction signals your body is constantly sending you. Whether you're standing at a crossroads, feeling disconnected from your current path, or exhausted from overthinking every decision, this episode offers a refreshing alternative: trusting the intelligence you already carry within. Learn to distinguish between fear-based thinking and heart wisdom, and discover why the most courageous pivots don't come from logic—they come from truth. Perfect for anyone ready to stop gaslighting their own inner knowing and start making decisions that actually feel aligned. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Blog: How to Retrain Your Brain for Happiness Blog: Creating Inner Harmony in 30 Seconds Shop: Try this HeartMath Inner Balance Coherence Device Shop: 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

Have you ever felt the pull toward something that makes absolutely no logical sense? Angela de la Agua's story will remind you why following your heart is the most radical act of courage—and why it's worth every uncomfortable moment. From fashionista to desert mystic, Angela shares what happens when you finally stop ignoring the whisper and leap into the complete unknown. This conversation gets real about the messy middle of transformation: the relationships that shift, the identity crises that hit, and how to trust your inner knowing when everyone around you thinks you've lost it. We explore the difference between mind wisdom and heart wisdom, what it takes to rebuild your life from scratch, and why the most aligned path often looks like the craziest one. Angela's journey proves that sometimes the thing that terrifies you most is exactly what your soul is calling you toward. If you've been sensing that your current life no longer fits, or you're afraid of what might happen if you actually listen to that persistent inner nudge, this episode offers both inspiration and permission to trust the mystery. Essential listening for anyone ready to discover what becomes possible when you choose alignment over approval. Links + Resources Subscribe on Substack Full show notes 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

What happens when everything you've built stops feeling like you? This isn't a story about burnout or business failure—it's about the radical courage to honor who you're becoming, even when it makes zero logical sense. In this episode, Meghan shares why she walked away from a globally successful business that was thriving by every metric. The real moment she knew. The price tag of freedom. And the terrifying question every successful person faces: "Who am I without this?" If you've ever felt disconnected from something you worked hard to build, wondered if you're allowed to want something different, or questioned whether success is supposed to feel this heavy—this conversation will hit different. Because sometimes the most courageous pivot isn't growing bigger. It's trusting the whisper that says it's time to scale down and come home to yourself. Perfect for anyone ready to redefine what success actually means. Links + Resources Subscribe on Substack Full show notes 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

Before the big dramatic moment, before the crisis, before the leap—there's always a whisper. That quiet inner knowing that something isn't quite right anymore. The subtle nudge that says, "This isn't it." In this episode, we explore how to recognize and honour those early signals before they become overwhelming. You'll discover what the whisper actually sounds like, why we resist listening to it, and how to tell the difference between a passing frustration and a true call for change. If you're feeling that quiet stirring, that sense of "something more," this episode will help you trust what you're sensing and take the first courageous step: simply listening. Ready to stop ignoring your inner wisdom? Tune in and discover the power of the whisper. Links + Resources Subscribe on Substack Full show notes 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

What if courage isn't about fearless leaps, but about speaking from the heart? In this debut episode, host Meghan Telpner redefines what it means to make a "courageous pivot"—those quiet, heart-led decisions to realign with who you're becoming, even when everything looks successful from the outside. Meghan explores why transformation isn't about burning it all down, but about choosing alignment over obligation. If you've been feeling the whisper that something needs to shift, or you're ready to redefine success on your own terms, this episode offers a new framework for navigating life's crossroads with authenticity and grace. Essential listening for anyone questioning their current path or ready to give themselves permission to begin again. Links + Resources Subscribe on Substack Full show notes 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

The Courageous Pivot is a podcast for anyone who’s ever felt that quiet nudge—that whisper that says, “this isn’t it anymore.” Hosted by Meghan Telpner, this show is your companion through life’s big, heart-led shifts. Whether it’s mid-career, mid-life, or a moment in between, The Courageous Pivot is about trusting your intuition, tuning into your inner wisdom, and daring to take the leap—especially when it makes no sense on paper. Through honest stories, meaningful conversations, and grounded inspiration, this is your permission slip to come home to yourself and live in alignment with who you are today. Subscribe now and join the journey. Links and Resources The Courageous Pivot Podcast Website Subscribe on Substack