How to Thrive During Life's Unexpected Challenges

We're taught that birthdays only count when they're culturally considered milestones. Forty. Fifty. Fifty-five. Sixty. Anything in between, you are supposed to let quietly pass. This year, at fifty-four, I did something different. Not because of my age, but because of who I am becoming. And it brought up far more than I expected. If you have ever wanted to do something for yourself + felt that quiet pull of who do you think you are, this episode about taking up space in your life is for you. WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER •       Why a milestone of being can matter more than a milestone of age. •       The part of taking up space that almost no one talks about. •       What receiving help has to do with the life you are trying to build. •       How to collect the no's without making them mean something about you. •       What I said when someone told me I couldn't do it my way.   REFLECTION QUESTION Let go of the cultural programming + the way you are supposed to be. What is one thing you want to create for yourself?   QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE "It wasn't a milestone birthday in terms of age. It was a milestone in my way of being." Koren Motekaitis LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE •       Apple Podcasts •       Spotify   RESOURCES FOR YOU •       Sign up here for email reminders. I know another email can feel like a lot, but think of it as a gentle nudge + a way to support you, so a new episode never slips by. •       Interested in working with me? Reach out at [email protected] •       Share this episode with a woman who is ready to take up space in her life.

Twenty-one years ago, Trudi Roth stood on my lawn + told me I needed to write a book. I didn't write the book. I started this show instead. Trudi + I have been friends through all of it. Raising kids. Building businesses. Supporting our spouses. There were seasons we were deep in our own worlds. But every time we came back together it was as if no time had passed at all. That's what a true friendship looks like: closeness, vulnerability, + time away. In this episode we are back together again, + we are kicking off something I have been wanting to do for a long time. I think you are going to want to be part of this conversation. Get full show notes and more information here: [your episode URL]

I'm back. After more than two years away, I'm returning to the podcast I've been hosting since 2006, and I'm not pretending the time away was tidy or planned. This episode is an honest look behind the curtain at what really happened, what kept me from returning sooner, and what I've learned about leadership, resilience, and beginning again. If you've ever had a project, dream, or part of yourself that you've struggled to return to, this conversation is for you. WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER •       Why my pause lasted over two years instead of the two months I originally planned. •       What a series of starts and stops really looks like behind the scenes of a long-running podcast. •       How Parkinson's Law has shaped the way I work, travel, and create space for myself. •       The identity I am letting go of and what it feels like to figure out who you are in your fifties. •       What I have been doing professionally during the pause, including leadership resets, business infrastructure immersions, and company offsites. •       The invitation to be gentle with yourself when something you meant to do keeps not happening.   RESOURCES FOR YOU •       Make sure you subscribe to never miss a show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-she-really-does-it/id307368679 •       If you're interested in working with me, reach out at [email protected] •       Share this episode with a friend who needs permission to be gentle with herself.

Last year, I found myself on a retreat utterly exhausted. I knew I was craving more space in my life and business. So in the fall, I started doing just that. I began shutting down certain lines of business while continuing to do high-quality work with my clients, and after 17 and a half years and over 1000 episodes, I've made the decision to hit pause on the podcast too.   Join me this week as I share why my soul is craving space, rest, and even boredom, how I'm creating more space in my life and business by hitting the pause button, and the endless possibilities that I believe await us both on the other side. Until we meet again, stay curious, stay open, and stay true to yourself.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/4a7oRtF

As a child, we had parents, teachers and other authoritative figures to lead the way. But as we make our move into adulthood, it can become difficult to step into leadership roles - in any aspect of our lives. In fact, this is a topic I discuss with my clients regularly. So I'd like to emphasize that leadership is about identity and way of being, rather than titles merely bestowed upon us by others. Tune in to discover the importance of self-trust, self-compassion, and self-accountability in being the leader of your life. By embracing agency, taking ownership and leading with integrity and compassion, you can make changes in both your personal and professional endeavors.     Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/3xbm4AU  

As a leadership coach, one of the things I do a lot of coaching on is communication. Communication can be scary and intimidating. Maybe it's something you think you should know how to do, but let me tell you, it's a learnable skill.    In this episode, I share the story of one of my clients from a situation where she was brave and gave positive feedback to someone. Discover what makes you feel safe, and if it involves refraining from clear communication with others, you'll learn how to cultivate the skillset of communication.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/4cfU5jO

Sometimes, when you become so anxious about what's going to happen, you may start to under-function, allowing the unknown to manage you instead of managing it. This week, I'm discussing moving into the unknown, whether it involves performances, events, or waiting for a diagnoses.    Tune in this week to learn how to become a compassionate observer in your life and embrace the vulnerability that comes with uncertainty. I'll share the challenges I faced in navigating the unknown during my senior year of college and how I had stealth expectations about ending my college career.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/3wKndiT  

Are any of your expectations influenced by fear, shame, and magical thinking? These are called stealth expectations and they will go unnoticed until they resurface when challenges occur. It's crucial to be aware of them and to know how to recognize if you have stealth expectations.   In this episode, I discuss the impact stealth expectations can have on you if you don't pay attention to what's going on inside yourself, and how to start creating self-awareness around the things that you expect.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/48AX9UB

How amazing would it be to go back in time and change the way you did things? Recently, during multiple sessions with clients, the topic of how wonderful it would be to be a freshman in college again came up. It made me think about the fantasy of going back in time with the knowledge that we have now and changing the way we did things then.   If you're experiencing similar thoughts, tune in this week to discover how everything you've learned over the years is valuable, and how to use all this knowledge you have in the present to create the future you desire.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/3uMmPQb

Loss, empty nesting, challenges at work - these are obstacles we didn't picture when we thought of adulthood, and sometimes, we want to avoid them. In today's episode, I talk about how vulnerability is part of life and how to overcome the heartache and obstacles that we encounter.   Tune in this week to learn why the belief that there's a way to avoid difficult times actually creates pain and how to find ways to navigate through them. I also explore the importance of embracing life's heartwarming moments and share some resources to help you recover and move forward.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/3wl6Wkg