Self-Compassion as a High-Performance Tool: Why Beating Yourself Up Is Holding You Back | with host Emily Duncan

In this episode, I sit down with Krista Williams from the Almost 30 podcast, and we go deep on the conversations most people avoid… the truth about female friendships, the power of radical accountability, and the process of finding your own spiritual connection outside of labels and dogma.   We explore: How to navigate friendship breakups with honesty and integrity. Why women need permission to have preferences in their relationships. The difference between “my truth” vs. “the truth,” and how language can heal or harm. Reclaiming spirituality after losing connection to religion. Radical accountability as the most empowering practice in relationships and life.   If you’ve ever struggled with misaligned friendships, questioned your spiritual path, or wanted to step deeper into your personal power, this conversation is going to land. Download, subscribe, and share with the women in your life who are on this journey with you. Krista’s IG Almost 30 Podcast For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram

In today’s episode, I’m diving into a topic that has changed both my personal life and my performance as a high-achieving woman: self-compassion as a tool for high performance. I used to believe that being relentlessly hard on myself was the only way to succeed. But over time (and through conversations with brilliant minds like Dr. Karin Nordin), I’ve learned that self-compassion is not weakness. It’s not laziness. It’s one of the most powerful performance tools you can have in your arsenal. Inside this episode, I break down: Why self-criticism fails long-term and how it sabotages performance. The three psychological components of self-compassion and how to actually use them. The paradox of failure: why avoiding failure keeps you from success. How pairing compassion with accountability accelerates growth. My personal journaling framework that blends honesty, compassion, and radical accountability. If you’ve ever thought “compassion is soft” or worried it would make you lazy, this episode will challenge everything you’ve believed about performance. By the end, you’ll see why self-compassion is a non-negotiable in your high-performance tool belt. Download, subscribe, and share this episode with your ambitious besties, because the more we learn to fail forward with compassion, the further we’ll go. LMNT is LMNT is a DELICIOUS, science-based electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Head to drinklmnt.com/emdunc to get a FREE variety pack with your purchase! Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram

In this episode of EMBody Radio, I sit down with Jordan Shallow… chiropractor, strength coach, powerlifter, educator, and founder of Pre-Script (and an industry OG, let’s be honest) for a raw and wide-ranging conversation on fitness, mindset, and navigating life in the digital age. Jordan opens up about the disconnect that almost ended his career, the lessons from living out of his car and traveling the world teaching seminars, and why so many creators are losing touch with the real reason we train. Together, we dive into the traps of social media, the “mind virus” of entrepreneurship, and the importance of building real-world receipts before trying to scale online. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of curating an online persona, struggled with detachment from your mission, or wondered how to ground yourself in a chaotic world, this episode will hit home. You’ll learn: Why your story has to match your lived experience (or life will force a correction). How social media warps reward systems, and how to stay anchored in real results. Why Jordan says the key to longevity in fitness is to “be famous in your hometown.” The danger of getting lost in self-help culture instead of living life. How freedom, risk, and “being dumb enough to keep going” shaped Jordan’s journey. Whether you’re a fitness professional, content creator, or someone striving for personal excellence, this episode will challenge the way you see growth, resilience, and success. Jordan's Instagram For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram

Are you unknowingly blocking the very blessings you’ve been asking for? Today we’re getting personal and we’re getting spiritual. From spiritual surrender to personal responsibility, we’re covering: What happens when we say we’re ready for the next level, but our habits, behaviors, or fears tell a different story The real-life costs of your prayers being answered Why manifestation culture often misses the mark (and what to ask instead) Lessons from wealth mismanagement, intimate partnership, and health challenges How to become the person who can hold and multiply the things you ask for What my own spiritual journey has taught me about co-creating with God (or whatever higher power resonates for you) If you’re in a season of becoming… if you're praying, visualizing, and wondering why it’s not showing up yet, this episode is your mirror. Journal Prompt: What would being ready (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) to receive your prayers actually look like? For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram  

Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson is back on the show, and this time, we’re going deep into the science of longevity. In this episode, we unpack the groundbreaking research behind C15:0, the first essential fatty acid discovered in over 90 years, and how it’s shifting everything we thought we knew about saturated fats, aging, and living longer well. We also talk about the launch of her new book, The Longevity Nutrient, and why this unassuming molecule might be the key to unlocking healthier aging, better mitochondrial function, deeper sleep, appetite regulation, and even improved dopamine levels. We break down: What C15 is (and why it matters) The difference between lifespan and health span Longevity molecules like rapamycin, metformin, and why C15 may outperform both The longevity regulating pathway and what it means for your future The real story behind saturated fats and how cellular fragility may be the result of decades of dietary misinformation Why you might feel calmer, more satiated, and more energized within weeks of taking C15 If you're a biohacker, wellness lover, or just someone who wants to live better for longer—this episode is a must-listen. Dr. Steph's new book, The Longevity Nutrient Dr. Steph's first episode on EMBody Radio Use code EMILY for a discount on your first order of Fatty15 LMNT is LMNT is a DELICIOUS, science-based electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Head to drinklmnt.com/emdunc to get a FREE variety pack with your purchase! Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram  

Welcome back to EMBody Radio, where ambition meets embodiment and excellence isn’t something you chase, it’s something you live. In this episode, I break down what it really means to rebrand your identity and "become that girl" — without it becoming a performance or an aesthetic-only TikTok “glow-up” tutorial. This is your soul guide to the inner transformation required to match your vision, values, and energy to the next version of yourself. We get into: The invisible ceiling of identity that keeps high-performing women stuck My personal story of losing my voice after watering herself down Why becoming that girl is about alignment, not aesthetics A practical blueprint for your personal rebrand How to set 90-day standards, collapse the gap, and build real momentum This episode will help you reconnect to your voice, create habits that feel like you, and show up as the woman you know you’re meant to be. Whether you're in a season of reinvention or ready to rise from a season of contraction, this one is your energetic jumpstart. Lock in and let’s rebuild from the inside out. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram Shop CURED NUTRITION CBD/Hemp wellness products with code EMILY.

What if your drive for perfection is actually the thing holding you back? In this powerful episode, I sit down with high-performance nervous system coach Natalie Hummel to unpack how unresolved nervous system patterns can limit success, even in the most disciplined and ambitious women. Natalie shares her journey from Olympic equestrian dreams to body shutdown, and how nervous system healing became the missing link in achieving real performance breakthroughs. This is the conversation every high achiever needs to hear…especially if you're tired of doing all the right things but still feel stuck at the same level. You’ll learn: What the “nervous system set point” is and how it blocks success How ego-based perfectionism can keep high performers stuck Why nervous system capacity (not motivation) is the key to next-level performance How to identify your emotional “set point” and safely expand it Practical tools to build resilience, emotional safety, and flow state on demand Whether you're an entrepreneur, athlete, or leader, this episode will show you how to stop self-sabotaging and start operating from embodied excellence. Natalie’s 4-month signature program, How to Heal for More, is now accepting applications. Check out Natalie’s Instagram Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). LMNT is LMNT is a DELICIOUS, science-based electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Head to drinklmnt.com/emdunc to get a FREE variety pack with your purchase! Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram Shop CURED NUTRITION CBD/Hemp wellness products with code EMILY.

In this solo episode, I’m getting really real about my experience navigating the “soft girl era” and the ways it almost made me lose herself entirely.   From moving across the country and completing my Pilates certification to untangling the spiritual programming that labeled my ambition as “too masculine,” I’m sharing a raw unfiltered account of reclaiming my voice, my vision, and the part of me that’s always been driven to go, do, and become.   Whether you’ve dabbled in the neo-spiritual space, been told to “be more in your feminine,” or just feel like you’re drifting away from your fire, this episode is a must-listen.   In today’s episode, I cover:   Why I moved away from the neo-spiritual space The dangers of romanticizing passivity in the name of femininity How the “soft girl era” disconnected me from her goals, health, and sense of self The difference between balance and harmony, and why high performers need the latter Why abandoning structure isn’t healing (and what real integration looks like)   I’m NOT anti-softness. I AM very pro reclamation of the ambitious woman’s right to FUCKING GO FOR IT without shame. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). LMNT is LMNT is a DELICIOUS, science-based electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Head to drinklmnt.com/emdunc to get a FREE variety pack with your purchase! Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram Shop CURED NUTRITION CBD/Hemp wellness products with code EMILY.

This is not your average entrepreneurship conversation. In this episode of EMBody Radio, I’m sitting down with spiritual business mentor, psychic channel, and truth-teller Victoria Pippo for a raw, soul-deep dive into the side of spiritual growth and high visibility no one talks about. We unpack the hidden costs of building a brand in the age of "algorithm pressure," psychic attack, and performative spirituality. If you’ve ever felt energetically fried, spiritually lost, or like your business success came at the expense of your soul… this episode is the permission slip and wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. Together, we explore: What really happens when high-achieving women wake up spiritually The truth about psychic attack and energetic interference in business How to protect your energy while still showing up powerfully online Why “everything is a sign” is dangerous without discernment The New Age self-obsession vs. Christian bypassing, and the middle path Victoria’s story of falling in love, walking away from the New Age illusion, and finding God in her queer partnership Why so many successful entrepreneurs feel secretly empty (and how to get your light back) 4 core energetic tools for spiritually sovereign leadership: Ground, Cleanse, Shield, and Protect The hard truth about running a God-led business that still creates massive wealth This one is deeply personal, wildly practical, and spiritually potent. Whether you’re in a spiritual awakening, building something big, or trying to hold both — this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for. Tune in, take notes, and prepare to feel seen in a way few conversations allow. Victoria’s Website Loved this episode? Screenshot and share it on IG! Tag @em_dunc and @embodyradio so we can repost and celebrate you! ⭐ Leave a 5-star review to help more women step into their excellence. For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram

Welcome to the very first episode of The Excellence Edit, a new series on EMBody Radio where we sit down with high performers who embody what it means to lead with power, precision, and personal integrity. Today’s guest? None other than Sue Bush: CEO, COO, and CFO of Physique Development, powerhouse fitness coach, and one of my closest friends and biggest inspirations. In this candid conversation, we unpack what it really means to pursue personal excellence, not as a vague ideal, but as a lived, daily standard. Expect fire quotes, no fluff, and the kind of clarity that’ll call you forward. We cover: Why excellence isn’t perfection, and how grace keeps you in the game longer How to structure your life when you don’t “feel like it” ADHD, time blindness, and removing friction for high performance Beauty, aesthetics, and how self-presentation reinforces self-respect Money, mission, and why more women should want to be wealthy The unsexy truth about consistency, boredom, and doing the reps Why your perfectionism is stalling your progress, and how to scale habits back without quitting Leadership, resentment, and the real cost of people-pleasing as a female founder If you’ve ever struggled with self-trust, overthinking, inconsistency, or the fear of being “too much,” this episode is going to hit home in the best way. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Follow Sue on IG: @suegainz My episode on the Physique Development Podcast Grab the Hot Girl Handbook Loved this episode? Screenshot and share it on IG! Tag @em_dunc and @embodyradio so we can repost and celebrate you! ⭐ Leave a 5-star review to help more women step into their excellence. For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Fitness, health, and holistic wellness for $22/month Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). For the high-achieving hot girls that want to recover better, support glowier skin, and promote longevity through better cellular health, get 20% off your first order of Mitopure and make wellness easier than ever. Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram