Action Takers Author

What happens when doing more, trying harder, and pushing through stops working?

In this episode of the Action Takers Author Podcast, Sally Green sits down with Marlies Hazelaar, co-author of the #1 international bestselling book Inspired Metamorphosis and author of the chapter “The Weight of Becoming: How My Body Led Me Back to Myself.”

After 30 years in corporate environments, Marlies knew what it meant to perform at a high level. But years of travel, stress, packed schedules, and putting herself last began taking a toll. She tried working harder to fix it, even squeezing workouts into already exhausting days, until she realized that doing more wasn’t the answer.

That realization became the beginning of her own metamorphosis.

Marlies shares how changing the way she approached nutrition and her overall well-being helped her reconnect with herself, eventually inspiring her to study nutrition, leave her corporate career, and build a business helping other high-performing professionals care for their health and energy.

Sally and Marlies also talk about what it means to listen to your body, why transformation isn’t always about trying harder, and how sharing your personal story can open doors you never expected.

And Marlies wasn’t someone who always dreamed of becoming an author. When the opportunity to contribute to Inspired Metamorphosis appeared at exactly the right time, she simply gave it a “full body yes.”

In this conversation:• Recognizing when pushing harder isn’t working• Reconnecting with yourself after years of putting everything else first• The connection between nutrition, energy, and overall well-being• Marlies’ journey from corporate executive to entrepreneur• Why she said yes to sharing her story• How becoming an author can create connection, credibility, and new possibilities

📖 Inspired Metamorphosis brings together stories of transformation from authors around the world.

Connect with Marlies: w-lb.com

Women can spend years being who everyone else needs them to be. A daughter. A wife. A mother. A friend. Those roles matter, but somewhere along the way, we can lose sight of the woman underneath them.

In this episode of Action Takers Author, Sally Larkin Green talks with Dima Ghazi, one of the co-authors of Inspired Metamorphosis, launching September 29. In her chapter, “Finding Me,” Dima shares what it took to move beyond the cultural expectations and familiar patterns that kept her feeling stuck.

We talk about the courage it takes to listen to that quiet voice telling you there is more, why wanting more doesn’t mean loving your family any less, and how finding yourself can help you show up more fully for the people you love.

If you’ve ever wondered who you are outside of all the roles you carry, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about the book at: ActionTakersPublishing.com/inspiredConnect with Dima at: Email: [email protected]Connect with Sally: http://findsally.com

What happens when you wake up one day and realize the life you imagined never happened?

In this inspiring conversation, Sally Larkin Green sits down with healthcare executive, scientist, and author Anisha Wharton, one of the co-authors of No One Said It Would Be Easy, to talk about unfinished dreams, burnout, grief, and finding purpose in the second half of life.

Anisha shares her deeply personal story of navigating career success while grieving dreams that never came to pass, including the loss of motherhood due to endometriosis. Together, Sally and Anisha explore what so many women experience but rarely talk about: putting everyone else first, losing sight of themselves, and wondering if it’s too late to pursue the life they truly want.

This conversation is a reminder that while we can’t change the past, we can choose what comes next.

In this episode, you’ll discover:• Why so many women suppress their own dreams while caring for everyone else• The hidden grief of becoming someone different than you imagined• How burnout can become an invitation to rediscover yourself• The power of taking a “quiet inventory” of your life• Practical encouragement for creating a future filled with purpose and intention

If you’ve ever wondered, “What about my dreams?” this conversation is for you.

📖 Learn more about No One Said It Would Be Easy and order your copy:https://actiontakerspublishing.com/easy

Connect with Anisha Wharton:LinkedIn: Anisha Wharton

☕ If this conversation encouraged you, you’ll also love Sally’s upcoming memoir, I Am Enough: My Cup Overflows. Through honest stories of faith, burnout, caregiving, and learning to stop pouring from an empty cup, Sally invites women to rediscover their worth and live from a place of overflow instead of exhaustion.

Learn more and pre-order your copy at Enough.FindSally.com

Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with authors, entrepreneurs, and women who are courageously sharing their stories to encourage others.

In this episode of Action Takers Authors, Sally Larkin Green interviews Zoe Martin, documentary filmmaker and contributing author in the upcoming Leadership: Inspiring Women Leading with Purpose book. Get the book here: ActionTakersPublishing.com/leadhershipZoe shares the deeply personal story behind her pivot from portrait photography to documenting legacy through film. After walking through her sister’s battle with breast cancer, Zoe felt called to help families preserve what matters most. Not just photographs, but voices. Expressions. Stories. The moments that would otherwise be lost.This conversation explores leadership, legacy, and the powerful responsibility of documenting life before it’s too late.Zoe also shares about her chapter in Leadership, which serves as a prelude to her upcoming full-length book on documenting family histories and personal stories.📌 In this episode you’ll hear:• How Zoe’s sister’s journey changed the direction of her business• The difference between photographs and filmed legacy• Why documenting your story should start now, not at a diagnosis• Practical ways families can begin capturing their stories• The power of written and visual storytelling working togetherWhether you are a writer, a parent, a leader, or someone who values family history, this conversation will inspire you to take action.If you're interested in being part of one of our collaborative book projects, visit:https://actiontakerspublishing.com/booksYour story matters. Someone in the future will be grateful you told it.

What if the hardest chapter of your life turned out to be the most important one to share? In this episode, Sally sits down with Linda Fisk, founder of LeadHership Global, who spent years minimizing her own story until she realized it was exactly what other women needed to hear. From an unexpected Type 1 diabetes diagnosis to becoming a multi-book author and community builder, Linda talks about what it really means to lead with grit and grace, and why your story deserves to be told unapologetically. If you have ever thought your story was not big enough or important enough, this one is for you.Connect with Linda Fisk at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindafisk/

In this conversation, I sat down with Raul West, co-author of the book LeadHERship, Inspiring Women Leading with Purpose, and she did not hold back. Raul talks about what it means to lead from the inside out, why so many women do not see themselves as leaders, and what it looks like to keep moving when you cannot see the whole path ahead.

If you have ever thought you were too late, not qualified enough, or still waiting until you feel ready — this one is for you.

Because here is what Raul wants you to know: you are already leading. Someone is watching how you handle hard things. Someone is learning from how you keep going.

You do not need a title. You do not need a perfect plan. Your experiences, your struggles, your wins — all of it qualifies you.

This is the kind of leadership conversation we do not have enough of. The honest kind. The quiet kind. The kind that starts long before anyone gives you permission.

Hit play. You are going to want to hear this.

Topics covered in this episode:

* What leadership really means beyond titles and positions

* How to lead through uncertainty when the path is not clear

* What to say to the woman who does not see herself as a leader

* Why your story qualifies you more than you think

In this inspiring episode of Action Takers Authors, Sally sits down with Janet Tanguay, author of Hammock Way of Life, to talk about dreams, fear, entrepreneurship, and the power of taking action.

Janet shares how a manuscript she started during the pandemic turned into a unique book that blends memoir, business lessons, humor, and journaling. She opens up about her journey through collaboration books, the publishing process, and the surreal experience of seeing her book featured on a Times Square billboard.

You’ll also hear Janet’s unforgettable childhood story about fear, a mysterious paper bag, and the lesson that still shapes the way she approaches life and business today. Through her work with vision boards, corporate workshops, and certified vision board coaches, Janet helps people manifest dreams faster and create a life they actually want to live.

This conversation is full of humor, heart, business wisdom, and encouragement for anyone who has a dream sitting quietly on their computer, in their heart, or on a vision board waiting to come alive.

Learn more about Janet and her work at hammockwayoflife.com or connect with her as Jazzy Jan on LinkedIn.

In this heartfelt conversation, author Alicia Williams Hodges shares the story behind her powerful chapter in the book 20 Shades of Grief, titled “My Painfully Beautiful Life.”Alicia opens up about her personal journey through grief and loss, and how even in the deepest pain, moments of beauty, strength, and hope can still be found. Her story is a reminder that while grief changes us, it can also shape a life filled with meaning, compassion, and purpose.If you or someone you know is navigating grief, Alicia’s message offers encouragement and the reminder that you are not alone.📖 Get the book 20 Shades of Grief on Amazon:https://a.co/d/08J856NR🤝 Connect with Alicia Williams Hodges:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-hodges-43490397/

Grief isn’t always visible. And sometimes, it isn’t acknowledged at all.In this powerful conversation, Sally interviews Ada Malave, contributing author in 20 Shades of Grief, about her chapter “The Silent Grief: Navigating Life After Miscarriage.”Ada courageously shares her experience with miscarriage and the often unspoken pain that follows. Miscarriage grief is real. It is layered with silence, misunderstanding, and unacknowledged sorrow. In this interview, we discuss:• Why miscarriage grief is often overlooked• The emotions that surface during pregnancy loss• How silence can deepen the pain• The power of simply being present for someone grieving• Healing practices that support emotional recovery• Finding serenity after the stormAda is a transformational grief coach, Master NLP practitioner, author, speaker, yoga instructor, and founder of the Facebook community Serenity After the Storm. She supports individuals navigating loss, identity shifts, empty nesting, divorce, job loss, and more.✨ You are not alone.✨ Your grief matters.✨ Healing is possible.📖 Get your copy of 20 Shades of Grief here:Visit https://actiontakerspublishing.com/books🔗 Connect with Ada Malave:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-malave-1792b5210/If this conversation encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share with someone who may need it today.

In this episode of Action Takers Authors, Sally Larkin Green is joined by Suzanne Jabour, co-author of the book 20 Shades of Grief. Suzanne, a certified grief educator and transformational coach, shares powerful insights about grief and how it shapes our lives. She brings personal experience and deep compassion to the conversation as she explores the realities of loss, what people in grief wish others understood, and how we can show up for one another with empathy and presence.Whether you’re navigating your own loss or supporting someone who is, this episode offers practical wisdom, comfort, and encouragement.📌 What you’ll hear in this video• Suzanne’s personal reflections on grief• What people in grief really need• How to support someone who is grieving• Compassionate ways to talk about loss• Moving forward with empathy and resilienceConnect with Suzanne: [email protected]💬 Join the conversation in the comments. If this episode speaks to you, share it with someone who may need it.grief support, grief healing, coping with loss, grief journey, grief education, supporting someone in grief, loss of a loved one, emotional healing, bereavement support, grief coach, transformational healing, navigating grief, dealing with death, grief awareness, mental health support, how to help someone grieving, life after loss, grief conversation, grief encouragement, healing after loss***If this conversation inspires you and you’ve ever thought about sharing your own story…We’d love to explore that with you.If you're interested in being part of one of our collaborative book projects, visit:https://actiontakerspublishing.com/booksYour story matters. And someone out there needs it.