Many of us were never taught that our beliefs come from external sources — society, culture, religion. Let alone that we have our own intuitive belief system. And we were certainly never taught that beliefs can change. That beliefs are malleable. That the way we see ourselves — the way we see the world — can evolve, especially when we tap into our intuitive knowing.

We were taught that intelligence was fixed. That who we are is who we will always be. That wanting more, thinking differently, or choosing a new path was somehow a betrayal of where we came from. But Lauren Miura and I grew up curious. We asked questions because we both felt that there was more to life than what our eyes could see, and more than what we were being told to believe.

In this episode, Lauren and I sit down for a conversation about mindset — what it actually is, where it comes from, and how powerfully it shapes everything from the processes inside your body to the decisions you make as a mother, a professional, and a woman.

Lauren and I met while studying at the Spirituality Mind-Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University. This conversation reflects that intersection — psychology, spirituality, and the lived experience of women navigating multiple roles while trying to stay rooted in who they truly are.

We talk about Dr. Carol Dweck’s research on fixed versus growth mindset. We talk about Dr. Alia Crum’s work on the placebo effect — and the milkshake study that will change the way you think about belief forever. We talk about what you are feeding your mind and why it matters more than you think.

And underneath all of it — we come back to the same truth. Beneath every role we carry, we are still spiritual beings having a human experience. That is the Essential Woman.

In this episode, we talk about:

* What mindset actually is — and why the research behind it matters

* Dr. Carol Dweck’s fixed vs. growth mindset — and what it means for our mind body connectiom

* The placebo effect — how what you believe is physically changing what happens inside your body

* The milkshake study — same drink, two beliefs, two completely different physiological responses

* How perception shapes belief and belief shapes perception — and why you have more power than you think

* The negativity bias and why what you feed your mind matters

* Modeling a growth mindset for your children — why what you do matters more than what you say

* The Essential Woman — the spiritual self beneath every role you carry

Connect with Lauren Miura:

* Website: laurenmiura.com

* LinkedIn: laurenmiura

Researchers mentioned:

* Dr. Carol Dweck — Mindset: The New Psychology of Success · Stanford University

* Dr. Alia Crum — Stanford Mind & Body Lab · stanfordmindandbodylab.org

* Dr. Dan Tomasulo — Positive Psychology · Teachers College, Columbia University

* Dr. George Bonanno — The Three Axioms of Resilience (2024) · Teachers College, Columbia University

To support this podcast:

* Subscribe to Diaries of Ambitious Women on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

* Share this episode with a first-generation woman who is ready to understand the belief system she inherited

* Follow Lauren and visit her website — if you are in a career transition she is the one to call

Diaries of Ambitious Women® is hosted by Janeica Davis, M.A., a first-generation Puerto Rican Afro-Latina and Columbia University graduate. This podcast was created for the first-generation woman who is ready to stop figuring it out alone.

Subscribe to the newsletter at diariesofambitiouswomen.substack.com 💜

Ready to go deeper?

If this episode resonated with you — the Holistic Wealth Method Masterclass is your next step. A free masterclass on healing your mindset around money, eliminating debt, and building toward financial independence.

👉 holistic-wealth.janeicadavis.com

Many of us were discouraged from using our voices. From speaking up about the dysfunction and abuse we witnessed and experienced.

We were taught that keeping the peace was love. That silence was loyalty. That speaking up, especially in the family, was disrespectful and disloyal.

Priscilla Gutiérrez grew up inside that script. And for a long time, she followed it perfectly. She was the good girl. The one who didn’t cause problems. The one who put family first, kept her mouth shut, and called it devotion.

Until she stopped.

In this episode, Priscilla shares what happened when she finally started speaking up — and what it cost her before it set her free. We talk about Familismo, the cultural script that teaches first-generation women to put family above everything, including themselves. We talk about being labeled the black sheep for simply having a voice. And we talk about what it actually looks like to break a cycle that was never yours to carry in the first place.

Priscilla is a J.D. and the author of Break the Cycle Before It Breaks You — a book written for the woman who is tired of being defined by the family she came from.

This one is for every woman who was taught that silence was simply how good girls behave.

It was not. It was a cost. And you paid it long enough.

In this episode we talk about:

* What Familismo taught Priscilla about loyalty — and what it actually cost her

* Being the black sheep for speaking the truth

* How the “good girl” script keeps first-generation women silent and small

* What it means to break a cycle before it breaks you

* The moment everything changed — and what she had to be willing to lose

Connect with Priscilla:

* Substack: substack.com/@cyclebreakercoach

* Instagram: @priscillamgutierrez

* Get her book: Break the Cycle Before It Breaks You — Priscilla M. Gutiérrez, J.D.

To support this podcast:

* Subscribe to Diaries of Ambitious Women on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

* Share this episode with a first-generation woman who has been carrying the weight of someone else’s silence

* Follow Priscilla and get her book — her story will stay with you

Diaries of Ambitious Women® is hosted by Janeica Davis, M.A., a first-generation Puerto Rican Afro-Latina and Columbia University graduate. This podcast was created for the first-generation woman who is ready to stop figuring it out alone.

Subscribe to the newsletter at diariesofambitiouswomen.substack.com

Thank you Samantha ✨Self-Care Alchemist✨, The Soft Woman Project, Rachel Hammond ✨, Keda Shea, Erica Smith, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dr. Nicole Pertillar 🔴! It was a fun conversation!

What does it look like to claim yourself fully — not in spite of where you’ve been, but because of it?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kate Webster , a researcher, writer, and advocate who has spent her career studying workplace culture and the double standards women navigate every single day. Kate brings a sharp lens to the ways women are perceived differently from men — how assertiveness reads as aggression in a woman but as confidence in a man, how women are scrutinized in ways their male counterparts simply are not, and what that costs us over time.

But this conversation goes deeper than the workplace. Kate shares her own journey — from the structures of academia, where she built her expertise, to Substack, where she is learning to show up as a whole person. Not just the scholar. Not just the researcher. The woman. Fully integrated, fully herself.

What I loved most about this conversation is what Dr. Webster models for all of us — that coming home to yourself is not a young woman’s work. It is available at every age. And in her 60s, she is proof that the most powerful version of you is still becoming.

We navigate some difficult territory in this episode, including Dr. Webster’s experiences as an outsider witness to injustice, and what it means to name those things honestly while holding the limits of one’s own lens.

In this episode, we talk about:

* The double standards women face in the workplace — and why they persist

* How assertiveness in women is penalized while the same quality in men is rewarded

* The scrutiny women face that men simply do not

* How the term “Trad Wife” came onto the scene — and what it reveals about where we are

* What it means to move from academic voice to authentic voice

* Finding yourself on Substack — and why that matters

* What it looks like to rock your full, badass self in your 60s

Connect with Dr. Kate Webster:

* Subscribe to her newsletter: Bold, Brave & Badasss

* Follow her on Substack: Dr. Kate Webster

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to Diaries of Ambitious Women on Substack, leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps more women find this space. And if you know someone who needs to hear this conversation, share it with her. Awareness starts with one woman passing it to another. 💜

Motherhood is its own universe. There’s so much we don’t learn about — and so much we don’t hear about — until we’re already in it. The demands and expectations placed on mothers are unrealistic and unsustainable. We’re on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Amid all of that, a rage builds.

In this episode, I sit down with Safaa — The tired mother — to talk about the rage no one warned us about. She walks us through a specific moment: stepping on a Lego piece and the inexplicable fury that surged in her in that split second. The kind of rage that makes you stop and ask, where did that come from?

This conversation gives mother's permission to feel what they’ve been hiding, to name what hasn’t had a name, and to start asking what the rage is trying to tell us.

If anything in this lands, share it with another mother who’s been carrying it alone.

To support this podcast:

* Subscribe to follow the journey of women and mothers as they redesign their lives and find new ways to live.

* Share this episode with another mother who feels alone — carrying guilt, shame, or rage she hasn’t said out loud.

* Subscribe to Safaa on Substack at — The tired mother — she’s worth your time.

Burnout isn’t a personal failure—it’s a signal.

In this episode of Diaries of Ambitious Women, I sit down with Dr. Nicole Pertillar—therapist, coach, artist, and creator of Mosaic Mindset—for a deeply grounding conversation about what happens when ambitious women give endlessly without pausing to care for themselves.

Dr. Nicole shares how a serious car accident became a forced pause that transformed her relationship with work, rest, and purpose. Together, we explore why so many women—especially mothers, caretakers, and high-achieving women of color—struggle to slow down, even when their bodies are asking them to.

In this episode, we explore:

* Why burnout is often a sign of over-giving, not weakness

* The cost of ignoring your body’s wisdom and inner voice

* How grief, trauma, and “broken pieces” shape us—and why they deserve care

* The cultural conditioning that teaches women to self-sacrifice

* What it means to create a sustainable rhythm of rest

* Why pausing is not falling behind—but returning to yourself

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and redefine ambition in a way that honors your spirit, mind, and body.

Key takeaway: Rest is not a reward. It’s a requirement.

✍🏽 Reflection: Where in your life are you being asked to pause—but continuing to push?

This week’s episode is a necessary conversation — one that names what so many ambitious women and mothers feel but rarely say out loud. Julia Rock joins me to talk about what happens when you achieve the success you worked for and still feel like something’s missing.

Together, we explore the burnout that hides behind promotions, the isolation that comes with seniority, and why the phrase “I’m fine” can be the most dangerous lie we tell ourselves. Julia shares her own story of workplace trauma, depression, and the moment her boss refused to accept her automatic answer — a moment that changed everything.

This conversation is honest, grounding, and deeply validating. It’s for every woman who has wondered why success doesn’t feel the way she imagined, and why climbing higher sometimes means losing yourself along the way.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

* Why the challenges women face don’t disappear at higher levels — they just get lonelier

* How burnout can be invisible, even to yourself, until someone else sees it

* The physical and emotional cost of pushing through when you’ve outgrown your role

* Why money and titles don’t guarantee fulfillment (and what actually does)

* How workplace trauma and mistreatment compound burnout in devastating ways

* What it takes to rebuild after hitting rock bottom — and how to never go back

* Why “you are enough in and of yourself” is the foundation for sustainable success

💡 Key Message: Elevation without fulfillment is exhausting. You can have the title, the salary, and the respect — and still feel like something’s off. That feeling is valid. And recognizing it is the first step toward building a career that doesn’t cost you yourself.

🌿 Stay Connected on Substack: Listening off-platform? Subscribe on Substack to Substack fns, emotional intelligence tools, and extended show notes.

📲 Connect With Me Follow along on LinkedIn for daily encouragement and behind-the-scenes insight.

⭐ Support the Show if this episode resonated, become a free or paid subscriber, leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with a woman who needs to hear this message. Your support helps more ambitious women find this community.

This week’s episode is an early gift — a reminder that you don’t have to do everything alone. In Part 2 of The Essential Women, Lauren Miura, Melanie Hatchell, and I reflect on what it truly means to support ambitious mothers — especially during seasons when life feels demanding, tender, and constantly in motion.

We reflect on the in-person Essential Woman workshop we co-facilitated in November of 2025 and what's coming next in 2026.

Together, we explore the unseen labor women carry, the value of being truly witnessed in your journey, and why community isn’t a luxury for ambitious women — it’s essential. This conversation offers both grounding and reassurance, reminding you that you don’t have to do everything alone.

I typically release new episodes bi-weekly on Wednesdays, but with this Wednesday falling on Christmas Eve, releasing this episode early felt aligned. Consider this an early gift — a moment to pause, reflect, and feel supported during the holiday season.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

* Why community is essential for ambitious women and mothers

* How being seen and supported changes the way we lead and grow

* The importance of rest, reflection, and grace during full seasons of life

* Why sharing your story helps other women feel less alone

* How small acts of support create lasting impact

* What it means to honor ambition without abandoning yourself

💡 Key Message:You are not meant to carry everything alone.Your ambition is valid.Your season matters.And being supported doesn’t make you weak — it makes you sustainable.

🌿 Stay Connected on Substack Listening off-platform? Subscribe on Substack for reflections, emotional intelligence tools, and extended show notes.

📲 Connect With Me Follow along on Instagram and Tik Tok for daily encouragement and behind-the-scenes insight.

⭐ Support the Show If this episode resonated become a free or paid subscriber, leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with a mom who needs this message. Your support helps more ambitious women find this community.

The Essential Woman Part 1 - Linked it below:

This episode opens a raw and honest conversation about womanhood, agency, and the courage to speak up in a world that often expects women to stay small. My guest, Jodie, is the writer behind the Substack publication, I'm Just A Woman (to learn more, click the link), where she creates space for women to show up unapologetically, tell the truth, and speak from the heart.

Together, we explore the outdated narrative that women should be passive or quiet, the lingering expectation to “hold your tongue,” and why so many still feel uncomfortable when women stand fully in their confidence. I also share my own experiences working in a male-dominated industry — including the moments when I’ve had to shut down comments, set boundaries, and refuse to play the role of the “quiet one.”

Through this conversation, we unpack the deeper fear society holds about what happens when women come together, own their power, and refuse to be grateful for scraps of progress.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

* Why women have historically been expected to stay quiet — and what happens when we don’t

* How cultural conditioning still shapes confidence, assertiveness, and self-expression

* The reality of navigating male-dominated spaces and honoring your boundaries

* Why some people fear the power of women’s unity and collective voice

* The difference between acknowledging progress and settling for the bare minimum

* How reclaiming your voice becomes an act of self-respect and personal liberation

💡 Key Message: You don’t have to shrink. You don’t have to whisper. Your voice is not “too much” — it’s exactly what the world needs.

You are allowed to speak. You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to be unstoppable.

🌿 Stay Connected on Substack. Listening off-platform? Subscribe to Substack for weekly reflections, emotional intelligence tools, and extended show notes.

⭐ Support the Show. If this episode resonated, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs this reminder today.

This episode features a powerful cross-cultural conversation about identity, ambition, and belonging. My guest, Urmi Hossain, is a corporate professional, author, speaker, and advocate for women’s empowerment. Born and raised in Italy with Bengali heritage, Urmi shares her experience of growing up between two cultures — and how she transformed that sense of “not fitting in” into a source of strength, leadership, and purpose.

Together, we explore how cultural expectations shape women’s self-worth, why independence is often discouraged in traditional systems, and how redefining womanhood begins with reclaiming your autonomy and inner truth.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

* How cultural narratives influence women’s confidence and self-identity

* What it means to “not belong” — and how to turn that into power

* The hidden double standards women face across cultures

* Why self-actualization isn’t gendered — it’s human

* Practical ways to reconnect with yourself beyond roles and expectations

* How rest, reflection, and alignment create space for true fulfillment

💡 Key Message:You don’t have to fit into a cultural script to be whole. Your identity, your ambition, and your story are enough — just as they are.

You are allowed to evolve.You are allowed to redefine what womanhood means to you.

💜 Work With Me

Ready for deeper support? Explore Virtual Mom Bestie 1:1 Coaching and see how we can work together in a way that meets you right where you are.

🌿 Stay Connected on Substack

Listening off-platform? Subscribe on Substack for weekly reflections, emotional intelligence tools, and full show notes.Plus, stay tuned for the next Power Pause for Moms, our free monthly reset session.

📲 Connect With Me

Follow on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn for daily encouragement and behind-the-scenes insight.

⭐ Support the Show

If this episode supported you, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share it with a friend who might need this reminder today.