Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision

Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision

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Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision episodes

  • 040 How Unmade Decisions Drain Your Capacity

    Dr. Nic shares how a decision about a much-anticipated trip to PlantCon became a lesson in mental clutter, changing priorities, and honoring capacity. When life circumstances shifted, keeping the trip as a “maybe” took up emotional and mental space. Making a clear decision not to go brought disappointment—but also relief.In this episode, Dr. Nic explores why unresolved decisions can become open loops that keep pulling at our attention. Sometimes we aren’t truly confused; we may already know what makes sense, but feel disappointed by the answer. The pause can help us notice what is happening, name what matters, and choose a rhythm that fits the season we’re actually in.She also reflects on the role of supportive community. Encouragement can mean cheering someone on, but it can also mean asking whether a plan still aligns with their priorities and capacity. Healthy support helps us honor what matters now—even when that means changing the plan.In this episode

    • How an unmade decision can take up mental and emotional space
    • What mental clutter and open loops can look like in everyday life
    • Why indecision sometimes means we’re postponing an answer we don’t like
    • How the pause helps us notice what’s true and identify what needs our resources
    • Why we’re allowed to change a plan when life and priorities change
    • How decisions can protect capacity by removing something from our mental load
    • The role of community in reflecting our priorities back to us
    • Why supportive friends can encourage us to move forward—or help us see that “not now” is the right answer

    Power pauseWhat decision is taking up space because you haven’t made it? What do you already know about your priorities, values, and capacity right now? If you made the decision even if it brings some disappointment could it give you back mental, emotional, physical, or financial capacity?

    Join The WellThe Well is a space for women to pause, connect, be poured into, and receive support as they honor their capacity while pursuing what matters.

    Learn more and join The Well:

    The WELL

    21 min
  • 039 Visionary Women Need Community That Makes Room for Boundaries

    Healthy community should support the woman behind the vision not require her to abandon herself to belong.In this episode, Dr. Nic explores how boundaries, honest communication, and changing capacity shape our relationships. She reflects on how resentment can build when we expect others to know what we need without telling them, and shares a personal story about assuming friends would know she needed help with a move. Dr. Nic also reminds listeners that capacity changes with life’s seasons. Grief, caregiving, work, health, relationships, and building a vision can all affect what we can hold. Instead of judging yourself by what you managed in the past, she invites you to notice what’s true for you now and make room for others to do the same.In this episode

    • Why belonging shouldn’t require self-abandonment
    • How unspoken needs can lead to resentment
    • The difference between a boundary that hasn’t been communicated and one that isn’t being respected
    • Why capacity changes from season to season
    • How to make room for others to say no, ask for space, or request support
    • Why boundaries can make relationships more honest and intimate
    • What healthy, supportive community can look like for visionary women

    Power pause

    • Where might resentment be pointing to a need you haven’t communicated?
    • Are you expecting yourself to operate at the capacity you had in a different season?
    • Are the people around you allowed to be honest about their capacity, too?

    Join The Well If you’re looking for a community where you can pause, reflect, and explore what support you need in this season, Dr. Nic invites you to learn more about The Well.

    Join The Well:

    Click Here

    26 min
  • 038 How Healthy Community Can Reveal The Extraordinary YOU
    How Healthy Community Can Reveal The Extraordinary YOU

    Sometimes the gifts that matter most are the ones we barely notice in ourselves. In this episode, Dr. Nic shares how a friend’s thoughtful observations helped her recognize her ability to create safe spaces, connect deeply with others, and bring peace into a room.Dr. Nic explores how trustworthy community can act as a mirror—reflecting our strengths and growth without defining our identity. She also considers why it can be hard to receive affirmation, how isolation can limit our perspective, and why healthy relationships must make room for boundaries and personal capacity.

    In this episode
    • How a friend’s message helped Dr. Nic recognize gifts she had taken for granted
    • Why natural strengths can feel ordinary from the inside
    • How trustworthy people can reflect back qualities we may not have named for ourselves
    • The difference between community reflecting who you are and defining who you are
    • Why some kinds of growth happen in relationship, not isolation
    • How to receive specific, grounded encouragement instead of deflecting it
    • Why healthy community should make room for limits, boundaries, and saying no
    • How the “notice, name, nourish” practice can help you consider what others reflect back
    Key takeaway

    Your community does not get to define you. But trustworthy people can help reflect strengths and growth that are difficult to see from the inside. Receive their perspective with curiosity and discernment, while staying grounded in your own self-awareness and values.

    29 min
  • 037 The Hidden Cost of Building Your Vision While Not Addressing the Needs of Your Body

    The Hidden Cost of Building Your Vision While Not Addressing the Needs of Your Body

    Dr. Nic explores what happens when women keep pursuing their vision while postponing their own health, needs, and well-being. Through a personal story about navigating perimenopause and finally scheduling long-overdue medical appointments, she reveals how a trusted friend’s lived experience and encouragement helped her move from awareness to action.This episode is a reminder that caring for your body is not separate from your calling. Your physical health, mental health, and capacity directly affect what you are able to carry—and there is no vision without the woman carrying it.Dr. Nic also explores the role of healthy community in helping women access wisdom, perspective, and encouragement without giving up their agency. The right community does not tell you what to do. It helps you think more clearly, reminds you of what you already know, and gives you the support to take your next step.

    In this episode, Dr. Nic discusses
    • Why knowing what you need to do does not always lead to action
    • How a friend’s lived experience helped Dr. Nic address health concerns she had been postponing
    • The difference between receiving wisdom and blindly copying someone else’s choices
    • Why healthy community should support agency rather than replace it
    • How conversations with trusted people can provide language, perspective, and hope
    • Why caring for your physical body is part of caring for your vision
    • The hidden cost of consistently putting your needs at the bottom of the list
    • How community can help women move from “I’ve been meaning to do that” to “It’s done”
    • Why women should consider not only who can support them, but how they can support others
    • The value of sharing what you have lived, learned, and survived
    • How relationships can reveal gifts, patterns, and possibilities we may not recognize on our own
    • The upcoming conversations about The Well and The Whole Practitioner
    Key takeaways

    Your body is not separate from your visionTaking care of your health is not taking time away from your calling. Your body is how you carry out your vision, so ignoring its needs can eventually limit your capacity to pursue what matters.Healthy community supports actionSometimes you do not need more information. You need someone who can remind you of what you already know, validate your experience, and encourage you to take the next step.Wisdom is not the same as instructionAnother woman’s story can offer perspective, resources, and possibilities without becoming a blueprint for your life. Healthy community shares lived wisdom while honoring each person’s agency and individual circumstances.You may be carrying wisdom someone else needsYour experience has value.

    You do not need to rescue anyone or become an expert. Sharing what you have lived and learned may help another woman feel less alone as she finds her own way forward.



    24 min
  • 036 Why Healthy Community Matters in Vision Pursuit
    The Woman Behind the Vision: Why Healthy Community Matters

    Dr. Nic opens a new chapter of the show by widening the conversation from women solopreneurs to all visionary women. This episode explains why the woman carrying the vision matters just as much as the vision itself, and why community is essential for capacity, wholeness, and sustainable purpose.We discuss how healthy community can hold, reflect, encourage, and challenge you without requiring self-abandonment. Dr. Nic also introduces two upcoming community spaces, The Well and The Whole Practitioner, as part of this expanded vision.

    Key topics
    • Dr. Nic explains the podcast’s expanded focus from women solopreneurs to women behind the vision, including leaders, ministry builders, artists, nonprofit founders, writers, and women building strong families.
    • She says it is unnecessary to sacrifice yourself on the altar of your vision, because building something beautiful should not require breaking yourself in the process.
    • The episode frames community as more than companionship—it is a place where women can be held, nourished, challenged, and supported without guilt.
    • Dr. Nic revisits the “pause” as a core practice: noticing what is happening, naming what matters, nourishing what needs attention, and building rhythms that fit your real life.
    • She distinguishes between merely having people around and being in healthy community, asking whether it is safe to tell the truth, say no, disagree, and take up space.
    • The episode introduces two upcoming communities: The Well for women of vision and purpose, and The Whole Practitioner for women whose work centers on helping others.
    • Dr. Nic emphasizes that healthy community should increase capacity, not drain it, and should support both vision and mental health.
    • She closes with a reflection on belonging, asking what it means to have people beside you while you carry your vision.
    24 min
  • 035 Small Action Steps Count: The Consistency Mindset That Actually Lasts For Women Pursuing Purpose

    In this episode, Dr. Nic explains why consistency is not about perfection. Instead, it’s about building a sustainable rhythm that fits your real life and real capacity. You’ll learn how to stop treating one missed day like failure, why small steps still count, and how to return to your goals without shame.

    In this episode:
    • Why consistency does not mean perfect
    • The difference between rules and rhythms
    • Why small actions still matter
    • How to return after falling out of routine
    • A simple mindset shift for sustainable growth
    Main takeaway:

    Consistency is learning how to return.

    Perfection is not consistency and chasing it may be the very thing keeping you stuck. Dr. Nic breaks down the second C of sustainable self-care and shows why the real skill isn’t never missing a day, but learning how to return.If you’ve been feeling frustrated by habits, routines, or goals that don’t seem to last, this episode will help you think differently about progress. Dr. Nic shares how to move away from rigid rules and all-or-nothing thinking and build rhythms that fit the season you’re in. You’ll learn:

    • Why consistency often gets confused with perfection
    • The difference between a sustainability problem and a discipline problem
    • Why small actions still count
    • How to stop treating one missed day like failure
    • What it means to build rhythms instead of rules

    If you’re ready for support in creating sustainable rhythms for your life and business, book a discovery call with Dr. Nic (LINK COMING SOON) - currently email [email protected] for booking

    19 min
  • 034 The Difference Between Being Interested in Wellness and Committed To It as a Woman of Purpose
    Commitment Without Constant Self-Abandonment

    This episode explores what real commitment looks like when life is not ideal. Dr. Nic explains why self-care becomes sustainable only when it moves from a nice idea to a clear decision, and why honoring your capacity is not the same as quitting.She uses a 30-day hot Pilates challenge to show the difference between pushing through and making grounded choices that support long-term well-being.

    Key topics
    • Commitment starts with a decision, not motivation
    • The difference between being interested in self-care and being committed to it
    • Why honoring capacity is not the same as giving up
    • How sickness, rest, and adjustment can still align with commitment
    • Why commitment is not punishment, pressure, or self-neglect
    • The danger of continually renegotiating what matters every time life gets inconvenient
    • How women of purpose often put themselves last even when they say wellness matters
    • A simple power pause for identifying where actions and values are out of alignment
    • What it looks like to choose one small, realistic step in your current season
    • Why sustainable commitment should protect both the vision and the woman behind it
    Action items

    Book A Discovery Call: Official Link Coming Soon. Use [email protected] to schedule your Free Discovery Call

    Subscribe to Newsletter: https://nicolepertillar.substack.com/subscribe

    13 min
  • 033 The 3 C's of Self-Care That Can Keep You Together When You Feel Like Falling Apart
    The 3 C’s of Self-Care for Women Solopreneurs

    This episode is a solo reflection from Dr. Nic on how self-care shows up in real life, especially during seasons of stress, transition, and building a business. She shares a personal story about community, then breaks down three practical anchors for sustainable well-being: commitment, consistency, and community.

    In this episode, Dr. Nic explains why self-care is less about knowing what you should do and more about actually doing it in a way that supports your life and work. If you’re a solopreneur trying to stay grounded while carrying a lot, this one is about building rhythms that help you keep going.

    Key topics
    • Dr. Nic introduces the “three C’s of self-care” - commitment, consistency, and community - as the core theme of the episode.
    • She reflects on a difficult year and how those three elements helped keep things from completely falling apart.
    • A weekend visit to a winery event for natural skincare becomes a real-world example of why saying yes to community matters.
    • She shares how meeting two women at the event reminded her that women often carry similar struggles, even when their life stories look different.

    Commitment

    is framed as a decision: “This matters,” not “I’ll do it when life calms down.”

    Consistency

    is described as showing up most days, not chasing perfection.

    Community

    is presented as an essential support system for wellness, business, parenting, relationships, and purpose.

    • She ties the three C’s to recent personal challenges, including a 30-day hot Pilates challenge and a 21-day sugar-free challenge.
    • Dr. Nic encourages listeners to identify which C needs attention now and to take one aligned next step within the next seven days.
    • She closes by reminding listeners that they are worthy of rest and a life of ease.

    14 min
  • 032 Stop Abandoning Your Dreams: Why Pursuing What Matters Is Self-Care
    Stop Abandoning Your Dreams: Why Pursuing What Matters Is Self-Care

    What if self-care isn't only about how you rest—but also about refusing to keep abandoning the things that make you feel most alive?

    In this special International Self-Care Day conversation, Dr. Nic sits down with Ronnie for an honest conversation about self-care, pursuing your dreams, women’s wellness, community, movement, and what happens when we continually put ourselves last.

    As women, many of us have become incredibly good at supporting everyone else's needs, goals, families, careers, and dreams. But somewhere along the way, we can begin losing connection with our own desires.

    And sometimes self-care looks like saying:

    This matters to me, too.

    Ronnie shares her own journey of building a health platform for underserved women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and hormonal changes—all while continuing to work, facing rejection, navigating uncertainty, and having plenty of moments when she wondered whether she should keep going.

    Together, we talk about why you don't have to know exactly how the dream will unfold before you begin.

    Sometimes you simply need to identify the next step and create enough space in your life to take it.

    We also explore the importance of caring for the whole woman along the way. Because pursuing your dreams isn't sustainable if you continually sacrifice your physical health, mental and emotional well-being, finances, relationships, rest, and capacity to get there.

    And perhaps most importantly, you were never meant to do all of this alone.

    🔴 In This Episode, We Talk About:
    • Why pursuing your dreams can be an important form of self-care
    • How women can unintentionally abandon themselves while caring for everyone else
    • Why you don't have to quit your job or completely change your life to begin pursuing something meaningful
    • The power of taking small, consistent steps toward a dream
    • How movement and physical wellness can support your energy, confidence, creativity, and mental health
    • Why knowing and honoring your capacity matters
    • The importance of financial wellness as part of whole-person self-care
    • Why community matters when you're building something
    • The loneliness and isolation that can come with solopreneurship
    • How the right relationships can help you keep going when you want to quit
    • What rejection, fear, and uncertainty can teach you about your dream
    • Why pursuing something meaningful can surface old fears and unfinished inner work
    • Creating space for the things that bring you life now, rather than waiting for the perfect season
    • What grief and loss can teach us about the urgency of living fully
    • Why you are worthy of doing the work necessary to overcome what has been holding you back
    🎧 This Episode Is For You If:

    You're a woman who has spent years putting everyone else first.

    You're building a business or pursuing a dream and feeling lonely in the process.

    You're wondering whether it's too late to start something new.

    You've been talking yourself out of something because you don't have enough time, money, energy, support, or certainty.

    You're navigating midlife and beginning to ask, "What do I want now?"

    Or you're simply ready to stop putting the parts of yourself that make you feel alive on the shelf.

    🔑 Key Takeaway

    Self-care isn't only about recovering from the life you're living.

    Sometimes self-care means having enough courage, intention, and support to build a life you actually want to live.

    57 min
  • 031 The Power of Commitment, Consistency, & Community
    The Power of Commitment, Consistency, and Community: Showing Up for Yourself Without Chasing Perfection

    What becomes possible when you stop trying to do everything perfectly and simply commit to showing up for yourself?

    In this special International Self-Care Day conversation, Dr. Nic is joined by Shakari Anderson to reflect on the 30-day Hot Pilates challenge that brought two complete strangers together and became a powerful lesson in commitment, consistency, accountability, and community.

    After a difficult season of grief, caregiving, and personal transition, Dr. Nic knew she needed something that would help her reconnect with herself and return to the rhythms that supported her holistic wellness. Shakari was also seeking a way to rebuild her confidence, recommit to her health goals, and prove to herself that she could finish what she started.

    Together, they discovered that self-care is not always about finding more discipline or pushing yourself harder. Sometimes, it is about finding the right people to walk beside you, encourage you when life interrupts your plans, and remind you that one difficult day does not erase your progress.

    This conversation explores why consistency does not require perfection, how community can make personal goals feel more sustainable, and why honoring your current capacity is one of the most important forms of self-care.

    In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

    🔴 Why commitment to yourself is an essential part of holistic self-care

    🔴 How consistency helped Dr. Nic and Shakari complete a 30-day Hot Pilates challenge

    🔴 Why missing a day does not mean you have failed or need to abandon your goal

    🔴 The difference between being persistent and trying to perform perfectly

    🔴 How accountability and community can help you keep going when motivation fades

    🔴 Why movement can support your emotional wellness, confidence, and mental health

    🔴 How grief, caregiving, transitions, and changing responsibilities can affect your capacity

    🔴 Why self-care requires regularly checking in with your spirit, mind, body, health, and environment

    🔴 The importance of recognizing the difference between self-abandonment and self-sabotage

    🔴 How becoming the leading lady of your own life can change the decisions you make for yourself

    A Powerful Reminder

    You do not have to show up perfectly to show up powerfully.

    There may be days when you cannot complete the entire plan. There may be seasons when your energy, responsibilities, health, or emotional capacity changes. That does not mean you have failed.

    Sustainable consistency leaves room for real life.

    The goal is not to criticize yourself every time something interrupts your routine. The goal is to notice what you need, make the necessary adjustment, and return to yourself without shame.

    Connect with Dr. Nic

    Follow Dr. Nic on Instagram: @thepauseforsolos and on Substack for Email Newsletter

    Explore additional encouragement, resources, and opportunities to pause, renew, and build without burning out:

    Subscribe to Holistic Mental Health for Women Solopreneurs for more conversations about self-care, burnout prevention, emotional wellness, capacity, community, and pursuing your purpose without breaking the builder.

    SEO Keywords

    commitment and consistency, power of community, accountability and self-care, holistic mental health, women solopreneurs, consistency over perfection, building healthy habits, honoring your capacity, burnout prevention for women, self-care for caregivers, community and mental wellness, movement and mental health, showing up for yourself, sustainable wellness, personal growth and accountability

    39 min

About Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision

From the publisher's feed

I started this podcast because I kept seeing women with powerful dreams, deep callings, brilliant ideas, and beautiful businesses(or business ideas) quietly burning out behind the…