Intent on Purpose

What do barrying people and geometric triangles have to do with true leadership? In this episode of Intent on Purpose, host Laura Hansen Breksa sits down with Barry Rellaford, co-leader of the Center for the Empowerment Dynamic and Seven Generations Leadership.

Barry dives deep into the heart of human agency, explaining how to step out of interpersonal drama and embrace a mindset of creation. Whether you are building a business, leading a family, or striving to design a lasting legacy, this conversation offers profound insights on shifting from a reactive victim mindset to an empowered creator.

Barry Rellaford is an experienced executive leadership coach, speaker, author, and organizational consultant whose career has focused on growing people and helping them be true. He is widely recognized for his work as a head trainer and developer with Stephen M. R. Covey’s "SPEED of TRUST" organization, alongside his roles with Seven Generations Leadership and the Center for the Empowerment Dynamic, where he helps teams navigate away from interpersonal drama and into empowered creation. Additionally, he serves as an Executive Leadership Coach at the BYU Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership, bringing an extensive background as an HR executive and consultant collaborating with major global enterprises and organizations.

• The Seven Generations Vision: Why building a business or organization that lasts requires designing with intention for generations to come, inspired by the Small Giants philosophy.
• The Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT): Understanding the unconscious roles of Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer—and why staying in your own misery can sometimes feel more comfortable than fixing it.
• The Empowerment Dynamic (TED): How to flip the script by stepping into the roles of Creator, Coach, and Challenger.
• The Three Vital Questions: Practical steps to shift your focus from problems you don’t want to desired outcomes you want to create.
• Agency Over Training: Why people don't need mere "training" like animals, but rather the equipping, inspiring, and courage to take meaningful baby steps.

If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us share inspiring conversations with those who invest time, energy, and talents into what they believe!

https://intentonpurpose.com/

What is taking your time, energy, and talents away from what matters most?

In this episode of Intent on Purpose, Laura Hansen Breksa talks with Pastor K about getting unstuck, setting healthy boundaries, recognizing distractions, and making intentional choices about where we invest ourselves.

Pastor Christina Gibbons, known as Pastor K, is a multi-award winning Christian author, pastoral counselor, and speaker who helps people recognize the lies keeping them stuck and replace them with biblical truth. Her work is centered on helping people move from surviving to thriving and walk confidently in the identity, freedom, and authority God has given them.

In this conversation, Pastor K shares practical and faith-centered insights about:

• Why saying no can be an important part of serving well
• The difference between helping someone and doing what they need to do for themselves
• Why getting unstuck often begins with healing from the past
• How to stop living in the “rearview mirror”
• Turning pain into purpose
• Why distractions don’t always look like bad things
• How boundaries protect your time, energy, and talents
• How habits and relationships shape who you become
• Why the people in your inner circle matter
• How to recognize when you are in the wrong season with the wrong people
• Why purposeful change can happen one step at a time

One of the most memorable ideas in the conversation is simple: you don't have to change everything at once. Start somewhere. Take one step. Build from there.

That is what living Intent on Purpose is about—being thoughtful about where you invest your time, energy, and talents, and making choices that move you toward what matters most.

Find Pastor K:
pasterkristina.com

Her books are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kristina-Gibbons/author/B0GZDWXC3D?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1790050135&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=027669f1-921c-41f4-9833-fb5dd61ceb35

If this conversation gives you something to think about, subscribe to Intent on Purpose, leave a comment, and share it with someone who might need the reminder that they can take the next step.

#IntentOnPurpose #PastorK #ChristinaGibbons #ChristianPodcast #ChristianLiving #Purpose #IntentionalLiving #PersonalGrowth #Boundaries #GettingUnstuck #Faith #TimeManagement #PurposefulLiving

What are you investing your time, energy, and talents in—and are you investing enough in what matters most?

For successful professionals, entrepreneurs, leaders, and business owners, it can be easy to pour energy into a career, a business, and the goals that matter professionally while assuming the most important relationships will take care of themselves.

Dr. Alexandra Stockwell says they won't.

Dr. Stockwell works with educated, successful professionals—including doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and tech founders—who know how to make things happen in their careers but may struggle to create the same level of connection, communication, and fulfillment at home.

In this conversation, we explore what happens when you invest your energy in what matters most: your marriage.

Dr. Stockwell explains:

• Why you don't need your entire life mapped out before taking the next step

• How following curiosity and taking one aligned action at a time shaped her career

• Why a great marriage is a learnable skill

• Why successful professional communication doesn't automatically translate to successful marital communication

• How leaders can accidentally treat their spouse like an employee

• Why a nourishing marriage can give you courage in your professional life

• Why working from home can intensify relationship patterns

• What she means by “uncompromising intimacy”

• Why “How you do anything is how you do everything” can transform more than one area of your life

• How changing one small interaction can create a ripple effect throughout your relationships, career, and life

One of the central ideas in this conversation is simple:

The way you invest your energy matters.

Your career matters. Your work matters. Your ambitions matter.

But so does the person waiting for you at home.

For people who are intentional about how they spend their limited time, energy, and talents, marriage isn't something to put on autopilot. It can be one of the most meaningful places to invest.

Find Dr. Alexandra Stockwell at alexandrastockwell.com and learn more about her work, Uncompromising Intimacy, courses, podcast, and relationship coaching.

Hosted by Laura Hansen Breksa | Intent on Purpose

#Marriage #Relationships #CommunicationSkills #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #IntentOnPurpose

Guy Stoker has been creatively and uniquely communicating about epilepsy for over a decade. In this short reel, he shares the lyrics to his song, “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover.”

Using both his lived experience and technical knowledge, Guy can not only produce music that attempts to audibly demonstrate what the brain does silently during a seizure, but also use words to explain what can be explained about the complex world of an epileptic brain.

Niyati Kachhiyapatel has a question...

What if your “yes” is costing you more than you realize?

And she wants you to know that...

“Every No is a sentence, and every yes is a decision.”

Substack: https://philosophicalinsight.substack.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalinsight/

You say yes because you don't want to disappoint someone.

You say yes because you want to be liked.

You say yes because you're afraid of being judged.

And sometimes…you don't even know what you want anymore.

But this conversation goes deeper than simply learning to say no.

Why can your body know you're out of alignment before your mind does?

What happens when you keep saying yes to things you really don't want?

And why can choosing differently actually change the way you think about yourself?

Niyati shares a practical approach to breaking the people-pleasing cycle—and Laura asks the question many people struggle to answer:

What is the power of saying NO?

There's a lot to think about in this conversation, including one simple idea:

“Every No is a sentence, and every yes is a decision.”

If you've ever struggled with people-pleasing, boundaries, overthinking, indecision, or trusting yourself, you'll want to hear this conversation.

Intent on Purpose with Laura Hansen Breksa

Conversations exploring what happens when people invest their time, energy, and talents in what they believe.

Subscribe, listen, and share this episode with someone who might need permission to say no.

Get to know our Niyati:

Niyati is a certified life coach with an MA in psychology. After building a successful career in academia, she left it to pursue her calling of becoming an entrepreneur and coach to help others find who they truly are and live a life that is in alignment with who they are. To do this, she integrates tools from psychology like parts work, nervous system regulation, and self-compassion to help individuals overcome self-abandoning behaviours (e.g., overthinking, indecision, self-doubt, etc.) and finally create a life of freedom and meaning.

#PeoplePleasing #SelfTrust #Boundaries #SayNo #IntentOnPurpose #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #Overthinking

Making Good Choices: Are You Spending Your Time and Energy on What Matters Most?

How do we make good choices when our time, energy, and attention are limited?

In this conversation, Meichle Latham shares practical wisdom about making intentional choices—starting with knowing what matters most, recognizing what drains us, setting healthy boundaries, making time to rest, and choosing a life that fits who we really are.

Meichle reminds us that making good choices isn't about cramming more into our day. It's about being intentional about where we invest our limited time, energy, and talents.

1. Know what matters most to you. Spend your time and energy on the things you truly value.
2. Notice what drains you. Pay attention to what exhausts you—it may not be the right fit for you.
3. Set healthy boundaries. You don't have to give everything to everyone.
4. Make time to rest and recharge. Rest helps you have the energy to handle what comes next.
5. Choose what fits who you are. Don't spend your life trying to live someone else's life.

Meichle Latham is a strengths-based, solution-focused Wellness Strategist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, coach, counselor, and consultant. With decades of experience in the wellness profession and nonprofit executive leadership, Meichle helps professionals, leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations navigate stress, burnout, career transitions, leadership, and overall well-being.

Her work focuses on helping people create practical, sustainable changes that lead to greater balance, harmony, confidence, and fulfillment. She also offers her signature Pedi-Purpose Coaching, combining coaching conversations with walking.

Learn more about Meichle:
meichlelatham.com

Question for you: What is one thing you're spending your time or energy on that may no longer matter as much as you thought it did?

Are you waiting for your boss to notice your hard work, or are you actively investing your time and energy into advocating for yourself?

In this episode of Intent on Purpose, host Laura Hansen Breksa sits down with Board Certified Behavior Analyst and founder of Analyze and Act, Dr. Radhika Achari, to break down why self-advocacy is the ultimate form of self-investment. Together, they explore practical strategies to ask for promotions, receive difficult feedback, navigate toxic workplace dynamics, and align your energy with your long-term goals.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why the advice "fake it 'til you make it" actually harms your confidence—and what strategy to use instead.

• How can you present proof of your value for a promotion before you even apply?

• What is the "happy medium" between acting like a workplace bulldozer and being a people-pleaser?

• Why getting a 360-degree evaluation can feel terrifying, and how a growth mindset transforms criticism into creative solutions.

• How do you know when it’s time to stop trying to fix a toxic job and start advocating for yourself by leaving?

Self-advocacy isn't about being loud—it's about building on your unique strengths and taking control of your personal growth. Tune in to learn how to stop waiting for others to meet your needs and start claiming the career path you want.

CONNECT WITH DR. RADHIKA ACHARI:

• Website: analyzeandact.com
• Instagram: @analyze_an_act

  Dr. Radhika Achari is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 15+ years of clinical experience and the founder of Analyze & Act. She created Bridge to College Independence™, a program helping parents of neurodivergent teens build real independence before college. Her path there wasn't purely professional — years of IVF before becoming a mother, followed by raising a neurodivergent child, forced her to rebuild what "success" as a parent meant, often without a roadmap. Radhika believes the hardest chapters of a life are rarely dead ends; they're often the raw material for exactly what you end up building.

CONNECT WITH LAURA HANSEN BREKSA:

• Subscribe: Don't forget to hit the Subscribe button and click the notification bell to catch every episode dedicated to helping you invest your time, energy, and talents where they matter most!

#SelfAdvocacy #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceTips #GrowthMindset #IntentOnPurpose #ProfessionalDevelopment #BehavioralScience #SelfInvestment

Intentional Decarceration: How Maryam Henderson-Uloho Built Purpose from Pain & Reclaimed Her Humanity and Helps Others Do the Same

When institutions strip away your freedom, identity, and dignity, how do you align your time, energy, and talents toward what truly matters?

In this deeply moving encore episode of Intent on Purpose, Laura sits down with long-time friend Miriam Henderson-Uloho, founder of Sister Hearts Thrift Shop and the decarceration program, featured subject on Netflix’s Queer Eye (Season 7, Episode 6), and a true force of intentional living. Based on her experience and natural caring for others, Maryam turned profound suffering into an unwavering, laser-focused mission and channels every ounce of her energy into building a movement that restores dignity to formerly incarcerated people.

In this episode, we explore the power of:

Institutionalism

Starting Fresh and Reclaiming What Was Taken

A Clear Vision

Practice Vocabulary

Sister Hearts and Radical Love

Investment of Energy

Listen in to learn how Maryam’s fierce focus, clarity of vision, and intentional action transformed deep hardship into a legacy of hope.

More about Sister Hearts:

From sisterhearts.org

"SisterHearts is a supportive community network of compassionate people and organizations working towards dismantling a failing prison system that too often contributes to recidivism. SisterHearts, Inc. was founded in June 2014 as an innovative, community-driven response to the challenge of reducing recidivism and crime in New Orleans, Louisiana.

With over 300 participants and one percent (1%) recidivism rate, SisterHearts has proven that its decarceration approach is transformational and a successful means to reverse the trauma of incarceration. SisterHearts serves as a bridge for inmates to cross into society and for the community to be supportive of disenfranchised individuals. Maryam Henderson-Uloho and her SisterHearts decarceration program have become internationally recognized. SisterHearts, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation under the IRS 501(c) (3) status operating in the State of Louisiana."

#prisons #sisterhearts

Are you facing a project that feels too big, complex, or overwhelming to tackle?

In this episode of Intent on Purpose, host Laura Hansen Breksa dismantles the cliché advice of "eating an elephant one bite at a time" and introduces her more effective, practical strategy: The P.L.A.N. Framework.

Whether you're organizing a messy junk drawer (an item-based project) or preparing for a major life event like surgery (a task-based project), Laura walks you through her exact step-by-step formula to stop feeling stuck and start making progress.

• 00:00 – Why "One Bite at a Time" Doesn't for Far Enough
• 00:35 – What is the P.L.A.N. Framework?
• 01:05 – Piece: Breaking Down Items vs. Tasks
• 01:30 – Layout: Getting Everything Visualized
• 02:30 – Analyzed: Asking the Right Questions
• 03:40 – Number: Prioritizing, Delegating & Order of Operations
• 04:30 – The "Settlement Template": Acceptable Success vs. Perfection
• 05:40 – Final Recap & Wrap-Up

In this episode, host Laura Hansen Breksa sits down with retired U.S. Navy Reserve Officer Steven Michaels. Steven shares how he applies his decades of military leadership, technical expertise, and passion for service in his post-military life—from his deployment in Afghanistan to serving as a neighborhood captain in Arizona.

For Steven, supporting the military advocacy group STARRS is one of the primary places he chooses to direct his personal time, energy, and talents. He breaks down why this cause matters so deeply to him and how he works to educate his local community and support fellow service members.

👉 How are you investing your own time, energy, and talents where they matter most? Share your perspective in the comments below, hit the Like button, and subscribe to join the conversation!

• Military Service: Served 29 years in the United States Navy Reserve as an engineering officer, retiring as a veteran who deployed as an Individual Augmentee (IA) to Afghanistan in 2009.
• Corporate Career: Spent decades working global engineering and leadership roles at major tech and defense corporations, including Motorola and Northrop Grumman.
• Roots & Values: Raised by parents who were both U.S. Army veterans (who met while serving), instilling in him a lifelong commitment to duty, community support, and country.
• Community Leadership: Active state leader for STARRS in Arizona and serves locally as a neighborhood captain, dedicating his time to helping neighbors and organizing community action.

During the episode, Steven shares his work as the Arizona State Leader for STARRS (Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services).

What is STARRS?

• Mission: An organization composed primarily of retired military officers, veterans, and concerned citizens dedicated to preserving merit-based standards, unity, and operational readiness within the U.S. Armed Forces and service academies.
• Core Focus: Advocating against what it views as divisive social agendas, political ideologies, and identity-based policies within the military.

• Key Initiatives:
  • Gathering testimony, data, and affidavits from service academy cadets and military personnel.
  • Offering legal support and advocacy for service members facing career disruptions over policy disputes or mandates.
  • Educating the public and leaders on maintaining a mission-focused, meritocratic defense force.

Connect & Resources:

• Learn more about STARRS: https://www.starrs.us
• Steven’s Blog: https://majorfoobar.wordpress.com

🔔 Subscribe to Intent on Purpose for weekly insights on putting your talents to work and investing your life where it counts!

#IntentOnPurpose #MilitaryVeterans #STARRS #NavyReserve #CommunityLeadership #InvestYourTime #Leadership #VeteransInAction #PurposeDrivenLife