Mindset Unlimited: Tips, Tools, and Inspiration for Women in a Time of Change

Rethinking empowerment and releasing comparison go hand in hand in a society where empowerment is treated as a commodity and lifestyle is used as a sales tactic. Lifestyle as a sales tactic encourages us to compare how happy we are to how happy someone supposedly living a particular lifestyle appears to be. When empowerment is the commodity being sold, it becomes the way to achieve that lifestyle. These idealized lifestyles tend to uphold societal norms and often become internalized through frequent messaging. Comparison can be a helpful tool for noticing what you have internalized as preferable in life, which may also help you release the comparison. 

In this episode of Unlimited, I’m exploring rethinking empowerment and releasing comparison to create a more aligned and authentically joyful way of life.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• Re-thinking empowerment
• Walking through change
• The influence of norms
• Buying out of the fantasy
• Using comparisons for self-reflection

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  @unlimitedcoachval

I love to hear your thoughts and I'm always happy to answer any questions.
You can shoot me an email at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

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LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Amena Chaudhry LinkedIn
How to Manifest What You Want Podcast Episode
Implicit Bias Defined video by The Center for Social Justice
TEDx What Do We Do About Implicit Bias video by Dushaw Hockett
Thinking Under the Influence video by Brenda J. Allen
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

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How to cure comparisonitis starts by understanding the cause and that this isn’t just a “you” problem. It’s something that impacts you, your confidence, your sense of self, and your well-being, so it feels deeply personal. Since it’s internal, comparisonitis feels like a habit of comparing yourself to others in one or multiple areas. It’s usually triggered in an area that already feels endangered in some way – often things like financial success or belonging. It turns into a cycle of validation seeking where you feel inadequate or less than, doubt yourself and your abilities and seek validation from others which tends to further erode self-esteem. It’s also framed as an individual issue even when noted as being exacerbated by things like social media. But you can tell there’s more to it both in what feels threatened and how it’s exacerbated.

In this episode of Unlimited, I’m exploring the causes of and how to cure comparisonitis.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• Losing my self and self-trust
• Sacrificing authenticity for belonging
• Survival mode upholds societal norms
• Engaging individual and collective healing
• 4 steps to recalibrate your inner compass

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  @unlimitedcoachval

I love to hear your thoughts and I'm always happy to answer any questions.
You can shoot me an email at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
 
 LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Amena Chaudhry LinkedIn
The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate
#TradWife Life as Self-Annihilation by Anne Helen Peterson

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Insights from change making feminist founders are an important type of support for other feminist business owners and leaders. We are surrounded by stories of what success is and what you must do to achieve it that perpetuate exploitation of ourselves, of others, and of our planet. These stories are what is normalized but they aren’t the only way. Hearing other stories and ways of doing business helps us believe and trust in the possibility of change. It helps us tap into and generate ideas outside the normalized boxes. Additionally, and maybe most importantly, it helps us know that we are not alone.

In this episode of Unlimited, I invited Becky Mollenkamp to join me in a conversation about the insights she's gotten from interviewing change making feminist founders.

Some of what we talk about in this episode includes:

• Unlearning and the journey to find a new path
• Hierarchical vs egalitarian business structure
• Exploring the term Feminism
• Recognizing where you still need work and doing it
• Collective work and enoughness

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Working it Out Podcast

CONNECT WITH BECKY MOLLENKAMP:
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Threads
Feminist Founders Podcast

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How to create a schedule that works for you cannot take a one size fits all approach. Most so called “successful people” strategies play on the false idea that we all have the same 24 hours and should, therefore, be able to get the same amount done. These strategies fail to factor in our humanity, discount our lived experiences, and fuel self-doubt. Instead of trying to fit someone else’s mold, you deserve routines that honor your humanity and support you where you are. Part of creating a schedule that works for you also means acknowledging that what works for you may look different at different times too. 

In this episode of Unlimited, I’m diving into the foundations that help you create a schedule that works for you with both structure and flexibility.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• How to bake flexibility into your plans
• Determining routines that support you
• Meeting yourself where you’re at in creating new habits
• Understanding the relationship between time and energy
• Exercises to assess where you’re spending your energy

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  @unlimitedcoachval

I love to hear your thoughts and I'm always happy to answer any questions.
You can shoot me an email at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Episode 7 – Can I Make Plans Yet
Reclaim Your Routine Workshop Series

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How to cultivate self-love is also how you develop self-confidence, make room for self-care, and show up as your best self. This episode is an updated replay of the season one episode, Relearning Self-Love. Your relationship with yourself is the foundation for your relationship with everyone and everything in your life. Unfortunately, it is also the relationship that we are constantly conditioned to ignore. Even the emphasis on the importance of self-care turns into a pressure when the foundation for care hasn’t been given room to be cultivated. Instead of helping us take care of ourselves better, this pressure further fuels the disconnect within ourselves.

In this episode of Unlimited, I’m diving into how to cultivate self-love, especially in times when life is happening and we feel out of control.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• The difference between self-love and self-care
• Identifying your level of self-love
• Noticing if and how you express love to yourself
• Ways to build self-confidence through love
• Preventing self-love sabotage

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  @unlimitedcoachval
 
I love to hear your thoughts and I'm always happy to answer any questions.
 You can shoot me an email at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
The 5 Love Languages
What’s Your Stress Language Quiz
#3 Understanding Your Stress Language

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The 7 Ways to Relax this Summer are also the ways we can learn to bring more rest into our lives. We have seven areas that influence our energy and each needs care as we learn to release, relax, and rest. Our society is infused with stories that pull us away from our humanity, which includes devaluing rest. Part of the process of truly relaxing is recognizing the stories we’ve internalized that keep us from relaxing. This allows us to see the systems that feed us these stories more clearly. Another part is forgiving ourselves, not because it’s our fault, but because beating ourselves up is another way we’ve been conditioned to dehumanize ourselves.

In this episode of Unlimited, the podcast, I explore 7 ways to relax this summer that support healing beyond the vacation.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• The pressures of perfectionism & productivity
• Releasing the lie of lazy
• Embracing a growth mindset
• Learning and forgiving yourself
• 7 ways to make space to relax 

REFERENECED IN THIS EPISODE:
Rest is Resistance – A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, Ph.D.
The Femme Historian Instagram
The Femme Historian Buy Me A Coffee

UNLIMITED EPISODES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Value of Rest
Navigating Obstacles to Rest
Clarifying What You Want

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How to Navigate Societal Gaslighting and Stay Empowered is an updated replay of the season one episode “No, You’re Not Crazy.” Most information regarding gaslighting focuses on the psychological experience within individual relationships. However, gaslighting is actually a societal phenomenon with roots in social power dynamics. Those roots are why it is common to experience the psychological impact of gaslighting during periods of social change. However, because we tend to think of gaslighting as an individual experience, the effect of the societal gaslighting is exacerbated and our ability to navigate the stress is inhibited. We must step out of this over-individualization in order to develop support ourselves through the stress and engage this time with intention.

In this episode of Unlimited, the podcast, I engage how to navigate societal gaslighting and stay empowered in times of social change.

Some of what I’ll cover in this episode include:

• What a period of anomie looks like
• Gaslighting and how it’s showing up in our lives
• Shifting how you think about and engage stress
• Intentionally connecting to your values and setting boundaries
• Visioning through risk assessment

ARTICLES REFERENECED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Sociology of Gaslighting
The Sociological Definition of Anomie
Anomie in the Sociological Perspective of Emile Durkheim
Stop Telling Women They Have Impostor Syndrome
Is Someone Gaslighting You?
Here’s How To spot If You’re Being Gaslighted
Embracing Stress Is More Important Than Reducing Stress

UNLIMITED EPISODES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
3 Things You Need to Create Stability in Times of Uncertainty
How to Start Meditating
Understanding Your Stress Language
Relearning Self-Love
Girl, Learn to Apologize
Red Flags in Online business
Toxic Positivity

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Resilience through unexpected career shifts is often something you realize in retrospect. It's natural to feel stress in times of change, especially during unexpected transitions that impact your financial security. It can feel overwhelming when you're walking through them. Once you know that you successfully regained a certain equilibrium in your life you can look back with greater perspective. It's rare these days to have a job that lasts a life time or even to have a linear career journey. We're in a time of transition societally and many people are experiencing that in a very personal way, particularly in their career. 

One way to gain perspective in the moment is to recall times where you have successfully navigated unexpected shifts in the past. Another way to gain perspective is to tap into other people's experience.

In this episode of Unlimited, I invited F. John Potter (aka my dad) to join me in a conversation about what resilience looks like through unexpected career shifts.

Some of what we talk about in this episode includes: 

• Being open to the unexpected
• Decision-making with the support of friends
• Courage and defining enough
• Navigating unemployment
• The accumulation of skills

Thank you for listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it! Take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me: @unlimitedcoachval

Want to share your thoughts or have questions? Send me a message! I love to hear from you.  You can email me at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
John’s Ignite Talk
Leaning Into a Mid-Life Career Change
Three Things You Need to Create Stability in Times of Uncertainty
Tao Te Ching

CONNECT WITH F. JOHN POTTER:
Website

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Three things you need to create stability in times of uncertainty are to know yourself, to stay curious, and to build community. We are in a massive period of change and that comes with a great deal of uncertainty. Uncertainty naturally triggers feelings of overwhelm, which make it hard to take action. This is NOT an individual failing. Much of what feeds this instability is systemic, not individual. With that in mind, I invite you to remember that you are part of the system and you DO have power. In order to engage that power and help build a healthier foundation, you need to start with building your own foundation. This will give you the stability to do something different, which is the only way we can begin to create something different.

In this episode of Unlimited, I explore the three ways you create stability in times of uncertainty.

Some of what I talk about in this episode includes:

• Shifting out of overwhelm
• Establishing a foundation of self-connection
• Fear of failure and binary thinking
• Cultivating a curious mindset
• The necessity of community

Thank you for listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it! Take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me: @unlimitedcoachval

Want to share your thoughts or have questions? Send me a message! I love to hear from you.  You can email me at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram
 
AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!
 
EPISODES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Can I Make Plans Yet
Reflections and A Way Forward
Getting Comfortable in The Uncomfortable
Relearning Self-Love
Clarifying What You Want
Values Aligned Leadership
How to Stop Reacting and Start Responding
Shift From Drained to Motivated
Understanding Your Stress Language
You’re More Than Your Personality Test
To Emotional Awareness and Beyond
Setting Healthy Boundaries
How to Say No Without Guilt
How to Prioritize Your Needs

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Values aligned leadership is central to running a values aligned business. Companies of any size that want to go beyond checking boxes must intentionally cultivate leadership based in clear values. A company’s most valuable asset is its people. Centering humanity at all levels of a company supports morale, efficiency, quality of work, and, ultimately, company health. Unfortunately, many people haven’t experienced examples of values aligned leadership and that makes it hard to create.

In this episode of Unlimited, I invited Alesia Galati to join me in a conversation about what values aligned leadership looks like in practice.

Some of what we talk about in this episode includes: 

• Aligning personal and business values
• Setting boundaries and expectations
• Considering employee AND client experience
• Too little or too much work is a problem
• Investing in your team

Thank you for listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it! Take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me: @unlimitedcoachval

Want to share your thoughts or have questions? Send me a message! I love to hear from you.  You can email me at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram

AND don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Creating a Human-Centered Work Culture with Marissa Badgley
The Pressure to Love Your Job with Cristin Downs
Why Work Life Balance is a Myth
Winners Take All – the Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas
The Four Agreements – A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz

CONNECT WITH ALESIA GALATI:
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LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
Listeners to Leads Podcast

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