Ordinary To Badass

Ordinary To Badass

By Marie SonnemanBusinessCareers
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Ordinary To Badass episodes

  • 427: Your Thoughts Are Only Powerful If You Feed Them (Mindset Reset with Lorna Green) Remix

    Most mindset work assumes you need more motivation.

    Think again.

    In this remix episode, I’m bringing back one of the most grounding, steadying conversations in the Ordinary to Badass vault—my interview with Lorna Green, a yin yoga teacher and NLP master practitioner who blends science-backed mindset tools with deep self-trust.

    I’m replaying this episode now because honestly?
    I almost didn’t record this week.

    I was tired. Bone tired.
    And this conversation is the reminder I needed—and maybe you do too.

    ✨ Theme: Mindset Breakthroughs + Ambition Without Burnout

    This episode is for the woman who’s:

    • Doing the work but second-guessing herself

    • Mentally exhausted from overthinking everything

    • Trying to lead, grow, and show up without burning herself to the ground

    You’ll hear Lorna unpack:
    🔥 Why your thoughts only have power if you keep feeding them
    💡 How to “take your thoughts to court” instead of spiraling
    💬 The difference between reacting and responding—and why that matters when you’re tired

    This isn’t hype.
    It’s the kind of mindset work that keeps you walking—even with a blister.

    🎧 Press play if you need permission to slow the mental noise without shrinking who you are.

    47 min
  • 426: Becoming More of You (Why You Don’t Need Fixing in 2026)

    Most New Year goal setting assumes you need fixing.
    ...New year. New you. Try harder. Do more.

    ...

    Nope. We’re not doing that here.

    ...

    In this episode of Ordinary to Badass, you'll discover a different kind of reset—one that doesn’t ask you to become someone new, but instead helps you become more of who you already are.

    ...

    This conversation is rooted in one core truth:
    Your next level is already in you. We’re just clearing the noise so she can drive.

    ...

    Marie walks through what felt ordinary and what felt badass as she stepped into 2026—from falling into old business patterns, to releasing the pressure to finish everything perfectly, to creating a vision board that finally felt aligned (yes, with a little help from AI and a Walgreens poster print 👀).

    ...

    You’ll hear how to:

    • Stop repeating patterns that quietly drain your energy

    • Use a Stop / Continue / Start reset instead of overwhelming goals

    • Build confidence using a Proof Vault—real receipts for the days your brain gets dramatic

    • Reset quarterly instead of waiting until December wondering where the year went

    • Reframe “unfinished” as information—not failure

    ...

    This episode is for the woman who:

    • Feels organized but still human

    • Is tired of beating herself up for not doing “enough”

    • Knows she’s capable of more—but wants to access it without burning out

    ...

    You don’t need a new personality.
    ...You don’t need louder goals.
    ...You don’t need to be harder on yourself.

    ...

    You just need to become more of you.

    25 min
  • 425: Day 12: Your Adversity Is Your Evidence

    You made it.
    Day 12 of the 12 Days of Badassery.
    ...And today, we’re ending with the truth you’ve proven over and over again…
    ...

    you are a woman who overcomes adversity.

    ...

    In this final episode, Marie walks you through the deepest layer of your confidence: the hardships, losses, trauma, challenges, and long seasons of struggle that shaped who you are today. Adversity leaves a mark — not a weakness, but a ring of growth, like the rings of a tree that tell the story of every storm it survived.

    ...

    Inside this episode, you’ll reflect on:

    ✨ The life-altering challenges you’ve lived through
    ✨ How you navigated long-term struggle and kept going
    ✨ The setbacks you bounced back from — even when it didn’t feel like strength in the moment
    ✨ The moments where criticism, doubt, or failure pushed you to rise
    ✨ The times you endured heartbreak, loss, or major transitions
    ✨ The seasons where you surprised yourself with your resilience

    ...

    Marie guides you through powerful journal prompts to help you identify the adversity you’ve already overcome: breakups, financial stress, health challenges, navigating grief, family struggles, friendship loss, heavy emotional seasons, and the difficult chapters that changed you.
    ...Because these aren’t just memories — they’re proof. Proof of your endurance. Proof of your courage. Proof of your badassery.

    ...

    As Marie says in the episode:
    ...“You’ve been through some hard stuff. And here you are.”

    ...

    Today, you bring it all together — the fear you faced, the resilience you built, the expectations you defied, the growth you earned, the boundaries you set, the kindness you gave, and now… the adversity you survived.

    📘 Grab your FREE Proof of My Badassery journal and complete your Day 12 reflections:
    👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    You are a living, breathing list of accomplishments, courage, and grit.
    ...Write it down. Keep adding to it.
    ...And never forget the truth you proved over these 12 days:
    You are a badass.

    11 min
  • 424: Day 11: Your Words Change People — Let’s Acknowledge It

    Welcome to Day 11 of the 12 Days of Badassery, and today we’re celebrating a strength most women massively underestimate:

    ...

    Your ability to encourage, support, and lift other people up.

    ...

    You may not realize it, but your words, your belief in others, and your willingness to cheer someone on can change the entire direction of their life. And that is pure, undeniable badassery.

    ...

    In this episode, Marie explores the quiet, powerful ways you’ve already impacted people — from coworkers you’ve uplifted, to friends you’ve supported through hard times, to moments when you saw strength in someone before they saw it in themselves.
    ...She also shares her own story of becoming a detective sergeant only because others believed in her before she fully believed in herself.

    ...

    Inside today’s reflection, you’ll explore:

    ✨ Moments you encouraged someone who doubted themselves
    ✨ Times you reassured a friend, coworker, or family member
    ✨ How your support created a ripple effect you may never fully see
    ✨ When your belief in someone gave them the courage to rise
    ✨ Why helping others is one of the fastest ways to get out of your own head

    ...

    We also talk about the myth of competition among women — especially at work — and why lifting others up doesn’t diminish you; it strengthens you, your community, and your confidence. Encouragement isn’t small. It’s leadership. It’s connection. And it’s one of the clearest proofs of your badassery.

    ...

    Today’s journal prompt invites you to document every time you’ve encouraged someone, supported someone, or made life a little lighter for them. These moments matter. They reveal your character. They show your strength.
    ...They remind you that your presence in other people’s lives matters.

    📘 Download your FREE Proof of My Badassery Journal at:
    👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    You're almost at Day 12.
    And look at you — you’ve been a badass in more ways than you ever gave yourself credit for.

    9 min
  • 423: Day 10: The Hardest Times Built You — Let’s Finally Acknowledge It

    Welcome to Day 10 of the 12 Days of Badassery — and this one goes deep.
    ...Today, we’re naming the hard things.
    ...Not to relive them… but to finally honor the strength they built in you.

    ...

    In this episode, Marie guides you through the challenging moments of your life — the seasons of stress, uncertainty, grief, financial pressure, breakups, parenting struggles, job loss, and the moments you didn’t think you’d get through… but did.
    ...Because the truth is:
    if you’re here listening today, you already survived things past-you didn’t think were possible.

    Inside this episode, you’ll explore:

    ✨ The difficult chapters you downplayed or forgot
    ✨ How struggle refined your grit, courage, and emotional strength
    ✨ Why looking back at hard seasons gives you future confidence
    ✨ The lessons each challenge taught you
    ✨ The power of asking for help instead of muscling through
    ✨ How breakthroughs often come after the breakdown

    Marie shares her own story of training for her first marathon — a challenge so overwhelming she cried during her long run, questioned everything, and almost quit. Yet pushing through that season taught her she was far stronger than she believed… and that asking for support is sometimes the bravest move you can make.

    ...

    That’s the heart of today’s work:
    Your hardest moments shaped you. Your pain taught you. Your challenges built you.
    ...It’s time to acknowledge them — not with shame, but with pride.

    ...

    Use today’s prompt inside the Proof of My Badassery journal to list the moments where life tested you… and you rose anyway.
    ...These are not “just stories.”
    ...They are proof that you are resilient, powerful, and prepared for whatever comes next.

    📘 Download your FREE journal at:
    👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    Today, we celebrate not the easy wins…
    ...but the mountains you climbed when no one was watching.

    10 min
  • 422: Day 9: Navigating Change — Proof You’re Stronger Than You Think

    Welcome to Day 9 of the 12 Days of Badassery, and today we’re celebrating one of your most underrated strengths:
    your ability to navigate change.

    ...

    You might not think of yourself as someone who “handles change well,” but your life tells a different story. Every shift, every pivot, every unexpected plot twist you’ve made it through?
    ...That’s resilience. That’s adaptability. That’s badassery.

    In today’s episode, Marie walks you through moments you’ve already lived—moments that prove just how powerful your ability to adjust, grow, and keep going really is.
    ...From living through a global pandemic to handling personal upheavals, breakups, job changes, and those “I didn’t choose this, but here we go” seasons… you did it. And that counts. A lot.

    ...

    Inside this episode, you’ll reflect on:

    ✨ Times you embraced change even when it felt impossible
    ✨ When you focused on what you could control and let the rest go
    ✨ Moments you broke big problems into small, doable steps
    ✨ Seasons where change was forced on you — and you still adapted
    ✨ How taking action (even tiny action) moved you forward
    ✨ The unexpected ways change shaped your confidence, flexibility, and strength

    ...

    From navigating COVID (something even your grandparents never experienced) to stepping into new chapters in your personal and professional life, you’ve lived through a level of transformation most people never recognize in themselves.
    ...Today, you finally acknowledge it.

    ...

    Your Proof of My Badassery journal prompt will guide you to write down these moments so you can see the pattern:
    every time life shifted, you rose.

    📘 Download your FREE Proof of My Badassery Journal at:
    👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    Your story is full of evidence.
    ...Today you’re finally collecting it.

    12 min
  • 421: Day 8: Self-Love Isn’t Soft — It’s a Power Move

    Welcome to Day 8 of the 12 Days of Badassery, where we’re diving into the one practice women put off the longest — and need the most:
    self-love.

    ...

    This episode is your reminder that self-love isn’t indulgent, selfish, or soft.
    ...It’s strength.
    ...It’s fuel.
    ...And it’s the foundation of every bold, confident move you make.

    ...

    Today, Marie explores the moments — big and tiny — where you’ve cared for yourself, honored yourself, invested in your healing, or simply given yourself a breath of grace. Whether it was therapy, a walk, setting a boundary, saying “I need a minute,” or whispering a kinder thought to yourself, these moments are proof of how deeply you’re growing.

    ...

    Inside this episode, you’ll reflect on:
    ✨ The ways you’ve chosen yourself even when it felt uncomfortable
    ✨ How a little self-love can completely shift your confidence
    ✨ Why slowing down helps you lead stronger
    ✨ The small acts of kindness that add up to massive internal change
    ✨ Marie’s personal stories—from Weight Watchers to hot yoga intentions to becoming the unexpected dog-mom with a stroller (all because… love changes you)

    You’ll also hear how one intention — “I love myself” — transformed an entire yoga class and became a new rule for how Marie speaks to herself every day.

    ...

    Today’s journal work inside the Proof of My Badassery companion guide invites you to document the moments where you’ve shown up for yourself, supported yourself, and chosen to treat yourself with compassion. Because self-love isn’t just healing…
    ...it’s badass.

    📘 Download your FREE Proof of My Badassery Journal:
    ordinarytobadass.com/12

    You deserve the kind of love you give everyone else.
    ...And today, you finally write it down.

    9 min
  • 420: Day 7: How You Overcome Obstacles (Even the Tiny Ones That Changed Everything)

    Welcome to Day 7 of the 12 Days of Badassery, where we dig into one of the biggest sources of your confidence…
    the obstacles you’ve already overcome.

    ...

    And here’s the thing:
    ...Most women think obstacles have to be huge, dramatic, life-shattering events to “count.”
    ...But the truth?
    ...Your power was built in the micro-moments — the small, everyday challenges you pushed through even when they felt overwhelming.

    ...

    Today, we look at:
    ✨ The obstacles you’ve faced at work, in relationships, and in your personal goals
    ✨ The mindset shifts and strategies you used to get through them (even if you didn’t realize it at the time)
    ✨ How challenges reveal strengths you don’t see until you’re on the other side
    ✨ Why “overwhelmed → action → clarity” is one of your signature badass cycles
    ✨ How a single boundary-setting email Marie sent changed the course of her confidence forever

    From the moments that felt impossible…
    ...to the ones that simply annoyed you into standing up for yourself (looking at you, condescending contractor 😉)…
    ...these experiences shaped you in powerful ways.

    ...

    You’ll see how facing obstacles taught you to:
    🔥 Speak up
    🔥 Adapt
    🔥 Push through fear
    🔥 Trust yourself
    🔥 Build resilience you can now use on command

    ...

    Today’s prompt from the Proof of My Badassery journal guides you through specific obstacles you’ve conquered and the strengths you uncovered because of them. It’s about naming your wins, claiming your growth, and using your past as fuel for your future.

    📘 Download your companion journal
    Follow along at: ordinarytobadass.com/12

    You’ve overcome more than you think.
    ...Let’s write it down — and own it.

    9 min
  • 419: Day 6: Turning Setbacks Into Comebacks — Your Resilience Is Showing

    Welcome to Day 6 of the 12 Days of Badassery, where we shine a light on something you do far more often than you realize:
    ...

    turning setbacks into comebacks.

    ...

    In this episode, we walk through the real moments—your moments—where things didn’t go as planned… and you rose anyway. Whether it was a failed promotion attempt, a mistake you corrected, a confidence hit you worked through, or a season where you had to ask for help, these are the moments that built your resilience.
    ...And resilience? That’s pure badassery.

    ...

    Based on the prompts inside your Proof of My Badassery journal, we explore:
    ...🔥 Times you failed… but tried again (including Marie’s own story of applying for promotions multiple times before finally becoming a Lieutenant)
    ...🔥 When you shifted your mindset and chose growth over shame
    🔥 Moments you adapted, got flexible, or changed your approach
    🔥 When you sought support instead of drowning on your own
    🔥 Skills you learned because a setback demanded it
    🔥 The coping tools you developed that made you stronger than before
    🔥 How focusing on what you’re doing right creates confidence momentum

    ...

    This day is about recognizing every single comeback you’ve earned—yes, even the quiet ones. These stories deserve to be written down, revisited, and celebrated. They’re living proof of who you actually are:
    resilient, capable, persistent, and powerful.

    📘 Grab your FREE Proof of My Badassery Journal
    Follow along with today’s prompts or jot your reflections down afterward:
    👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    Your setbacks didn’t stop you.
    ...They shaped you.
    ...And today, you finally see it.

    9 min
  • 418: Day 5: The Comfort Zone Lie—And Why You’re More Badass Than You Think

    If stepping out of your comfort zone has ever felt more like panic than power… this episode is your permission slip to stop judging yourself and start celebrating yourself.

    ...

    On Day 5 of the 12 Days of Badassery, we’re digging into the moments you stretched, cracked, reached, trembled, and DID IT ANYWAY. Even when it didn’t look “bold.” Even when it didn’t feel like success.
    ...Because that is the real badassery most women overlook.

    ...

    Inside the episode, we get into:

    ✨ Why feeling scared doesn’t cancel out being brave
    ✨ How to stop measuring your worth by outcomes
    ✨ The power of micro-stretches—your ‘toe over the edge’ moments (thanks to Dr. Mike Bechtle’s wisdom)
    ✨ Real-life examples of pushing past doubt—at work, at home, and in your growth

    ...

    You’ll also hear Marie share stories about applying for a chief position she didn’t get, learning to ride a bike with bruised-up legs, and why staying in the “kiddie pool” of life keeps you from ever floating on your back in the deep end.
    ....Every single one is a reminder: you don’t have to feel fearless to be powerful.

    ...

    By the end, you’ll see your own “I did it even though…” moments in a totally different light—because they count. They deserve to be written down. And you deserve to recognize the woman who took those risks, big or small.

    📘 Grab your FREE Proof of My Badassery Journal
    Let today’s prompt guide you through every comfort-zone stretch you’ve already survived.
    ...👉 ordinarytobadass.com/12

    ...

    Let’s build the evidence together. Your badassery is already there—you’re just finally noticing it.

    11 min

About Ordinary To Badass

From the publisher's feed

A podcast for women who are capable—but tired of being overlooked in rooms not built for them. Hosted by Marie Sonneman, a law enforcement lieutenant turned leadership coach, this podcast delivers unfiltered conversations, practical career advice, and leadership strategies for women in predominantly male industries.