Leadership Tea

Taking Your Power Back with Cathy Duffy | S3 EP3


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How can you transform unexpected career changes into opportunities for reinvention and personal growth? With returning guest Cathy Duffy, Belinda and Shelby talk about how to respond to forced career pivots, a reality many professionals are facing right now. 

Cathy shares her story of a forced "early retirement" and how she used this pivot to pursue her interests, including studying at Oxford University. Cathy underscores the value of flexibility, self-awareness, and redefining power as "power with" rather than "power over." 

Belinda and Shelby offer insights into their own experiences with career uncertainty. They encourage listeners to lean into their communities and to approach this time with a mindset of exploration rather than fear. This conversation serves as a reminder that unexpected changes can lead to profound personal and professional transformation, if you approach them with curiosity and honesty.

In this episode:

  • Letting go of preconceived notions about your career path 
  • Embracing flexibility and being open to exploring new possibilities 
  • Redefining power not as “power over” but as "power with"
  • Recognizing that life has peaks and valleys – and how to take advantage of the valleys
  • The importance of self-reflection, and learning to listen to the signs that life provides.

Where to find Cathy:

  • Instagram: @BermudaCat
  • LinkedIn: Catherine R Duffy

Resources mentioned in this episode:

  • Oxford Next Horizons program
  • Mel Robbins' book, "The Let Them Theory" 
  • Heather McGee’s book, "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together” 

Send us a comment!

Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

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Leadership TeaBy Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson Farrier

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