We tend to think of courage as something dramatic—big leaps, bold declarations, or burning it all down and starting over. But most of the courage that actually changes your life is much quieter than that.

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate explores the non-obvious ways we flex our courage muscle—the small, often invisible decisions that compound over time and quietly reshape our careers, identities, and lives.

You'll hear about:

• Why saying no to the easy win can be one of the bravest choices you make
• The courage it takes to resist performative busyness and do deep, invisible work
• What it means to stay open when you don't yet have a clean title or identity
• Why being a beginner is essential for growth (and why high-achievers resist it)
• When quitting is wisdom—not failure
• How to listen to your intuition without needing to justify it to everyone else

This episode is for anyone who senses they're standing at the edge of their next chapter—and wants to build the courage to step forward, one intentional rep at a time.

If this conversation resonates, you'll find these ideas explored more deeply in Kate's book, Beyond Potential. And if you want support applying this work to your own life or career, Kate is opening a limited number of 1:1 coaching spots for 2026. Book a free 30-minute consultation call to see if you're a good fit, or head to Instagram and DM "Coach" @KKayaian.

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate explores a question she's been asked repeatedly—especially in uncertain, chaotic times:

Is it selfish to focus on your own growth when the world feels like it's on fire?

Drawing on psychology, leadership, and her lived experience as both a conductor and a coach, Kate reframes self-actualization not as ego or individualism, but as responsibility. When individuals commit to becoming their best selves, they create stronger, more generous, and more resilient communities.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why self-actualization was never meant to be about narcissism or personal gain

• How pursuing your own growth can directly strengthen your workplace, neighborhood, or industry

• Three practical ways individual excellence fuels collective thriving

• A powerful orchestra metaphor that reframes leadership, contribution, and responsibility

If you've ever felt torn between personal ambition and caring deeply about the world around you, this episode offers a grounding, hopeful perspective—and a clear path forward.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The concept of self-actualization (Abraham Maslow)

• Kate's Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide

If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who's navigating their own next chapter. And if you'd like Kate's hugely popular (and free!) Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide, send her a DM on Instagram with the word RETREAT (@kkayaian).

If you want some help in becoming your best self, be sure to get a copy of Kate's best-selling book, Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Careers.

In this solo episode, we talk about what is REALLY standing between you and your dreams, and how to remove the obstacles.

If you've been circling around the same goal for months (or years), telling yourself you'll begin "when you're less busy, when you're ready, or when you feel more confident about it," this conversation will hit home.

Using the metaphor of a solid block of marble, Kate shares eight common beliefs that disguise the real obstacles—fear, overthinking, avoidance, perfectionism, friction, clutter, and outdated identity patterns.

You'll learn:

• Why your dream doesn't require more time—but does require removing what's in the way

• How negative self-talk, uncertainty, and "busy brain" tasks masquerade as lack of motivation

• What Stoicism, hurricanes, and 75 Hard taught Kate about imperfect conditions

• The difference between rocking-chair tasks and true needle movers

• Why readiness, motivation, and discipline only show up after you begin

• How accountability, support, and reframing can help you start chiseling away

Whether your goal is to write a book, launch a project, shift careers, or simply feel less overwhelmed, this episode will help you chip away at the noise and find the sculpture underneath.

Connect with Kate: Instagram: @kkayaian Grab the book: Beyond Potential — your guide to building a life that fits who you've become. Subscribe to The Weekend List Work with Kate 1:1: Schedule a free discovery call today Book Kate to Speak: www.katekayaian.com

Book a 1:1 Strategy Session with Kate! limited spots available, click HERE to schedule yours.

This episode marks a major milestone: 100 episodes of Tales from The Lane!

Instead of celebrating with highlights or a "greatest hits" reel, Kate uses this moment as a pause—a chance to reflect on the identity shifts of the past year and to look intentionally ahead to 2026.

Coming on the heels of ThriveFest, the Quarterly Retreat, and a deeply personal 2025 Year in Review, this episode explores how goals evolve when they're set from clarity instead of pressure—and why Kate's word for 2026 is Amplify.

Inside this episode, Kate shares:

• Why 2025 wasn't about achievement, but transformation

• How identity shifts quietly shape the goals we're capable of holding

• What it means to amplify work that already resonates, instead of constantly reinventing

• Her intentions for the podcast, speaking, coaching, and Beyond Potential in the year ahead

• A practical framework for setting goals that feel true—not performative

If you're entering a new year craving alignment, agency, and momentum that doesn't come from burnout, this episode will help you ground your goals in who you've already become.

Ready to design 2026 with intention? Kate is currently booking 1:1 2026 Strategy Sessions—focused, practical conversations to help you clarify priorities, build a realistic plan, and move forward with confidence.

Want more? Sign up to receive my weekly newsletter, The Weekend List, full of behind-the-scenes action, additional insights, and what I'm watching, reading, listening to, and trying out. And be sure to come and say hello on Instagram! I'm @kkayaian

Get your free copy of my Quarterly Retreat Guide– it's the perfect time to plan out your next 90 Days.

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, I'm doing one of my favorite things of the year: a full, honest Year in Review.

This isn't a highlight reel or a greatest-hits episode. It's a thoughtful reflection on what 2025 actually held—what worked, what didn't, where I surprised myself, where I had to let go, and what only became clear with hindsight.

As I walk you through the year month by month, I share:

• The wins that mattered most (including publishing Beyond Potential)

• The lessons that came through challenge, rest, and recalibration

• Identity shifts that didn't make sense in the moment—but do now

• Why progress isn't always loud, linear, or visible

• And how rest, community, and trust compound over time

As always, this episode isn't really about me—it's an invitation for you to reflect on your year alongside mine.

Where did you grow? What surprised you? And what are you carrying forward into the next season of your life and work?

If you're heading into a new year feeling reflective, thoughtful, or quietly proud of how far you've come—even if it doesn't all show up on paper—this episode is for you.

Want more? Sign up to receive my weekly newsletter, The Weekend List, full of behind-the-scenes action, additional insights, and what I'm watching, reading, listening to, and trying out. And be sure to come and say hello on Instagram! I'm @kkayaian

Day 4 of the Quarterly Retreat Mini-Series: OPTIMIZE

You've planned. You've created. You've organized.

Today, we optimize.

Day 4 is where we take everything you've built this week and make it smoother, lighter, more efficient, and far easier to sustain. This is where you move from "scrambling and reacting" to feeling supported by your tools, systems, and environment.

Inside this episode, you'll:

• Refresh or update your website, LinkedIn, or public-facing profile so it matches who you are now

• Optimize your templates so you stop reinventing the wheel

• Clean up and clarify your social media presence

• Automate, streamline, and systematize the parts of life and work that drain your energy

• Design a workflow that frees up more time, space, and mental bandwidth

By the end of Day 4, you'll feel clearer, calmer, and more supported by the structures around you. This is the day that creates ease.

🎧 Listen now, and then spend the day setting yourself up for success.

✨ Want support and structure? Download my free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide to follow along and use it every quarter.

📍 And if you want to do this LIVE with me, join the Stay-At-Home Retreat sessions happening December 29, 30, 31 & January 2 from 11am-12pm ET via Zoom. Sign up via Thrivefest.

Let's optimize, together. Happy Quarterly Retreating, friends!

Welcome to Day 3 of our Quarterly Retreat series inside Tales From The Lane!

If you've been following along, you've already:

• Day 1: Planned

• Day 2: Created

And today… We Organize.

This is the quiet power day. The one most people skip. But it's also the one that creates peace, reduces overwhelm, and makes everything you've mapped out actually work. Because clarity loves order.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why organizing isn't "busywork"—it's nervous system regulation

• How to create physical space so your ideas can thrive

• A simple approach for finally conquering your inbox

• The truth about digital clutter and decision fatigue

• Why that paper pile is draining your energy (and how to reclaim it)

By the end of Day 3: Your space will support your work. Your brain will feel lighter. And your next 90 days will have room to breathe.

🎧 Listen now, and then spend the day setting yourself up for success.

✨ Want support and structure? Download my free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide to follow along and use it every quarter.

📍 And if you want to do this LIVE with me, join the Stay-At-Home Retreat sessions happening December 29, 30, 31 & January 2 from 11am-12pm ET via Zoom. Sign up via Thrivefest

Let's build the next 90 days with purpose.

Welcome back to Day 2 of our Stay-at-Home Quarterly Retreat mini-series!

If yesterday was about reflection, clarity, and direction, today is about rolling up your sleeves and building the things your next 90 days will need.

Today is all about Creation Mode.

Most of us do planning beautifully. But then life happens…and suddenly everything becomes last-minute: graphics, promo posts, emails, outreach, content, requests, rehearsals prep – you name it.

Today we break that cycle.

In this mini-episode, I walk you step-by-step through how to: • Create assets that save you time later • Stock your "visibility pantry" • Build social posts, captions, emails + ideas • Gather testimonials + proof of excellence • Design graphics + templates to reuse • Send bold outreach to move your career forward

This is the day where momentum begins. This is where you build ease into your next quarter.

🎧 Listen now, and then spend the day creating what Future-You will be so grateful to have.

✨ Want support and structure? Download my free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide to follow along and use it every quarter.

📍 And if you want to do this LIVE with me, join the Stay-At-Home Retreat sessions happening December 29, 30, 31 & January 2 from 11am-12pm ET via Zoom. Sign up via Thrivefest

Let's build the next 90 days with purpose.

Ready to step out of reaction mode and into intention? Today we're kicking off a special 4-part mini-series walking you through my Quarterly Retreat Strategy so you can step into the next 90 days grounded, organized, creative, and clear.

Most of us spend our lives reacting—putting out fires, responding to whatever shows up, and getting swept into urgency instead of alignment. This retreat is about reclaiming agency over your time, your energy, and your life—without needing to disappear to a fancy spa resort. You can do this right at home.

In this episode (Day 1: PLAN), you'll learn: • How to create a "retreat environment" at home that signals your brain to slow down and think deeply • The reflective questions that reveal what worked, what didn't, and what needs to shift • How to design the next 90 days intentionally instead of reactively • How to map goals realistically so life supports you—not overwhelms you • Why how you want to feel matters more than what you accomplish

This is the foundation. Today we prep, we reflect, and we design the quarter ahead with clarity and intention.

✨ Want support and structure? Download my free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide to follow along and use it every quarter.

📍 And if you want to do this LIVE with me, join the Stay-At-Home Retreat sessions happening December 29, 30, 31 & January 2 from 11am-12pm ET via Zoom. Sign up via Thrivefest

Let's build the next 90 days with purpose.

Today on Tales from the Lane, I'm joined by the Honourable Mari Manoogian—former Michigan State Representative and now Executive Director of The Next 50, an organization dedicated to empowering and equipping the next generation of leaders to shape the future they want to live in.

This conversation is honest, energizing, and deeply grounding. Mari pulls back the curtain on what leadership actually feels like when you're the youngest person in the room, when the stakes are high, and when stepping forward requires vulnerability, conviction, and courage.

We talk about:

• What courage really feels like (hint: it's rarely glamorous)

• Claiming leadership instead of waiting to be "granted" it

• Navigating power dynamics, criticism, and visibility

• Reinvention and knowing when it's time to evolve

• Why showing up—even when you're unsure—changes everything

Mari is smart, warm, grounded, and deeply committed to helping people lead with purpose and impact. You're going to walk away feeling inspired—and far more capable than you may realize.

Learn more about The Next 50 here: 👉 https://www.thenext50.us

Connect with Mari on social: 📸 Instagram: @marimanoogian 🔗 LinkedIn: @MariManoogian

Want more? grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Career.

And if you're craving structure, clarity, and a grounded sense of direction for the coming months, don't forget to download my Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide—your free roadmap to reflect, reset, and realign with what matters most.

Thank you for listening, friends. If this episode moved you, please share it with someone who needs encouragement to take the lead in their own life.