Ever feel like different “you’s” are arguing in your head? In this episode, Laura and coach Jess Gruss demystify Parts Work (Internal Family Systems/IFS)—a practical way to turn inner conflict into inner leadership. We unpack why protective strategies from childhood (perfectionism, people-pleasing, overworking) once kept us safe but now create shame, guilt, and stuckness—and how to evolve them with curiosity and compassion.

What you’ll learn

• How to spot parts (the inner critic, the fixer, the avoider) and what each is trying to protect

• A step-by-step way to engage parts without spiraling or self-rejection

• When to try Parts Work solo—and when to bring in a coach or therapist

Ready to practice with support? Join The Challengers Circle—Laura’s community for building emotional agility through coaching, skill labs, and micro-groups. Come get reps with people who are done white-knuckling it and ready to lead from the inside out. Start your 30-day trial—link in the show notes.

Join The Challengers Circle TODAY! https://www.changebychallenge.com/challengers-circle

Episode beats

09:31 Parts Work 101

13:18 The wisdom behind your parts’ strategies

37:41 Signs you’re ready for Parts Work

49:47 Recap + next steps

#Parts Work #IFS #InternalFamilySystems #innercritic #shame #guilt #emotional intelligence #mindset #coaching #therapy #self-compassion #personalgrowth

Safe spaces are not enough. If you keep chasing external safety, you’ll never feel brave. In this solo episode, Laura Weiner-Kiser breaks down the difference between safe spaces and brave spaces—and why true safety starts inside your nervous system, not in a controlled environment. You’ll learn how to create inner safety, quiet the inner critic that attacks your self-worth, and use self-compassion as a practical tool for accountability, healing, and deeper connection.

Laura shares a raw story about trying to fit in by putting others down—and the regret that followed. She explains how self-forgiveness, courage, and authentic vulnerability can transform shame into growth, and how the Challengers Circle community blends safety and bravery to help you practice these skills in real life (including a free 30-day challenge).

You’ll learn:

• Safe vs. brave spaces—and how to build inner safety for resilience

• A step-by-step way to disarm your inner critic and act with integrity

• Why self-compassion increases accountability (not excuses)

• How community, vulnerability, and boundaries create real belonging
  

Don’t just listen → act. Start building inner safety now and test it in the wild inside the Challengers Circle (free for 30 days). Follow, review, and send this to a friend you want on your brave team.

The Challenger Circle= https://www.changebychallenge.com/challengers-circle 

Chapters

0:00 Safe spaces vs. brave spaces

2:55 Overcoming the inner critic

9:15 Healing past mistakes with self-compassion

15:26 The Challengers Circle: where safety meets bravery

#bravespace #safespace #innersafety #vulnerability #innercritic #self-compassion #accountability #healing #community #personal growth.

Feeling “low” doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. In this honest conversation, Laura and coach Valerie Steele unpack why our energy naturally fluctuates—and how to stop shaming ourselves for it. We go deep on people-pleasing, self-worth, and the skill of validating your own experience so you can set healthier boundaries without burning bridges.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why tired days are data, not defects—and how to respond wisely

• A practical path out of people-pleasing (start small, build reps)

• How to validate your feelings while challenging limiting beliefs

• Scripts and mindsets for saying “no” with clarity and care

• Next steps if you want support: Valerie’s free group coaching calls and her 8-week transformational program (details in show notes)
  

If you’ve been running on approval and calling it love, this one’s your permission slip to be human. Follow, rate, and share with someone who needs stronger boundaries and softer self-talk.

Instagram: @drvaleriesteele- https://www.instagram.com/drvaleriesteele

Website: www.WhyNotNowCoaching.com

Office Hours: my complimentary bi-monthly Mindset Reset:https://www.whynotnowcoaching.com/events

When your identity is built on approval, who are you without it? In this episode, Tara Wiskow shares how a traumatic family revelation, emotional eating, and a doctor’s blunt wake-up call became the catalyst for rebuilding her life on authenticity—not applause.

We unpack why people-pleasing is a trauma response, how to set boundaries without burning bridges, and the difference between gratitude and “toxic positivity” (aka “positive toxicity”) so you can want more without shaming what you already have. Tara also introduces her women’s coaching program, She Rises, a 3-step method to unravel limiting beliefs, upgrade daily behaviors, and uplevel into your most honest self.

Chapters

03:16 Tara’s story: identity, emotional eating, and the turning point

04:59 Authenticity vs expectations; gratitude without gaslighting yourself

24:39 People-pleasing as a trauma response; real-world boundary setting

55:31 She Rises: unravel → upgrade → uplevel 59:05 Closing reflections & what’s next

You’ll learn

• How to stop people-pleasing and set clean, compassionate boundaries

• Why authenticity is the shortest path to self-worth and energy

• Practical mindset shifts to replace coping with growth

• A repeatable 3-step framework to align your life with who you really are
  

Follow, rate, and share if this conversation helped you choose yourself today.

We like to think communication is simple—say what you mean, and people understand. But the truth? 80% of communication comes from nonverbals—our tone, body language, and expressions. And when those don’t align with our words, people walk away confused, mistrustful, or disconnected.

In this episode of The Challenges of Change, Laura unpacks why communication so often feels messy, and how subtle mismatches between what we say and how we say it cost us opportunities in relationships, interviews, and even daily conversations.

You’ll discover:

• Why 80% of communication is nonverbal—and what that means for you

• Real-life examples of incongruency (like apologies that don’t land or jokes that miss the mark)How mismatched signals make people feel misunderstood—or even manipulated

• Practical ways to notice your tone, body language, and expressions in real time

• A simple self-check practice: listen to yourself as you speak and notice when your words and nonverbals don’t align
  

 If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “Why didn’t they get what I meant?” this episode will help you bridge the gap between what you say and what people actually hear.

#CommunicationSkills 

#BodyLanguage 

#NonverbalCommunication 

#EmotionalIntelligence 
#PodcastRecommendations

We celebrate giving—but what about receiving?

In this heartfelt episode of The Challenges of Change, Laura explores why so many of us struggle to let love, support, and kindness in. Using the powerful metaphor of The Giving Tree, she unpacks how constantly giving without learning to receive leads to imbalance, burnout, and loneliness.

You’ll discover:

• The hidden fears that keep us from receiving (fear of losing control, fear of unworthiness, fear of being a burden)

• The real costs of not receiving—eroded intimacy, resentment, and isolation

• Personal stories of how receiving transformed Laura’s relationships and sense of worth

• Practical ways to open yourself up to compliments, generosity, and support without guilt

• Why receiving is not selfish, but a profound act of connection and resilience
  

This episode is an invitation to soften, to let others love you, and to feel the wholeness that comes when you allow yourself to receive.

#Receiving-love #self-worth #relationships #intimacy #burnout #vulnerability #emotional-connection #self-love #giving-and-receiving #loneliness #resilience #challenges-of-change

 We often convince ourselves that carrying things alone is an act of strength. We say we’re protecting the people we love, sparing them from our burdens. But underneath that story is another truth....fear.

Fear that they won’t be able to hold our emotional weight. Fear they might dismiss or minimize our feelings. Fear they might see us differently… or even turn away.

In this episode, Laura explores how choosing to go it alone is more than just self-protection—it’s also a silent message: I don’t trust you to love me in this. She unpacks the hidden cost of withholding our struggles and why letting people in is not only brave, but deeply relational.

You’ll discover:

• Why we default to carrying hard things alone (and what it’s costing us)
  

• How fear of invalidation and rejection shapes our silence
  

• The unspoken messages we send when we don’t ask for help
  

• A practical “Safe Ask” framework to invite support without fear of burdening others
  

• How vulnerability creates trust and deepens connection
  

This is a conversation about the courage to be seen and the freedom that comes when we let ourselves be held.

#EmotionalIntelligence #MindsetShift #SelfCompassion #ReframeYourStory #PersonalGrowth

Avoidance isn’t laziness—it’s a nervous system response. But when we chronically avoid hard emotions, difficult conversations, or uncomfortable truths, we slowly give our power away.

In this episode, Laura unpacks the psychology and nervous system roots of avoidance, why it becomes a coping mechanism, and how it quietly shapes our behavior, relationships, and sense of purpose.

You’ll learn:

• The 3 hidden ways avoidance shows up in daily life

• Why avoidance gives short-term relief but long-term pain

• What’s really driving your urge to delay, numb, or distract

• A simple awareness practice to shift from avoidance to intentional action

What if your drive to succeed is quietly draining your fulfillment?

In this powerful episode, Laura breaks down the invisible pressure many of us carry—the need to constantly perform, achieve, and optimize—and why that mindset can sabotage not only our well-being, but our long-term success.

She explores:

• The dopamine trap of goal-chasing and why achievement often feels empty

• How to recognize when you're working from insecurity instead of intention

• The shift from outcome-attachment to values-alignment

🎯 Learn how to:

• Redefine success on your terms

Tune in now and start reimagining what’s possible when your habits serve your highest self....not your inner critic.

What if anxiety wasn’t something you had to manage forever—but something you could move through and rise above? In this powerful conversation, Laura sits down with Melissa Armstrong, a former nurse turned holistic health consultant, to explore the deeper root causes of chronic stress, burnout, and low energy. Together, they unpack the limitations of traditional medicine, the critical role mindset plays in healing, and how true transformation begins with radical honesty and discomfort.

You’ll hear:

• Why symptom-chasing keeps us stucK

• How to break free from anxiety loops

• What it really takes to reclaim energy, confidence, and clarity

• Why growth requires discomfort—and how to move through it with purpose
  

If you’ve been trying to feel better but keep hitting the same walls, this episode will give you fresh insight, hope, and practical tools to start your healing journey from the inside out.

WEBSITE= https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/

PODCAST=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holistic-health-with-melissa/id1778991009