The Change Effect - Inspiration and Strategies for Creating Success on Your Own Terms

What happens when the life you worked so hard to build starts taking a toll on your body?

In this episode of The Change Effect, Noelle Van sits down with Debbie Saidyfye, a former corporate executive turned nervous system nutritionist, to talk about the hidden connection between chronic stress, food, burnout, and survival mode.

After spending more than three decades pushing through long work hours, raising four daughters, and ignoring the signs her body was sending, Debbie reached a breaking point. Severe anemia, chronic exhaustion, tension headaches, and sugar addiction forced her to stop and reevaluate everything. What she discovered changed the trajectory of her health and her life.

Are you feeling the pull of the "Great Breakup" and ready to redefine success on your own terms? In my new mini series, Pros Who Pivot, you’ll discover how women leaders are trading corporate burnout for true agency and fulfillment. 

If you're ready to take action, connect with me at [email protected] for details on the RESET, an exclusive opportunity I'm offering to a select group of women feeling the pull toward something new. 

Debbie Saidyfye spent over three decades in the corporate world before a series of deeply personal wake-up calls led her to completely reimagine her life and work. What began twelve years ago as a search for better health through food as medicine became the doorway to something much deeper.  

As she restored her own energy and clarity through nutrition, she discovered that true transformation was not just about what we eat, but about the nervous system patterns driving how we live.  Today, Debbie is known as The Nervous System Nutritionist™. 

She helps high-achieving women who have lived under pressure and responsibility for years reconnect with their bodies, build safety from the roots up, and create lives that feel aligned rather than simply accomplished.  Her journey from corporate executive to practitioner is rooted in one core belief: when we grow from the roots up, everything above ground begins to change.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why high-achieving women are often the last to hear what their body is telling them and what it costs them
• The connection between food, chronic stress, and the nervous system and why you cannot heal one without addressing the others
• What dysregulation actually looks like in everyday life and why it shows up as exhaustion, cravings, brain fog, and procrastination
• How to start building a more resilient nervous system from the roots up so that lasting change becomes possible

For women who are used to being the strong one, the productive one, or the one who always keeps going, this conversation offers both compassion and truth: your body is not working against you. It may be trying to get your attention.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Debbie:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlantThrivingWomen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantthrivingwomen/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlantThrivingWomen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-saidyfye-71177816/

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

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From crushing professional milestones to feeling misaligned with what “making it” really means, I urge you to consider how much of your idea of success is truly your own. 

This week on The Change Effect, I’m exploring the deeply rooted beliefs around success that we absorb early on and how these definitions often need a serious update as we move through the different chapters of our lives.

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• Early definitions of success are often shaped by parents, culture, media, and what society chooses to praise or reward.
• The three core forms of early success beliefs are safety-based, approval-based, and identity-based.
• Signs that your definition of success may be changing as you grow through life. 
• Actionable encouragement to get curious and honest about what success means to you now, rather than following outdated narratives.

Ready to step into a definition of success that finally feels like yours? Tune in to gather wisdom, validation, and practical strategies for navigating one of life’s most important internal shifts.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show

When we talk about navigating major life changes, especially after decades of building a successful career, the idea can feel both daunting and exhilarating. 

Today’s guest knows this all too well and joins us to share her compelling story of how personal loss, professional burnout, and a renewed sense of purpose inspired her to leave an executive role and forge a new path focused on helping others lead through transition. 

This week on The Change Effect and as part of my Pros Who Pivot Series, my guest, Mary Lou Panzano, and I are talking about navigating corporate change and discovering the courage to start anew. 

Are you feeling the pull of the "Great Breakup" and ready to redefine success on your own terms? In my new mini series, Pros Who Pivot, you’ll discover how women leaders are trading corporate burnout for true agency and fulfillment. 

If you're ready to take action, connect with me at [email protected] for details on the The RESET, an exclusive opportunity I'm offering to a select group of women feeling the pull toward something new. 

Mary Lou Panzano is an award-winning communications executive with over 35 years of experience in employee communications at global companies, empowering leaders to guide strategic organizational change. She is a certified leadership coach, communications advisor, speaker, and best-selling author, passionate about helping people succeed through any change they want to make in their business or lives. 

Mary Lou is a featured author in the Cracking the Rich Code, Volume 18 anthology, and her solo book, Cementing Change: Cracking the Code for Communications that Work, will be published in 2026. She is a wife, stepmother of two adult children, and a grandma. She and her husband live in New Jersey with their German Shepherd, Bruno.

In this episode, Mary Lou and I discuss:

• Lessons learned navigating corporate structures and seizing opportunities, even when self-doubt crept in.
• Real-life stories of aligning (or misaligning) personal values with corporate decisions, including the toll it can take on passion and purpose.
• The profound impact of personal loss and how it served as the catalyst for making bold, life-affirming decisions about what matters most.
• How Mary Lou made her transition out of corporate life, the adjustment period that followed, and how she found new meaning as a leadership coach.
• Her signature “4 Cs” framework for leading change—Clarity, Connection, Caring, and Courage—applicable to leaders, teams, and anyone aspiring to navigate big transitions.

Mary Lou’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to redefine success or choose another direction—especially as you harness the wisdom of experience and the courage to prioritize joy and meaning.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Mary Lou:

Website 

LinkedIn

Be on the lookout for her first solo book, Cementing Change: Cracking the Code for Communications that Work coming out soon!

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

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It’s far too easy to convince ourselves to stay in relationships that no longer serve us, whether in our personal lives, with family, or at work. But the price of lingering in toxic dynamics is far greater than the discomfort of leaving. This week on The Change Effect, I’m discussing the cost of staying in toxic relationships and how to break free. 

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• The subtle ways toxicity shows up in friendships, romantic partnerships, family, professional, and client relationships.
• Why strong, high-achieving women and leaders are most likely to stay in unhealthy dynamics.
• How our identities, hope for change, conditioned competence, and fear of scarcity trap us in toxic cycles.
• The emotional toll associated with staying too long in a toxic relationship.
• Practical insights on recognizing these patterns and the path to trusting yourself enough to leave.

If you’re ready to step beyond what’s holding you back and step into a new chapter, this episode is your permission slip to make change—one powerful decision at a time.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show

Navigating the world of professional visibility can feel daunting, especially as expectations around “showing up” online continue to shift. What does it really mean to put yourself out there, and how do you do it in a way that’s authentic, sustainable, and aligned with your goals? 

This week on The Change Effect, I’m joined by LinkedIn strategist and ghostwriter Julia Zatta for a conversation about stepping into visibility, building your personal brand, and leveraging LinkedIn as a low-lift, high-impact platform for professional growth. 

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

Julia Zatta is a LinkedIn content strategist and ghostwriter who helps founders, consultants, and service providers turn their ideas into clear, human content that builds trust and generates leads. She specializes in making LinkedIn feel simple, strategic, and doable without feeling performative.

In this episode, Julia and I discuss:

• The evolution of LinkedIn from a static resume platform to a social media space for personal storytelling and professional networking.
• Why building a personal brand is essential for both entrepreneurs and those working within corporate environments.
• Practical steps to update your LinkedIn profile, clarify your audience, and create consistent, meaningful content without burnout.
• Strategies for overcoming the mindset blocks and reluctance many people feel when stepping into online visibility.
• How even simple LinkedIn posts help keep you top of mind—sometimes without much engagement, but still yielding big opportunities.

Ready to get started? Join Julia’s 7 Day LinkedIn Visibility Sprint and start showing up confidently without burning out. 

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Julia:

Blog

LinkedIn

Instagram

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show

When life is going well, choosing to make a change can feel confusing or even unnecessary. But what if the quiet pull toward something new signals the next chapter in your personal transformation? This week on The Change Effect, I discuss the nuanced experience of choosing change when everything on the surface seems just fine. 

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• How the loss of familiar reference points during change can lead to feelings of disorientation and how this affects your confidence, decision-making, and sense of self.
• Practical strategies for navigating identity shifts as you move through the “messy middle.”
• Gentle reminders to use routines, reflection, and simple structure to feel steady while clarity emerges—and why you don’t need a new label or explanation for your changes.

Not sure where to start? Check out my exercise, Navigating the In-Between, designed to help you reflect and move forward with ease and confidence. 

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

LINKS REFERENCED:

Navigating the In-Between 

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Achieving outward success and having it all can make us feel on top of the world, but what happens when  that outward success doesn’t translate into inner fulfillment?  

Tenille Bentley’s journey began in the corporate world, where she built a multimillion-dollar tech company by her early 30s and founded a global charitable initiative that reached more than 40,000 children across five countries. Everything looked great on paper, but inside she felt empty. 

This week on The Change Effect, Tenille and I discuss her journey from boardroom burnout to transforming lives with therapeutic sound.

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

Read Tenille’s Full Bio Here.

In this episode, Tenille and I discuss:

• Tenille’s path from building a multi-million dollar tech company and charitable foundation to the pivotal moment that led her to reevaluate her life’s direction and reconnect with her “why.”
• The creation of ELMA Education and its mission to nurture emotional intelligence and resilience in children, families, and workplaces.
• Tenille’s innovative work in sound therapy, the formation of the En Coda Symphony Orchestra, and the co-production of the documentary Does Sound Heal?
• The challenges and courage it took to let go of old identities, embrace her true calling, and pioneer new ways of supporting mental health.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Tenille:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn  

ELMA Education

@emotionalliteracy on Instagram

Does Sound Heal

En Coda Music  

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

LINKS REFERENCED:

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Listening to Smile

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

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Ever felt a restlessness stirring beneath the surface, even after you’ve accomplished all you set out to do? This doesn’t mean you’re flawed, but rather an invitation to evolve, redefine success, and use your wisdom in new ways. 

This week on The Change Effect, I’m diving into the all too familiar experience for high-achieving women of being a “restless leader.” Whether you find yourself leading teams in boardrooms, managing households, navigating caregiving roles, or simply holding everyone together, you’re not alone if things feel unsettled, even when life looks successful from the outside.

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why feeling restless isn’t a sign of ingratitude or failure, but evidence of growth and a need for change.
• Four major drivers that push women toward change: value misalignment, the cost of conformity, burnout from being the strong one, and the pull towards greater purpose.
• The deep-rooted challenges women face when considering change, including identity enmeshment, fear of wasted potential, myths about stability, and the approval trap.
• Insights into what women discover on the other side of transformation: increased energy, renewed alignment, and the capacity to receive more from life.

Download the Unhooking from the Approval Trap worksheet and share this episode with a woman you know who’s ready for her own breakthrough.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show

Have you ever had that quiet feeling, that subtle nudge, or that inner pull that told you something was off? Or maybe you knew exactly what you needed to do, even if you couldn't logically explain it? 

Most of us call it a gut feeling, a hunch, an instinct; I call it your intuition, and it’s something we use far more than we realize. This week on The Change Effect, I’m talking about how to recognize and trust your intuition. 

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• How to recognize the subtle signs of intuition and distinguish them from anxiety, fear, or external pressure.
• Practical strategies for integrating intuition with logic, using both your internal compass and your map as you navigate decisions.
• Simple observation practices to notice intuitive signals, like paying attention to your body’s responses or recurring thoughts.
• The importance of building your “intuition muscle” through low-stakes decisions and the power of keeping an intuition journal as a trust builder.

Ready to tap into your inner knowing? I invite you to start noticing, start listening, and start trusting your intuition—even just a little more than yesterday.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show

When it comes to reinventing yourself and navigating life transitions, sometimes change doesn’t arrive with a formal invitation or even a plan. It starts as a quiet inner nudge that the path you’re on no longer fits. 

This week on The Change Effect, my guest Michelle Glogovac, known as “The Podcast Matchmaker” and founder of the MLG Collective, shares her remarkable story of leaving behind her career in corporate aviation to step into the unknown, follow her curiosity, and ultimately create a business (and life) aligned to her true values. 

Get 20% off your Day by Daybook®  with the discount code NEW20 here. 

Michelle Glogovac is THE Podcast Matchmaker®, a podcast publicist, author of How To Get On Podcasts (McGraw Hill, 2024), and host of three podcasts, which include the award-winning show, Read The Damn Book, Beyond The Campaign, and BURNT. 

She works with entrepreneurs, authors, and changemakers to hone their storytelling abilities, grow their businesses, and elevate themselves as thought leaders. Michelle is a wife, mom of two, stepmom of two, and a fur mom. She has her B.A. and M.S. in Law, and is the Founder + CEO of The MLG Collective® and California Moms For Good.

In this episode, Michelle and I discuss:

• Her journey from flying high in corporate aviation to building a podcast PR agency from the ground up.
• The realities, challenges, and joys of launching multiple podcasts—plus advice for anyone wanting to use their voice or grow their platform.
• Overcoming fear, building confidence, and why consistency (not perfection) is the secret to podcast longevity.
• The unique magic of podcasting as a tool for connection, education, and sharing stories that matter.
• The rise (and reality) of the podcasting industry, what listeners crave right now, and trends to watch for creators and change-makers.

No matter where you are on your journey through change, Michelle’s story and practical wisdom will inspire you to follow your curiosity, lean into your gifts, and step boldly into what’s next.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me what resonated with you.

Connect with Michelle:

MLG Collective Website

Michelle Glogovac Website

Substack

Instagram

Connect with Noelle:

https://www.noellevan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@noellevanv

https://www.instagram.com/noellevanbeyond

Support the show