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The Quiet Work No One Sees When You’re Building a Life
This episode isn’t about big launches, viral moments, or overnight success.
It’s about the quiet work.
The thinking.
The testing.
The pulling back.
The sitting with doubt instead of bulldozing through it.
In the first episode of 2026, Michelle reflects honestly on the year just gone — what worked, what didn’t, and what only made sense once she stopped pushing and actually paid attention.
From stepping back over Christmas to avoid burnout, to questioning growth, sponsorship, social media, and the direction of the brand, this is a grounded look at what it really takes to build something that lasts.
No reinvention narrative.
No “new year, new me”.
Just clarity earned the hard way.
In this episode, Michelle talks about:
- Why not publishing over Christmas was a deliberate decision — not a failure
- How being busy isn’t the same as being aligned
- What last year revealed about presence, attention, and nervous system burnout
- The difference between testing ideas and chasing validation
- Why community and collaboration matter more than doing everything alone
- Losing momentum — and why that doesn’t mean you’re lost
- The realities of running an unfunded podcast and staying values-led
- Rethinking sponsorship, growth, and keeping the show independent
- The thinking behind Dare Club and the Thursday dares
- Why small, intentional challenges beat dramatic life overhauls
- Living in the “dip” without panicking or quitting
Books, ideas & references mentioned:
- Lessons inspired by Tim Ferriss and extracting meaning from lived experience
- Stoic thinking via Ryan Holiday and The Obstacle Is the Way
- Reflections on ADHD from Scattered Minds
- The Netflix documentary Stutz and practical mental tools
- Purpose, alignment, and slowing the pace instead of forcing progress
Why this episode matters:
If you’re heading into 2026 feeling:
- unsure but not broken
- tired of loud advice
- quietly questioning the direction you’re heading
This episode is for you.
Because building a life isn’t about constant forward motion.
Sometimes it’s about stopping long enough to hear yourself think.
- Guest episodes return next week
- Dare Club and weekly dares resume shortly
- More intentional challenges, clearer direction, less noise
If you want to support the show, leave a review, share the episode with someone who’s in the messy middle, or join Dare Club for the weekly challenges.
And as always — thanks for listening.
Join Dare club https://stan.store/shewhodareswins
Shop: www.shewhodareswins.com
Support the show https://www.patreon.com/c/shewhodareswins
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
View all episodes
By Michelle Hands
5
55 ratings
This episode isn’t about big launches, viral moments, or overnight success.
It’s about the quiet work.
The thinking.
The testing.
The pulling back.
The sitting with doubt instead of bulldozing through it.
In the first episode of 2026, Michelle reflects honestly on the year just gone — what worked, what didn’t, and what only made sense once she stopped pushing and actually paid attention.
From stepping back over Christmas to avoid burnout, to questioning growth, sponsorship, social media, and the direction of the brand, this is a grounded look at what it really takes to build something that lasts.
No reinvention narrative.
No “new year, new me”.
Just clarity earned the hard way.
In this episode, Michelle talks about:
- Why not publishing over Christmas was a deliberate decision — not a failure
- How being busy isn’t the same as being aligned
- What last year revealed about presence, attention, and nervous system burnout
- The difference between testing ideas and chasing validation
- Why community and collaboration matter more than doing everything alone
- Losing momentum — and why that doesn’t mean you’re lost
- The realities of running an unfunded podcast and staying values-led
- Rethinking sponsorship, growth, and keeping the show independent
- The thinking behind Dare Club and the Thursday dares
- Why small, intentional challenges beat dramatic life overhauls
- Living in the “dip” without panicking or quitting
Books, ideas & references mentioned:
- Lessons inspired by Tim Ferriss and extracting meaning from lived experience
- Stoic thinking via Ryan Holiday and The Obstacle Is the Way
- Reflections on ADHD from Scattered Minds
- The Netflix documentary Stutz and practical mental tools
- Purpose, alignment, and slowing the pace instead of forcing progress
Why this episode matters:
If you’re heading into 2026 feeling:
- unsure but not broken
- tired of loud advice
- quietly questioning the direction you’re heading
This episode is for you.
Because building a life isn’t about constant forward motion.
Sometimes it’s about stopping long enough to hear yourself think.
- Guest episodes return next week
- Dare Club and weekly dares resume shortly
- More intentional challenges, clearer direction, less noise
If you want to support the show, leave a review, share the episode with someone who’s in the messy middle, or join Dare Club for the weekly challenges.
And as always — thanks for listening.
Join Dare club https://stan.store/shewhodareswins
Shop: www.shewhodareswins.com
Support the show https://www.patreon.com/c/shewhodareswins
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.