Unstuck & Unstoppable

Do you struggle to say no, even when you're overwhelmed?

If you're constantly putting other people's needs before your own, taking on too much or feeling guilty whenever you try to protect your time, this episode is for you.

Sarah explores why setting boundaries feels so difficult, especially for ambitious women in leadership. She explains how people pleasing is often a nervous system response rather than simply "being nice", and shares practical tools to help you communicate boundaries with confidence, maintain them consistently and create more space for the work and life that matters most.

You'll learn four simple ways to express a boundary, discover the different areas where boundaries may be missing in your life, and understand how listening to your body's "embodied yes" can help you make decisions that align with your values.

Small boundaries build self-trust, and self-trust changes everything.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why people pleasing is rooted in nervous system safety
• What healthy boundaries really are (and what they aren't)
• The four simple ways to communicate a boundary
• How to confidently say no without over-explaining
• The 3R method for holding boundaries when they're challenged
• The eight areas of life where boundaries matter most
• How to recognise your body's "embodied yes"
• Why boundaries are an essential leadership skill for preventing burnout

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and why boundaries matter

02:00 Why people pleasing makes boundaries feel unsafe

04:20 What healthy boundaries really are

06:20 The four simple ways to set a boundary:

10:45 How to make your boundaries stick with the 3R Ladder:

13:30 The eight types of boundaries

16:00 Listening to your body

18:10 Why small boundaries build self-trust

19:20 Your challenge for the week

Useful Links

Episode 88 Stop People Pleasing and Be Your Full Self at Work (with Sophie Jane Lee)

Episode 19 How to Be More Assertive at Work

Sophie Jane Lee's book Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women

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Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

What if confidence isn't the thing you're missing?

So many successful women have spent their lives being capable, dependable and high-achieving, yet still find themselves holding back at work and in life. They say yes when they mean no, struggle to set boundaries and worry about being seen as too much, too ambitious or too full of themselves.

In this powerful conversation, Sarah is joined by author, speaker and founder of Electric Peach, Sophie Jane Lee, to explore the hidden ways women abandon themselves in pursuit of being more palatable to others.

Drawing on the themes of her book Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women, Sophie shares why the stories we tell ourselves shape the lives we create and why becoming unstuck isn't about fixing yourself – it's about becoming more fully yourself.

Together they discuss self-abandonment, visibility, boundaries, people pleasing and why doing the inner work matters if we want to stop shrinking ourselves and step into our brilliance.

In this episode you'll discover:

• What self-abandonment looks like at work and in everyday life

• Why successful women struggle to own their value and take up space

• The connection between our nervous system, safety and visibility

• How unconscious stories shape our careers, relationships and confidence

• Why boundaries feel so uncomfortable and how to navigate the guilt that comes with saying no

• Practical ways to build self-awareness and create space for reflection

• Why being 'full of yourself' is something we should aspire to rather than avoid

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Sophie's career journey and why she wrote Beyond Palatable

03:00 - Why women shrink themselves and make themselves smaller

04:00 - Understanding self-abandonment and the nervous system

06:30 - What self-abandonment looks like in the workplace

08:15 - The triad of oppression and the systems women navigate

13:45 - Are we making progress as women?

16:00 - Visibility, confidence and becoming 'full of yourself'

19:00 - Why there isn't a quick fix for confidence and self-worth

22:00 - Creating space for reflection and doing the inner work

26:15 - Setting boundaries and managing the guilt of saying no

30:00 - The stories we tell ourselves and how they shape our lives

32:30 - Sophie's final message for women who want to stop shrinking themselves

Website: beyondpalatable.com

Website: electricpeach.co.uk

Instagram: @beyondpalatable

LinkedIn: Sophie Jane Lee

Useful Links

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Rate & Review the Podcast

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with another woman who needs the reminder that she doesn't have to become somebody else to succeed – she simply needs permission to become more fully herself.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

Remember, you don't have to stay stuck. You can become Unstuck & Unstoppable.

Have you ever felt like you needed to become a different person to succeed as a leader?

In this episode Sarah is joined by senior HR leader Sarah Holey, who shares her inspiring journey from retail shop floor assistant to leading international people functions across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and APAC.

Together, we explore what it really takes to grow into senior leadership without losing yourself along the way. Sarah speaks openly about navigating self-doubt, moving from being the expert to becoming a beginner again, building credibility in a new organisation, and discovering that her collaborative leadership style wasn't something to change - it was one of her greatest strengths.

If you're stepping into a bigger leadership role, managing challenging stakeholders, or wondering whether your leadership style is "enough", this conversation will leave you feeling reassured, empowered and inspired.

• Sarah's unexpected journey from studying textiles to becoming an international HR leader
• Why working on the shop floor shaped her leadership philosophy
• The confidence challenges that came with moving from one market to leading across 16 countries
• Learning to stop expecting yourself to know everything
• Why senior leadership can feel surprisingly lonely
• The value of proactive coaching before starting a new role
• Building trust and credibility with new stakeholders
• Why you don't need to copy louder leadership styles to earn respect
• The power of leading with your values
• What authentic leadership really looks like in practice
• Sarah's advice for women stepping into leadership for the first time

00:00 Introduction to Sarah Holey and today's topic

02:00 From textiles graduate to international HR leader

06:00 Career turning points and moving into global leadership

07:00 From expert to beginner: rebuilding confidence in a bigger role

09:20 Why Sarah invested in coaching before starting a new job

11:00 The hidden loneliness of senior leadership

12:00 Leaving a successful role and overcoming imposter syndrome

14:10 Leading senior stakeholders with confidence

15:30 Why authentic leadership is more powerful than trying to fit in

16:30 Speaking up without being the loudest voice in the room

17:15 Leadership values and avoiding burnout

18:45 Why coaching isn't just for people in crisis

19:45 What it was like to work with Sarah Archer

20:45 Defining authentic leadership

21:30 What 'Unstuck & Unstoppable' means to Sarah

Useful Links

Connect with Sarah Holey on LinkedIn

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

You're successful on paper. Capable, still showing up, still the person colleagues message when something needs sorting. And yet - something's shifted, and you can't quite name what.

In this episode, Sarah unpacks the career crossroads: that disorienting in-between space where what used to fit no longer does, and what's next hasn't taken shape yet. Whether it's shown up through redundancy, burnout recovery, hitting a milestone, or being offered a promotion that should feel exciting but doesn't - the internal experience underneath is strikingly similar.

Sarah breaks down the six patterns that keep ambitious women stuck at the crossroads longer than they need to be (hint: it's rarely about effort), and walks through the first, most important step forward - one that has nothing to do with having a plan.

If you've ever felt quietly unsettled despite "having it all," or caught yourself hesitating at an opportunity you'd have said yes to in a heartbeat five years ago, this episode will help you understand exactly what's going on - and what to do about it.

[00:00:00] Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable

[00:01:36] What is a career crossroads? The four different triggers

[00:05:38] The common thread underneath: your relationship to your next step has changed

[00:06:00] Naming it: why this is a liminal space, not a crisis

[00:06:30] What it actually feels like day to day - redundancy, burnout, milestones, promotions

[00:10:13] Why nothing's "wrong" but it still feels hard to move through

[00:10:30] The six patterns that keep you stuck at the crossroads

[00:13:46] The real first step: space and perspective, not a perfect plan

[00:14:00] How to start - naming what's changed, separating urgency from clarity

[00:14:50] Giving yourself permission not to decide immediately

[00:16:30] Exploring options without commitment

[00:17:30] Why an outside perspective (or a coach) can shortcut the stuck phase

[00:19:00] Wrap up and where to find more resources

Useful Links

Episode 84 The Sign There is More for You in Your Career (even if you can't see it yet)

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Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

In this episode, Sarah is joined by former client Kate Dunstone, who shares her inspiring career journey from a long and successful career in higher education marketing to a senior leadership role in a completely new sector.

After 17 years at the University of Portsmouth, Kate knew she was ready for something more aligned with her values, interests and long-term ambitions. In this conversation, she shares what it was really like to leave the security of a role and organisation she’d known for years, how she built the confidence to change sector, and how coaching helped her step into a more strategic, senior role with greater flexibility.

If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to change direction, whether your skills will transfer to a new sector, or whether you’re really ready for a bigger role, this episode will give you both practical ideas and a confidence boost.

• Kate’s career journey from course administrator to senior marketing leader
• What made her realise she’d outgrown higher education after 17 years
• How she built the confidence to change sector and go for a more senior role
• The role coaching played in clarifying her direction and helping her take action
• Why a trustee role helped strengthen her CV and support her sector move
• How she negotiated a role with more flexibility and better fit for her life
• What helped her move from Head of Marketing to Director
• Why empathy and emotion can be leadership strengths rather than weaknesses
• What being “unstuck and unstoppable” means to Kate

00:00 – Introduction to Kate and her career journey

01:50 – Kate’s current role as Director of Membership, Marketing and Digital

03:35 – Starting out in higher education and moving into marketing

06:20 – Growing into leadership and becoming more strategic

08:15 – Confidence, career progression and balancing ambition with motherhood

10:45 – Why Kate decided to get coaching support

13:00 – How coaching helped with clarity, confidence, CV and LinkedIn

15:00 – Taking on a trustee role to support a sector change

17:20 – Landing the Head of Marketing and Communications role at the college

20:05 – Going for the Director role and backing herself to step up

22:40 – What Kate wishes she’d known earlier in her career

23:35 – Reframing emotion and empathy as leadership strengths

25:10 – Kate’s experience of coaching and what helped most

27:10 – What “unstuck and unstoppable” means to Kate

28:20 – Why networking, visibility and LinkedIn still matter even when you’re not job searching

Kate’s story is such a good reminder that getting unstuck isn’t always about making a dramatic leap. Sometimes it’s about paying attention to what no longer fits, getting honest about what you really want, and taking the next step before you feel 100% ready.

It’s also a powerful example of how career change doesn’t mean starting again. Kate took years of leadership, marketing and stakeholder experience and repositioned it into a new sector that felt much more meaningful and aligned.

And perhaps most importantly, this conversation highlights that qualities many women dismiss in themselves - like emotion, empathy and sensitivity - can become some of their greatest strengths as leaders.

Useful Links

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Episode 61 How to Create a Personal Board for Your Leadership Career

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Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

Have you ever found yourself wondering, "Is this really it?"

From the outside, everything looks successful. You're performing well, earning good money, and progressing in your career. Yet something feels different. Not wrong exactly, but no longer quite right.

In this solo episode, Sarah explores the often-overlooked signs that you've outgrown your current role, even when you can't yet see what comes next. She shares insights from her work with senior professional women who are navigating career transitions, questioning their direction, and searching for greater meaning, purpose and fulfilment.

If you've been feeling disconnected, restless or drawn towards something different, this episode will help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface and why uncertainty may be a sign of growth rather than a problem to solve.

• Why successful women often struggle to recognise when they've outgrown a role
• The hidden reasons career clarity can feel so elusive
• How your professional identity can lag behind your personal growth
• Four subtle signs there may be more for you in your career
• Why uncertainty is often a natural part of career evolution
• A simple reflection exercise to help you reconnect with what matters most

00:00 Welcome and introduction to the podcast

01:45 Why so many successful women ask, "Is there more for me?"

03:00 The feeling of success without fulfilment

04:05 Sarah's personal story of leaving corporate HR for the voluntary sector

05:00 The LinkedIn profile test: when your career story no longer feels like you

05:40 Why you can't see what's next yet

05:50 Reason 1: You're too close to your current identity

06:30 Reason 2: Your career identity hasn't caught up with your personal growth

07:20 Reason 3: External success can mask internal change

08:20 The awareness phase that comes before clarity

08:45 Sign #1: Feeling disconnected from your current identity and work

09:50 Sign #2: Being drawn to different careers, lifestyles or choices

10:50 Sign #3: Inconsistent motivation and what it might be telling you

11:45 Sign #4: Asking questions without having answers yet

12:30 Expansion versus exhaustion: understanding the difference

13:15 Why uncertainty is not a problem to solve immediately

13:40 A simple daily exercise to help uncover what's changing

14:35 Trusting the process of career transition and growth

15:00 How coaching can help you gain clarity and confidence

15:45 Final reflections and closing thoughts

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

Remember "You don't have to know what's next. You just have to trust that something is shifting, and that shift is giving you valuable information about what matters most."

What does authentic leadership really look like in practice?

In this episode Sarah sits down with former client Helen Cook, an experienced People Director, to discuss her career journey from hospitality into HR leadership, the lessons she's learned about confidence and career progression, and how coaching helped her gain clarity at an important point in her career.

Helen shares a refreshingly honest perspective on leadership, including navigating self-doubt, balancing ambition with family life, and staying true to yourself in senior roles. This is a thoughtful conversation for anyone who wants to lead with confidence without feeling they need to become someone they're not.

• Finding a career that aligns with your strengths and values
• Building a successful career in HR and people leadership
• Navigating self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• Leading authentically rather than copying others
• Balancing career ambitions with family responsibilities
• Lessons learned from stepping into senior leadership roles
• Why leadership isn't a race
• The value of coaching during career transitions
• Developing confidence and self-awareness as a leader
• What it means to be unstuck and unstoppable

00:00 – Introduction to Helen and her career journey

02:15 – From hospitality into HR: finding the right career path

04:30 – Key career turning points and leadership progression

07:00 – Discovering a leadership style that feels authentic

09:45 – Navigating self-doubt and imposter syndrome

12:20 – Balancing leadership responsibilities and family life

14:50 – Why leadership isn't a race

17:10 – The challenges of stepping into senior leadership

19:40 – Reaching a career crossroads and seeking coaching

22:15 – What coaching helped Helen uncover

24:30 – Building confidence and trusting yourself

27:00 – Lessons learned from leading people through change

29:45 – Advice for others considering coaching

32:15 – What being unstuck and unstoppable means to Helen

33:30 – Final reflections and key takeaways

Useful Links

Connect with Helen on LInkedIn

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

How many opportunities have you delayed because you were waiting for permission?

In this episode Sarah talks to Natalie Nielson, Programme Director at Barclays Corporate, to explore the leadership lessons that have shaped her career and helped her thrive in complex, high-pressure environments.

Natalie shares how she learned to stop waiting for someone else to tell her she was ready, navigate the inner voice of self-doubt, and develop a leadership style grounded in trust, authenticity and reflection.

We also discuss the coaching journey we undertook together following her promotion into a senior leadership role, and the powerful mindset shifts that helped her become more confident, influential and intentional in her career.

If you've ever questioned your readiness for the next step, struggled with visibility, or found yourself getting in your own way, this episode will leave you with practical insights and plenty of encouragement.

• Why waiting for permission can hold your career back
• How to get out of your own way and quiet self-doubt
• The relationship between confidence and experience
• Navigating the transition into senior leadership
• Why reflection is an underrated leadership superpower
• The importance of asking for help and building support networks
• Creating trust and meaning within teams
• Developing an authentic leadership style
• Learning from role models and increasing your influence
• Reflection before reaction as a leadership habit
• What it really means to be unstuck and unstoppable

00:00 – Introduction to the episode and Natalie Nielson

03:45 – Natalie's role as Programme Director and leading complex transformation

05:00 – The leadership challenge of waiting for permission

06:00 – Why confidence is a by-product of experience

06:40 – Getting out of your own way and managing self-doubt

08:30 – Why senior leaders still experience uncertainty

09:30 – The promotion that led Natalie to seek coaching

10:45 – Stepping into a new leadership identity

11:00 – Reflection as a leadership superpower

12:00 – Why asking for help is underrated

13:00 – Building trust, meaning and connection within teams

14:00 – Creating a high-performance culture through authentic leadership

15:00 – Aligning leadership with personal values

16:00 – Why your identity is bigger than your job title

16:45 – Possibility, potential and opening unexpected doors

17:20 – What Natalie wishes she'd known earlier in her career

18:30 – Managing worry and learning through experience

19:00 – Building visibility and influence at senior levels

19:45 – Learning from role models and observing successful leaders

21:00 – The importance of practice and confidence building

21:30 – Advice for anyone considering coaching

22:30 – Natalie's experience of coaching

23:30 – A leadership habit Natalie swears by: Reflection before reaction

24:15 – What being unstuck and unstoppable means to Natalie

25:00 – Key takeaways and closing reflections

Useful Links

Episode 40 How to Get Your Voice Heard in the Leadership Space

Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn

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Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

In this episode, Sarah explores a career experience many ambitious women silently struggle with: looking successful on the outside while feeling disconnected, exhausted, or emotionally flat on the inside.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this really it?” despite having the title, salary, or career others admire, this episode will help you understand why smart, capable women often stay stuck in roles they’ve outgrown - and what to do about it.

This episode is for you if:

• You feel successful externally but unfulfilled internally
• Your work no longer feels meaningful or energising
• You’re questioning your next career move but don’t know where to start
• You’re stuck between security and wanting something more

The hidden experience of feeling disconnected from a career that looks successful on paper.

Why reaching a senior leadership role didn’t bring the fulfilment she expected.

Common indicators including:

• Emotional flatness
• Chronic overthinking
• Loss of confidence
• Sunday dread
• Feeling underutilised
• Burnout and exhaustion
• Fantasising about escape

Sarah references Episode 77 and explains how high performers often need more than just time off.

The deeper reasons women struggle to move on, including:

• Identity attachment
• Responsibility to others
• Fear of regret
• Financial pressure
• Perfectionism
• Waiting for certainty
• Loyalty
• Confidence erosion
• Fear of disappointing others

Why you do not need to have everything figured out before making a move.

Sarah explains:

• The Shift
• The Pivot
• The Leap

Including real client examples of successful career transitions.

Questions and exercises to help you explore what needs to change:

• Notice your energy patterns
• Reconnect with your values
• Explore possibilities without pressure
• Have career conversations
• Increase confidence and visibility
• Consider what kind of life and work you want now

Outgrowing your role does not mean you’ve failed - it means you’ve changed.

Information about booking a free career clarity call with Sarah.

Useful Links

Episode 77 Rethinking Rest - What High Performers Need Beyond Time Off

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Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

What happens when your career looks successful on paper… but no longer feels aligned?

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Sarah Warrington, Head of Marketing at a private higher education institution, who shares her honest and inspiring career journey - from leaving accountancy after just 18 months, to building a meaningful leadership career in higher education marketing.

We explore the realities of career progression, navigating values misalignment, asking for what you really want, and why compassionate leadership can be a powerful advantage rather than a weakness.

Sarah also opens up about the coaching process that helped her gain clarity, confidence and the courage to make a career move while protecting the flexibility and family balance that mattered most to her.

This episode is full of reassurance and practical insight for anyone feeling stuck, professionally unfulfilled, or ready to redefine success on their own terms.

• Knowing when a career path no longer fits
• Leaving a “safe” profession early in your career
• Building a meaningful career in higher education marketing
• The importance of values alignment at work
• Why visibility and asking for opportunities matters
• Negotiating flexible working successfully
• Career coaching and building confidence
• Managing your inner critic
• Compassionate leadership and emotional intelligence
• Leadership in fast-paced startup environments
• Balancing ambitious work with family, wellbeing and personal growth

00:00 – Introduction to Sarah Warrington and her current role

01:00 – Leaving accountancy and finding the right career path

02:00 – Moving through higher education roles and discovering marketing

03:15 – Stepping into leadership for the first time

04:10 – The challenge of asking for progression and opportunities

05:40 – Why working hard alone doesn’t guarantee promotion

06:10 – Feeling stuck and discovering coaching

07:20 – Realising something was no longer aligned

08:10 – The fear of losing flexibility and work-life balance

09:10 – How coaching created clarity and self-awareness

10:10 – Managing the inner critic and building confidence

11:15 – Trying new things, networking and exploring possibilities

12:00 – “Rejection is redirection” and navigating the job search

12:45 – Negotiating compressed hours in a new role

13:10 – Discovering compassionate leadership as a strength

14:20 – Leadership in a startup-style environment

15:40 – Balancing leadership, family and wellbeing

16:30 – Why hobbies and volunteering create perspective and energy

17:20 – Sarah’s reflections on the impact of coaching

18:20 – What “unstuck and unstoppable” means to Sarah

Useful Links

Connect with Sarah Warrington on LinkedIn

Flexible Working People FaceBook Group

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]