Your Yes Filled Life

Have you ever said, “I don’t know what to do,” and then spent days, weeks, or even years asking everyone else what they think? 

Sometimes you genuinely don’t know.

But sometimes you do know something - and what you’re actually struggling with is the uncertainty, fear, or other people’s reactions that might come with honoring it.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, I’m sharing one of my own experiences of knowing what I wanted long before I trusted myself enough to fully choose it. We’ll also talk about why this can be especially complicated for empaths, who are often taking in everyone else’s feelings, preferences, and reactions alongside their own.

You’ll learn how to distinguish between “I don’t know what to do” and “I know, but taking action feels hard,” why discomfort doesn’t automatically mean you’re making the wrong decision, and a simple practice for separating what you know from what you’re afraid of.

Because someone else’s feelings can be real without becoming instructions for your life.

In this episode:

If there’s a decision, boundary, relationship, opportunity, change, or desire you’ve been circling, bring it to Yes to Me on September 15 from 6–8 PM Pacific.

You don't need to arrive knowing the answer.

Come fully in the wobble.

This complimentary two-hour live experience combines teaching, coaching, somatic practices, and breathwork to help create enough space for you to hear yourself.

Register at https://www.brendawinkle.com/yestome 

Keywords: Self Trust, Empath, Empath Life, Highly Sensitive Person, Discernment, Stop Second Guessing, Trust Yourself, Nervous System Regulation, Somatic Healing, People Pleasing Recovery, Healthy Boundaries, Emotional Wellness, Personal Growth, Intuition, Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle

Empaths are often incredibly good at understanding everyone else. But how much of that empathy are you giving yourself? 

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda sits down with psychiatrist, bestselling author, and empath expert Dr. Judith Orloff for a conversation about empathy, boundaries, intuition, self-trust, and the importance of self-empathy.

Because caring deeply about other people doesn't require abandoning yourself.

Brenda and Dr. Judith Orloff - known as the Godmother of the Empath Movement, explore what it means to experience the world as an empath, why boundaries matter, how sensitive people can work with their nervous systems, and what changes when you begin extending some of the compassion you so readily offer other people toward yourself.

If you're someone who can understand everybody else's needs, feelings, reactions, and reasons—but still struggles to honor your own—this conversation is for you.

Resources:
Dr. Orloff's Quiz for Empaths: https://drjudithorloff.com/quizzes/are-you-an-empath-20-question-self-assessment-test/

The Genius of Empathy by Dr. Judith Orloff: https://drjudithorloff.com/books-journals-and-card-decks/ 
Connect with Dr. Judith Orloff and learn about her:  https://drjudithorloff.com/about-dr-orloff/ 

YES TO ME: September 15, 6–8 PM Pacific https://www.brendawinkle.com/yestome 

POWER: Sef Trust for Empaths - https://www.brendawinkle.com/yestome 

Keywords: Empath, Empathy, Highly Sensitive Person, Self Trust, Boundaries, Nervous System Regulation, Self Compassion, Intuition, Discernment, Burnout Prevention, Emotional Wellbeing, Personal Growth, Healing Journey, Judith Orloff, The Genius of Empathy, Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle 

What if you’re not actually indecisive? What if you’re taking in so much information that you can’t hear yourself anymore? 

For empaths, making a decision can mean processing far more than the decision itself. There’s what you want - and then there’s someone else’s disappointment, your partner’s opinion, your family’s expectations, another reading, another podcast, another Reddit thread, another certification, and one more attempt to get absolutely certain before you move.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda shares how she knew as early as 2000 that teaching was no longer sustainable for her... and then spent 22 more years finding her way out. She explores what happened when she allowed other people’s opinions about her career to become more valuable information than her own lived experience.  

You’ll learn three ways to begin separating what you actually know from all the additional information you’re processing:

Brenda also shares a client story about what changed when one woman developed enough nervous-system capacity to stop organizing her choices around other people’s reactions, and what Brenda is noticing among people who repeatedly seek another reading or answer even after they’ve already received one.    

Because self-trust doesn’t mean knowing the right answer every time.

It means trusting yourself to respond to what happens after you choose.  

✨ YES TO ME happens live September 15 from 6–8 PM Pacific. Bring the decision, relationship, boundary, opportunity, change, or desire you’ve been circling. You don’t need to arrive knowing your answer. You can come fully in the wobble. Details coming soon.

✨ Enrollment for POWER: Self-Trust for Empaths opens in September. The next cohort begins September 29. https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

Join us in the Empowered Empath Collective - https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 

Reflection questions from this episode:

Download your free energy audit: https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

Keywords: Empath, Empaths, Empath Life, Empowered Empath, Highly Sensitive Person, Self Trust, Trust Yourself, Overthinking, Indecision, Decision Making, Intuition, Intuitive Living, Nervous System Regulation, Somatic Healing, Emotional Healing, Personal Growth, People Pleasing, Boundaries, Empath Boundaries, Spiritual Growth, Self Awareness, Healing Journey, Mindset Shift, Yes To Me, Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle

You know when your energy changes. So why is it sometimes so damn hard to do something about it?

For empaths, the problem often isn't recognizing that a person, conversation, or situation is depleting us.

We notice.

And then we override what we noticed.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda explores why protecting your energy can feel much harder than simply “setting better boundaries.”

She shares what happened when a client became so depleted she experienced what Brenda calls energy sickness, how to begin recognizing your own physical signals of depletion, and why hydration, protein, and energetic hygiene matter.

Brenda also shares a recent conversation with her mom that uncovered an old belief hiding underneath her own difficulty with boundaries: setting a boundary could mean burning a bridge.

Then there's the phone call.

Brenda knew her energy was changing. The call dropped three separate times. She kept reconnecting.

Shortly afterward, she went into a TikTok Live that performed at roughly 25% of what she'd become accustomed to seeing.

Was the conversation responsible? There's no way to know for certain.

But Brenda knew she had ignored what her body was telling her—and it raised a much bigger question:

What is it costing you when you do the same?

This episode will help you notice where your energy is changing, understand why protecting it can feel threatening, and take responsibility for something you actually CAN control:

Who gets continued access to you.

✨ Download Brenda's free Energy Audit: https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

✨ The Empowered Empath Collective is currently exploring intuition and learning to recognize your own internal signals: https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 

✨ Enrollment for POWER: Self-Trust for Empaths opens in September. The next cohort begins Tuesday, September 29, with calls Tuesdays from 6:30–8:00 PM Pacific: https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

Keywords: empath, energy protection, energetic boundaries, boundaries for empaths, intuition, self-trust, nervous system regulation, energy depletion, emotional boundaries, somatic healing

You know you need more people to see your work. 

So maybe you’ve wondered:

Is it time to run ads?

I had that exact question when I first talked with Meta ads strategist Jenn Possick in January 2025.

In fact, I was ready to hire her.

Jenn essentially told me: not yet.

I had recently closed my flagship program. I wasn’t sure which of my lead magnets were working, and I was still figuring out what came next in my business.

Jenn told me something I haven’t forgotten:

You can’t put ads behind something when you don’t know if it’s working.

And instead of losing my business, that honesty built my trust.

More than a year later, my business is clearer; I know what is working, and the conversation about paid visibility looks very different.  

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Jenn and I talk about how to know when your business is actually ready for Meta ads - and why ads aren’t designed to rescue a business that isn’t converting.

Jenn explains why you need to know who your clients are and be able to sell before you start pouring money into visibility. We talk about testing offers and lead magnets organically, building an email list you actually know how to nurture, and why getting more people into a funnel doesn’t help much if they aren’t the right people.  

We also get into retargeting, which may completely change what you think an ads budget has to look like.

Jenn explains that retargeting allows you to advertise to people who have already interacted with your business, and that some businesses can begin getting traction with retargeting at around $5 a day.  

And because this is Jenn and me, we also talk about entrepreneurship, doing your own inner work, Grand Cayman, Stingray City, swimming in bioluminescence, and why the version of somebody’s life you see from the outside is never the whole story.  

Jenn specifically created AdMakers Society with businesses making under $100K in mind, with training around retargeting and list-building ads plus support with ads, landing pages, thank-you pages, and funnels.  

Before asking:

“How do I get more people to see this?”

Ask:

“Do I have evidence that this is already working?”

Because more visibility isn't always the next move.

Sometimes the next move is getting clear enough about what works that you know exactly what you want to amplify.

 Here is a gift from her: jennpossick.com/onead 

Jenn's website: jennpossick.com 

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennpossick/ 

WORK WITH BRENDA: 

https://www.brendawinkle.com/power

https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership

 https://www.brendawinkle.com/coaching

Meta ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, Meta advertising, Jenn Possick, retargeting ads, Facebook retargeting, Instagram retargeting, ads for small business, ads for coaches, ads for healers, wellness entrepreneur, empath entrepreneur, heart-centered entrepreneur, online business growth, scaling an online business, lead generation, lead magnets, email list building, email marketing, sales funnels, paid traffic, organic marketing, AdMakers Society, Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life

What if the thing you can’t stop wanting is trying to tell you something? 

You feel pulled toward something.

A place. A person. An idea. An experience.

And almost immediately, your brain wants an explanation.

Why do I want this?
Does this make sense?
Is it practical?
What will everyone else think?

For empaths, there can be another layer: You don’t just know that someone else doesn’t understand your choice. You can often feel their discomfort with it.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, I’m taking you to London with me for a story that unfolded exactly one year after my dad died.

I had one seemingly random thing I really wanted to do while my family was there: visit Watkins Books, a centuries-old mystical bookstore near Trafalgar Square.

My family was lukewarm about it.

Then we walked inside.

Their bodies said no.

Mine said more.

What happened next - including a Moldavite crystal, a man who introduced himself as a Guardian of Watkins Books, an unplanned walk through London, and a synchronicity I still think about - became one of the clearest experiences I’ve ever had of what it can look like to follow an intuitive pull before you understand where it’s taking you.  

I also share why this story feels especially poignant on the second anniversary of my dad’s death, what he taught me about following your heart, and why being able to communicate with someone in spirit doesn’t mean you stop missing their physical presence.  

You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to know your next step.

Sometimes the next step is simply the thing you can’t stop wanting.

The Empowered Empath Collective
We’re spending August and early September exploring intuition: how you recognize your own signals, discern what’s yours, and stop overriding what you know. Join for $111/month or choose the annual option and receive two months free.
→ https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 

POWER: Self-Trust for Empaths
POWER opens for enrollment in September, and the fall cohort begins September 29.
→ https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

Private Advisory Coaching
For high-level individualized support, learn more and apply here.
→ https://www.brendawinkle.com/coaching  

Keywords: Empath, Intuition, Self Trust, Highly Sensitive Person, Intuitive Woman, Empath Life, Trust Your Intuition, Follow Your Intuition, Spiritual Growth, Somatic Awareness, Nervous System Regulation, Emotional Wellness, Personal Growth, Psychic Medium, Empowered Empath, Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle 

How many signs do you need before you finally trust what you already know? 

Maybe you’ve pulled another card. Asked another friend. Booked another reading. Googled the angel number again. Listened to another podcast. Or asked the same question three slightly different ways, hoping this time the answer will finally make you feel certain.

There’s nothing wrong with seeking guidance.

But sometimes, what looks like discernment is actually doubt dressed up as intuitive guidance.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda explores the difference between receiving spiritual guidance and using signs to search for certainty. She also shares a very recent experience from her own life: after spending much of July questioning whether she was on the right path, an opportunity arrived that reminded her just how much had already been unfolding behind the scenes.

You’ll hear Brenda explore:

Brenda also shares an exciting behind-the-scenes podcast story involving The Spiritual Investor host Elizabeth Ralph, plus an update on her upcoming conversation with Dr. Judith Orloff.

The question to take with you:

Am I looking for information I genuinely don’t have, or am I looking for permission to trust what I already know?

Subscribe to Your Yes Filled Life wherever you listen, and leave a rating or review to help more listeners discover the show.

Download your free energy audit: https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit

Keywords: Self Trust, Signs, Intuition, Spiritual Growth, Podcast Host, YourYesFilledLife, Brenda Winkle, Psychic Medium, Signs from departed love ones

What does being an empath actually feel like in real life - before you regulate, process it, and turn it into a lesson?

Welcome to the first podcast edition of Unfiltered Empath, a new series within Your Yes Filled Life where Brenda takes you behind the scenes of what it actually feels like to BE an empath.

This first episode wasn't planned.

After Brenda's Uncle Curt died, she noticed something happening in her body every time she connected with her cousins.

She was grieving, too - but these tears felt different.

In this deeply personal episode, Brenda shares the experience in real time: the FaceTime call that allowed her to say goodbye to her uncle, the physical differences she notices between her own grief and what she experiences empathically in connection with others, and why knowing herself well enough to recognize the difference allowed her to stay connected instead of isolating.

Brenda explores:

This isn't a how-to episode.

There's no five-step process.

And there's no tidy ending.

It's an invitation to notice:

What does being an empath actually feel like in YOUR body?

🎙️ Follow Your Yes Filled Life so you don't miss the next Unfiltered Empath.

Keywords: Unfiltered Empath, Empath, Self Awareness, Emotional Wellbeing, Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle, Grief, family, emotional intelligence 

What becomes possible when you finally trust yourself? 

In this inspiring episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda sits down with her client, Jill, to reflect on the transformation that's unfolded through years of coaching and Jill's experience inside POWER.

When they first began working together, Jill felt stuck, heavy, and uncertain about her next chapter.

Today, she's living a life that's deeply aligned with who she is, creating meaningful work through sound healing and making decisions with confidence.

Together they explore:

Whether you're longing to trust yourself more deeply, navigate a career transition, or stop abandoning your own needs, this conversation offers hope that lasting change is possible.

✨ Resources

• Join the POWER Waitlist https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

• Apply for Private Coaching https://www.brendawinkle.com/coaching 

• Connect with Jill and learn more about Purple Frog Vibrations & Healing

Keywords: Self Trust, Personal Growth, Healing Journey, Authentic Living, Boundaries, Healthy Boundaries, Nervous System Regulation, Emotional Healing, Sound Healing, Self Compassion, Confidence, Life Coaching, Women Empowerment, Empath, Authenticity, Burnout Recovery, Music Teacher, Career Transition, Self Love, Personal Transformation, Intuition, Discernment, Your Yes Filled Life, Jill Perrin, Sound Healing

Have you ever known what you needed to do—even when everyone around you disagreed? 

In this deeply personal episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda shares the story of one of the most important intuitive decisions she's ever made: driving across the country to see her father despite nearly everyone telling her not to go.

That decision gave her sixteen priceless days with her dad before his passing.

This conversation isn't just about grief.

It's about learning to trust yourself when there are no guarantees, no certainty, and no unanimous approval.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why intuition rarely arrives with external validation

• How to distinguish inner knowing from fear

• Why emotional doesn't automatically mean dysregulated

• What self-trust actually looks like in real life

• How to move forward when other people's opinions conflict with your own knowing

If you've ever questioned your intuition because someone else couldn't understand it, this episode is for you.

Resources

✨ Join the POWER Waitlist: https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

✨ Apply for Private Coaching: https://www.brendawinkle.com/coaching 

🎙️ Subscribe to Your Yes Filled Life so you never miss an episode.

Keywords: Grief Journey, Intuition, Self Trust, Healing, Your Yes Filled Life, empowered, Brenda Winkle, Empowerment, intuitive development, solo travel, digital nomad