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Have you ever taken something you genuinely love and turned it into another thing you feel pressure to succeed at?

I have. And after 400 episodes of The Confident Woman Podcast, I've been thinking a lot about confidence, self-worth, and how easily we can start measuring ourselves by what we accomplish.

When I started this podcast, I wasn't thinking about recording hundreds of episodes. I was looking for something I needed in my own life: genuine connection. I wanted to have honest conversations with people about the things we experience, the struggles we don't always talk about, and what we learn about ourselves along the way.

I had no idea how much those conversations would eventually teach me.

In this milestone 400th episode, I'm reflecting on the woman I was when I started, the woman I've become, and how my understanding of confidence, identity, faith, and success has changed through hundreds of conversations.

I'm also sharing some of the things that haven't always felt as certain as they might look from the outside, including the times I've wondered whether anybody was listening and what happens when something you started because it mattered to you becomes another thing you feel you have to prove.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT:

• Why genuine connection, rather than a business strategy, was the reason I started The Confident Woman Podcast
• What 400 conversations have taught me about listening, connecting with others, and becoming more comfortable with myself
• The difference between feeling confident and building confidence through experience, action, and learning as you go
• Why knowledge without implementation is just information, and what happens when we keep waiting until we feel ready
• How easily we attach our self-worth to achievements, productivity, and other people's expectations
• What I'm learning about redefining success, finding freedom, and knowing who I am and whose I am through my identity in Christ
• Why we don't have to know exactly where something will lead before giving ourselves permission to begin

Whether you've been here for hundreds of conversations or you're listening for the first time, I'm grateful you're here.

I hope this episode encourages you to recognize how far you've come, appreciate the woman you already are, and remember that your worth doesn't depend on everything you accomplish.

FREE RESOURCE: THE PERMISSION SLIP

If you've spent so much of your life trying to get everything right, accomplish more, or be who everyone else needs you to be, I created something for you.

The Permission Slip is a free private letter with an optional audio experience, inviting you to pause, be, and begin again.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL BROOKS

Create Your Own Story® on Substack: https://iamrachelbrooks.substack.com

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Website: https://iamrachelbrooks.com

Thank you for listening and being part of The Confident Woman Podcast.