What if the life you actually want is waiting on the other side of a risk you’ve been afraid to take?

In this episode of Rooted & Wild, I’m joined by executive coach, leadership consultant, speaker, and author Rachel Burr for a funny, candid, and deeply human conversation about risk, transformation, and what it takes to stop settling for a life that merely feels comfortable enough.

With more than 20 years of experience working with leaders and organizations—and master’s degrees in both clinical psychology and organizational development—Rachel understands the complicated ways we keep ourselves safe, even when that safety is keeping us stuck.

We explore the space between knowing something needs to change and actually being willing to change it. Why do we remain in “comfortable discomfort”? What happens when fear of failure becomes fear of fully living? And how do we distinguish reckless risk from the intentional risks that move us toward the people we actually want to become?

Rachel is also the author of Butterfly Goo: The Down and Dirty Truth of Transformation, a humorous memoir about the messy reality of change. Because transformation rarely looks graceful while we’re inside it. Before the butterfly emerges, everything familiar has to dissolve into something Rachel affectionately calls the “goo.”

And maybe that’s the part we don’t talk about enough.

You don’t get the wings without going through the goo.

This conversation is about getting honest about what’s working, acknowledging what isn’t, loosening our grip on certainty, and finding the courage to deliberately risk something familiar in pursuit of something more alive.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why meaningful change almost always involves risk
• The difference between intentional risk and recklessness
• How “comfortable discomfort” keeps us stuck
• Our fear of failure—and what it costs us
• The question of whether we truly believe we’re enough
• Why transformation is messier than we like to admit
• Learning to move through uncertainty instead of avoiding it
• Rachel’s concept of “Butterfly Goo”
• Using humor to navigate difficult seasons of change
• Recognizing when the life you’ve built no longer fits
• Taking purposeful risks toward the life you actually want

Connect with Rachel Burr

📘 Butterfly Goo: The Down and Dirty Truth of Transformation
https://ButterflyGooBook.net/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmburr/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.m.burr.1
📸 Instagram: @catamentum

Rooted & Wild provides general information for educational and informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Henry Hawk. The content shared on this podcast is not intended to replace individualized medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, nor should it be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding any medical or mental health concerns.