Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamrachelbrooks

Website: https://iamrachelbrooks.com

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

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Have you ever felt like your relationship with God has quietly morphed into another high-stakes project on your to-do list?

In this episode of The Confident Woman Podcast, Rachel sits down with author, entrepreneur, and former lead pastor Allen Ratta to dismantle the lie that following Jesus requires endless striving, optimizing, and over-functioning. After decades in high-level ministry and business leadership, a devastating personal crisis forced Allen to strip away theological complexity and discover what it actually looks like to live in God’s rhythm rather than our own artificial hurry.

If you are exhausted from trying to hold your life together with white knuckles, this conversation is your permission slip to slow down, breathe, and return to the simple power of daily presence.

In This Episode, We Unpack:

• The Hustle of Striving: Why our modern "hurry sickness" keeps us out of sync with God's intentional design for rest and daily bread.
• Slow-Motion Spiritual Malnutrition: What happens when we consume tons of spiritual content but never sit still long enough to actually digest it.
• The "Purposeless" Weekend: What Eugene Peterson taught Allen about silencing the inner workaholic and letting our racing minds catch up with our souls.
• The Lord’s Prayer as Daily Rhythm: How a 55-word prayer reorders our hearts, breaks the illusion of control, and anchors our identity in being loved rather than being productive.

The Question Underneath the Conversation: What is one artificial expectation you are carrying right now that you are ready to set down this week?

Your Next Step: Stop carrying everyone else's backpacks today. If you need a tangible reminder to help you pause and breathe, grab The Permission Slip for free:

Get The Permission Slip Here

Continue the Conversation: Create Your Own Story is Rachel’s weekly letter exploring faith, identity, confidence, and becoming.

Subscribe to read the companion essay: https://iamrachelbrooks.substack.com

Connect with Allen Ratta:

• Explore his work, books, and daily prayer journeys at spiritualsimplicity.com.

Connect with Rachel:

• Follow on Instagram: @iamrachelbrooks

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Have you ever noticed how everyone in your life gets to have an off day, drop the ball, or check out for the night… except you?

In this episode of The Confident Woman Podcast, host Rachel Brooks unpacks the silent exhaustion of being the woman everyone expects to fix everything.

When your high capacity becomes everyone else's baseline expectation, competence turns into an invisible trap. Moving beyond surface-level boundary advice, Rachel breaks down the spiritual and emotional cost of over-functioning—and how to finally put down the weight you were never meant to carry.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Capacity Trap: Why being the "reliable one" often means you are the only person in the room not allowed to be human.
• Love vs. Control: A hard look at whether we are jumping in to serve others, or jumping in to manage our own anxiety.
• The Biblical Boundary: The crucial difference in Galatians 6 between carrying someone’s crushing crisis (the boulder) and carrying their everyday responsibilities (the backpack).
• 3 Actionable Shifts: How to let a ball drop, stop answering questions nobody asked, and say "no" without a five-paragraph apology.

FREE RESOURCE — THE PERMISSION SLIP: If you need a tangible reminder to set down the backpacks that don't belong to you this week, grab your free copy of The Permission Slip. It’s a simple, grounding tool to help you pause, take a breath, and release the pressure of holding it all together: 👉 [Insert Link: iamrachelbrooks.systeme.io/permission-slip]

CONNECT WITH RACHEL BROOKS:

• Join the Newsletter: Read the companion essays on Substack at Create Your Own Story
• Website: iamrachelbrooks.com
• Instagram: @iamrachelbrooks

If this episode met you where you are today, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with a friend who needs permission to put down a heavy load.