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In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with burnout recovery coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and ordained pastor Nicole Havelka to explore why slowing down feels so radical in a culture obsessed with doing.

Together, we dive into:

• How burnout shows up differently for each of us, and why it’s not just an individual problem but a collective one
• The pressure to constantly prove our worth through productivity and “being the best”
• Why the word can’t disempowers us, and how to reclaim choice in our lives and work
• The surprising overlaps between burnout, perimenopause, and values misalignment
• Practical ways to create compassionate workplaces, embrace rest, and focus on impact instead of output

If you’ve ever felt buried under the weight of doing it all, this conversation will remind you that rest is not only possible, it’s essential, powerful, and deeply radical.

Key Moments

0:00 – Welcomes and introductions

03:57 – Doing vs. planning: the trap of over-strategy

08:25 – Replacing “proving” energy with body awareness

11:12 – Duality of busyness and rest

13:56 – Redefining “being the best”

22:05 – Pebbles, rocks, and ripple effects

23:28 – Burnout is a collective issue, not individual

26:51 – The exhaustion of being a change agent

32:25 – Awareness as the first step to choice

34:30 – Reclaiming choice instead of saying “can’t”

37:48 – Bodies, yoga, and honoring differences

39:45 – Rethinking work culture and flexibility

41:46 – Final reflections and takeaways

Connect with Nicole Havelka

Nicole started her business, Defy the Trend, in 2018 to support change agents and values-aligned organizations while they embrace a more rested life and create compassionate workplaces through mindful time management, transformative coaching and restorative yoga and meditation. When she’s not working, she is nurturing herself by doing experimental cooking, watching/reading apocalyptic literature and television, traveling to new places and spending time outdoors. Learn more about her at defythetrend.com or subscribe to her Substack, Just Rest.

https://defythetrend.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-havelka-35762022/

https://www.facebook.com/NicoleHavelkaConsulting

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkq_yGnNi_JFnTIIzJytNA

https://www.pinterest.com/defythetrend

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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In this candid and deeply personal episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil explore what it means to find and use your voice, especially in midlife, in leadership, and in systems that were never built with us in mind.

From perimenopause to purpose, silence to self-expression, they unpack the physical, emotional, and energetic ways our voices get stifled... and how to reclaim them with intention and integrity.

If you’re ready to stop swallowing your truth and start speaking in ways that feel real, grounded, and powerful... this episode is for you.

“You’re not too quiet. You’re discerning.” — Kim Romain

“I’m tired of being told how to do life by people who don’t know me.” — Louise Neil

Key Takeaways:

• You don’t have to be loud to be powerful
• Midlife can spark a deeper connection to your voice
• Feeling stuck in your throat is often a sign of misalignment
• Your body gives you clues when your voice isn’t being heard
• Human Design can help explain how your voice works
• You get to choose how, when, and where to speak
• Reclaiming your voice is an act of alignment and power

Key Moments:

00:00 – Welcomes and Introductions

05:05 – Using Your Voice with Intention

09:57 – Shifting from Public Sharing to Intimate Conversations

13:05 – When Leaders Don’t Want to Add to the Noise

14:30 – Listening vs. Speaking: The Midlife Reclamation

17:44 – The No-F*cks Fifties and Finding Your Fire

20:16 – The Power of Saying What’s on Your Mind

21:11 – Human Design, Throat Centers, and Communication Blocks

24:51 – Aligning the Head, Throat, and Body

29:18 – Slowing Down and Staying Intentional

33:58 – Why Some Spaces Feel Unsafe to Speak In

38:14 – Finding the Right Room and Doing the Inner Work

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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Why does talking about money feel so hard? In this episode, Kim and Louise are joined by financial and art therapist Rachel Duncan of The Money Healing Club to unpack the tangled emotions so many of us carry around money.

Together, we explore:

• How shame shows up in our financial stories
• The cultural and systemic roots of money avoidance
• Why budgeting isn’t always the first step
• How art therapy can unlock healing and rewire old beliefs
• The intersection of nervous system regulation and financial well-being

Rachel shares a gentle and radically compassionate approach to money that centers self-trust, creativity, and community. Whether you’ve struggled with scarcity, felt like you’re “bad with money,” or simply want a new way to relate to your finances, this conversation offers both insight and relief.

“The more money you have, the more you think about money. Safety doesn’t come from having more; it comes from knowing how to be with it.” - Rachel Duncan

Key Moments:

00:00 – Welcome and Introductions

03:55 – Let’s Talk About Money Shame

06:18 – Why We Don’t Talk About Money

09:10 – The History of Women, Money, and Pockets

13:06 – Generational Scarcity and Self-Fulfilling Scripts

20:08 – Money, Community, and Financial Activism

24:28 – Blending Financial Therapy with Art Therapy

29:04 – Somatic and Visual Processing for Money Trauma

31:32 – Why Budgeting Isn’t the First Step

36:13 – The Psychology of Poverty and Present-Moment Survival

39:23 – Economic Ecosystems and Recession Mindset

43:56 – Guided Visualization: Money as a Creature

49:07 – Closing Reflections and Gentle Invitations

51:06 – Final Thoughts and Thank You

Connect with Rachel:

• moneyhealingclub.com
• The Money Healing Club Podcast
• Rachel’s free mindful spending email course

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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In this episode, Kim and Louise unpack the invisible habits, systems, and stories that keep us stuck on autopilot. From midlife identity shifts to menopause brain fog to the pressure of always needing to be “better,” this conversation dives deep into how we relate to energy, awareness, and the myth of who we used to be.

We explore how mindfulness can interrupt unconscious patterns, how language (including the body's) helps us make meaning, and why community is essential for navigating the messy, beautiful transitions of life. This one’s for anyone who’s feeling disconnected, disoriented, or just plain over it.

Whether you're sleepwalking through your days or just craving a new way of being... this is a reminder that you're always evolving.

“Your life gets to be your story; no one else can write it for you.” — Louise Neil

“The body speaks in a language most of us haven’t even tapped into.” — Kim Romain

Key themes:

• Why energy awareness matters more than energy output
• How menopause impacts identity and presence
• The difference between knowing the words and speaking your body’s language
• Creating your “dream team” of support before crisis hits
• The freedom that comes from claiming your evolution

Key moments:

00:00 – Welcomes and Introductions

02:24 – Autopilot, Energy Leaks, and Conservation

06:12 – The “Shoulds” Around Self-Care

09:47 – Aging, Identity, and Midlife Awareness

17:23 – Sleepwalking Through Life and Losing Awareness

20:31 – Disconnection as a Symptom of Menopause

23:50 – The Body’s Language and What It’s Telling Us

26:35 – Building Your Support System and Dream Team

30:26 – Preparing for Life’s Messy Middles

32:33 – Saying No to Help and Trusting Your Timing

36:37 – What Helps Us Navigate Uncertainty?

39:08 – Your Life Is Your Story; You Get to Write It

42:19 – Acceptance, Awareness, and Belief in Something Bigger

44:12 – If We’re Not Evolving, What Are We Doing?

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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What if time doesn’t need to be managed, but liberated?

In this episode of The Empowered and Embodied Show, Kim and Louise are joined by holistic time coach Becca Rich for a soul-stretching conversation about how we relate to time, and how that relationship is shaped by hustle culture, systemic oppression, and internalized shame.

Together, we explore what it means to practice time liberation by listening to your unique rhythms, breaking free from toxic productivity patterns, and redefining what it means to spend your time well. If you’ve ever felt like you’re always behind, never doing enough, or stuck in someone else’s schedule… this one’s for you.

Inside this episode:

• The truth about time shame and the myth of “falling behind”
• Why “time management” often reinforces systems of oppression
• How rest, rhythm, and community reclaim your agency
• The role of presence, pleasure, and purpose in bending time
• Simple, embodied ways to shift how you experience your days

Key Moments/Chapters

00:00 – Welcomes and introductions

02:28 – What is a relationship with time?

04:24 – How systems of oppression shape our time

08:42 – Time scarcity and community solutions

10:17 – Making time liberation accessible

13:13 – Listening to your body’s rhythms

15:30 – Deconditioning from hustle culture

18:46 – Time liberation as reclaiming agency

22:58 – Time shame and the myth of sameness

25:04 – Redefining productivity

31:14 – From burnout to body-led time

37:54 – Time expansion and bending time

40:30 – There is no behind

48:18 – Closing thoughts and gratitude

About Our Guest:

Becca Rich is a holistic time coach, hypnotist, and founder of multiple soul-aligned businesses supporting neurodivergent, sensitive, and spiritually curious humans. She’s here to help you reclaim your time, your energy, and your wholeness.

Find Becca at: https://www.theholistictimecoach.com/

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccacrich/

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

Listen to Becca’s podcast: Not Too Productive

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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Is it burnout or a slow leak of energy you weren't expecting?

In this honest, unfiltered conversation, Kim Romain and Louise Neil explore what it really means to feel drained in midlife, how perimenopause and menopause shift our physical and energetic capacity, and why the old hustle-driven definitions of success no longer apply.

They dive into:

• Why reacting all day long isn’t the same as responding
• How to tell when your “plate” has actually gotten smaller
• The emotional and physical cost of pretending you still have the same bandwidth
• Learning to honor your energy instead of push through it
• What it means to redefine enough on your own terms

Whether you’re navigating midlife, shifting your pace in a world gone wild, or wondering why the drive you used to have just isn’t there anymore... this episode is a permission slip to slow down, tune in, and trust your own rhythm.

"Our brains are rewiring themselves. Estrogen was the fuel, and it’s no longer reliable." - Louise Neil

"When we honor what our bodies need… we stop pushing through things that are actually hurting us." - Kim Romain

Key Moments:

00:00 - Welcome

03:12 – The difference between reacting and responding

04:50 – Burnout, Human Design & sacral fatigue

06:38 – Fireflies, distractions & energy drains

08:00 – Leaky buckets and where the energy goes

12:18 – Midlife, menopause, and the rewiring we don’t talk about

16:00 – Rejecting hustle culture & old expectations

21:52 – How to honor your energy (even when you can’t stop)

23:18 – Grace, seasons, and letting yourself off the hook

28:37 – Accepting your current capacity

33:37 – Discernment vs. responding: the language of self-trust

41:36 – Final takeaways: grace, difference, and your own rules

43:38 – What we’re up to and where to find us

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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What if the thing you’ve been taught to tone down is actually your superpower? In this episode, we’re joined by Amy Pons — life coach, energy worker, and unapologetic spiritual warrior — for a raw and real conversation on breaking free from the boxes that try to keep us small. We explore what it means to “remember” who you truly are, how to reclaim your magic after burnout, and why feeling awkward might just be the gateway to authenticity. From corporate conditioning to cosmic awakenings, we talk some truth about our nervous systems, intuitive gifts, and the power of creating your own definition of enoughness. This one’s a must-listen for misfits, magic-makers, and anyone ready to stop performing and start becoming.

“Awkward is not something to avoid—it’s your portal to power.” - Amy Pons

In this episode:

• Leaving behind “executive presence” to embrace your essence
• Navigating awkwardness as a path to truth
• Understanding the impact of cosmic energy on your evolution
• Tools for tuning into your intuition and nervous system
• Why dismantling beliefs is part of the magic

Key Moments:

00:00 – Introduction

02:40 – The Journey from Corporate Rebel to Spiritual Warrior

07:20 – Awakening and Remembering the Soul Essence

11:01 – Navigating Awkwardness and Embracing Uniqueness

16:00 – The Impact of Cosmic Energies on Personal Growth

20:47 – Trusting Intuition and the Process of Remembering

25:28 – Creating Regulated Spaces and Nervous System Truth

26:16 – The Shift from Serving Systems to Serving Self

30:34 – Finding and Honoring Your Unique Vibration

34:16 – The Beauty of Diverse Perspectives

37:54 – Glimmers, Triggers, and the Wisdom of Synchronicity

40:00 – The Power of Inquiry and Radical Self-Reflection

42:34 – Infinite Possibilities and Living Your Magic

44:47 – The Power of Remembering Who You Really Are

48:43 – Closing Reflections and How to Connect with Amy

CONNECT WITH AMY:

Website: https://unlockthemagic.org

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach_Amy_Pons

Amy is a corporate powerhouse that remembered that she came here to this space and time to stand flat footed in her soul essence as a healer and a warrior. As a healer, she shows up a certified life coach and chakra energy practitioner and as a warrior. well that depends on where she is in her monthly cycle but will always creating the existence that every soul deserves to live on this plane. Either way, she unlocks the magic - the unique brilliance within each of us that has been trained for whatever reason, to hide.

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.

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What does it really mean to live an authentic life? In this week’s episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil peel back the layers on what authenticity actually looks and feels like... beyond the buzzwords, beyond the curated versions of ourselves, and beyond the boxes we’ve been told to fit into.

We’re talking about the tension between wanting to belong and needing to be true to yourself...

How systems like patriarchy, corporate culture, and hustle-based entrepreneurship condition us to chase someone else’s definition of success...

And what it takes to reclaim your agency, make your own choices, and live a life that feels aligned, even if it looks different from the norm.

Whether you’re a business owner, leader, or a human navigating the twists and turns of life, this conversation invites you to question the script, stitch your own tapestry, and reconnect with your deeper why.

Key Takeaways from this episode:

• Authenticity means making choices that feel true to you
• Success isn’t one-size-fits-all
• You can be inspired by others without copying them
• The world doesn’t always make space for realness—but it’s still worth showing up
• Belonging and authenticity can coexist
• It’s okay to choose a conventional path if it’s aligned for you
• Your life is a tapestry—no one else’s will look like yours
• Staying connected to your humanity is the heart of it all
• Being yourself isn’t always easy, but it’s how you truly live

Key Moments / Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

02:08 – The Box We’re Supposed to Fit In

05:05 – The Cookie-Cutter Life Myth

07:02 – “I Thought I Was Being Authentic”

11:44 – When Sameness Feels Like the Only Option

17:27 – The Privilege and Risk of Being Real

19:05 – What Grows Authenticity?

21:08 – Who Am I to Do This?

22:23 – The Stories We Carry

24:08 – When It’s Hard to Be Yourself

27:34 – Wholeness & Being Human

32:21 – Your Life is a Tapestry

36:12 – Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Us

“If we’re all the same puzzle piece, then we don’t actually have a puzzle.” - Kim Romain

“You can gather threads from someone else without copying their tapestry.” - Louise Neil

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com to explore everything we have to offer.