It's the holiday season! For some that means times of love, joy, connection, and community. For others, the holiday season can be nerve wracking, emotional, and expensive. We also often forget that some folks do not have opportunity to be with loved ones or aren't able to financially afford America's consumerism culture.

Then there are some of us who have a hard time being with family members because of how we socially identify. Showing up authentically for some marginalized folks can be hard, especially if the predominate group has identities that match America's "dominate" or "normative" culture. And in these settings, difficult conversations can sometimes arise causing awkwardness, tension, and emotional harm. So what can we do to protect ourselves and others?

In this episode I offer tips for what to do when we're in these harmful situations. My tips are both for folks that have identities that match America's "dominate" culture and folks that are marginalized. Thanks for tuning in. 

Following @leadingwithyourgut and @jennareneeeshellman on IG to stay up-to-date on episode release dates and future guests. 

On today’s episode, returning guest Ashley Morgan (she/her) and I discuss the phenomenon of Imposter Syndrome, loosely meaning doubting one's own abilities and feeling like a fraud; leading us to converse about Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan's articles in the Harvard Business Review, “Stoping Telling Woman that they have Imposter Syndrome” and “End Imposter Syndrome in your Workplace.” 

Our conversation dives into "performative culture,"  particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, the urgency to listen and believe Black and Brown folks, and finally how Ashley is able to support her female-based clients with reclaiming their power. I want to thank Ashley for being a returning guest on Leading With Your Gut, the podcast.

A little bit about Ashley Morgan...
After 16 years in Corporate America, most recently as a Director & AVP, Ashley is passionate about helping women unlock, own and leverage their power. She is on a mission to help women create success on their terms. Ashley teaches leadership and strategies for career acceleration without burnout. She has helped nearly 2,000 people create rewarding careers. Ashley holds a BA in Political Science with a minor in Strategic Communications from Seattle University. Follow Ashley on Instagram @ashleymorganlive. 

To stay up to date on episode releases and featured guests, follow @leadingwithyourgut or @jennareneeshellman on Instagram.

This week on Leading With Your Gut, I share pieces of my life of when it’s been difficult for me to ask for help; something that has been challenging in adulthood. In this episode, I share stories as it relates to my personal health and the desire to be vulnerable and dependent upon on my community instead of being "strong" all the time.

In my adulthood, I went from believing that individualism and self-sufficiency were skills that held more value than learning how to be part of a community for support. For me, it takes courage to shift my mindset and to accept that asking for help does not equate to weakness.

At the end of the episode I offer a framework by Iyanla Vanzant from her book Get Over It! The framework is called the 4 A's: Awareness, acknowledgement, acceptance, and action. This framework has helped shift my mindset and deepen my awareness, in general, and particularly in this area. 

If you have a hard time finding the courage to ask for help, I want you to know that you’re not alone.

To stay up to date on episode releases and featured guests, follow @leadingwithyourgut or @jennareneeshellman on instagram. 

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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