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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.