In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman explores the invisible leadership moms practice every day - at home, at work, and in the moments no one sees. Released on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this conversation reframes leadership away from titles, visibility, and recognition, and instead centers the emotional labor, decision-making, and presence that motherhood quietly requires.

If you’re a mom who carries responsibility, holds systems together, and influences others daily, yet rarely calls yourself a leader, this episode offers a powerful reframe. Through lived examples, gentle humor, and reflection, Vanessa invites listeners to recognize leadership in the ordinary moments that often go unnamed.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

• Explores leadership through the lens of motherhood and everyday responsibility
• Reframes leadership as influence, presence, and emotional regulation rather than title or authority
• Connects professional leadership skills with the unseen leadership happening at home
• Examines how leadership is shaped in private moments, not public performance

TUNE IN TO LEARN

• Why many moms don’t see themselves as leaders, even though they are leading daily
• How emotional regulation, anticipation, and tone-setting are forms of real leadership
• The cost of quiet leadership and why it often goes unrecognized
• How leadership shows up when no one is watching — after drop-off, between meetings, and in internal self-talk
• A mindful reframe that allows leadership to feel more intentional and sustainable

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE
Leadership doesn’t always look loud, visible, or celebrated. Much of it lives in the quiet moments - in how we respond under pressure, how we carry responsibility, and how we treat ourselves when no one is watching. When we begin to name this invisible leadership, we stop disappearing inside our own lives and start honoring the value of how we already show up. This week, notice one quiet leadership moment - not to improve it or fix it, but to acknowledge that it matters.

Vanessa is currently booking speaking engagements for the spring, including Women’s History Month, Stress Awareness Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. To learn more or book a call, visit https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking

If this episode resonated, consider sharing it with another quiet

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LET’S STAY CONNECTED:
🌐 Website: https://www.freetobemindful.com
🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/
💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com/
🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking

DISCLAIMER:
Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

Lifestyle Shifts Supporting Longevity and Wellbeing

Taking care of your health can feel overwhelming, especially when so many approaches promise big results but don’t last. If you’ve ever wondered why healthy habits are hard to sustain, this episode offers a grounded and realistic perspective.

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Licensed Therapist and Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman is joined by Renee Fitton, a longevity dietitian and Vice President of Growth at L-Nutra, for an honest conversation about lifestyle shifts that support longevity, wellbeing, and mental health - without extreme dieting or pressure.

Renee breaks down what longevity nutrition really means, why living longer isn’t helpful if we don’t feel well along the way, and how small, intentional changes can support physical health, brain health, and emotional wellbeing over time. The conversation includes an introduction to fasting mimicking approaches, including ProLon, while emphasizing safety, muscle protection, and sustainability... especially for women navigating midlife changes.

Vanessa and Renee also explore how mindset, gratitude, and intention-setting shape how we age and how we experience everyday life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Lifestyle shifts that support longevity and wellbeing
• What longevity nutrition is, and what it isn’t
• How fasting mimicking works and who it may be appropriate for
• Why muscle protection and metabolic health matter as we age
• The connection between mindset, gratitude, and brain health
• Why small, consistent changes matter more than drastic overhauls

This episode is for moms and busy professionals who want to care for their health in a realistic, compassionate way, without adding more pressure to an already full life.

STAY CONNECTED WITH RENEE:

• https://www.instagram.com/fittonnutrition/
• https://prolonlife.com/
• https://l-nutra.com/

DISCOUNT LINK for 20% OFF: https://prolonlife.com/freetobe

🎧 Listen in, reflect, and remember… you’re always free to be mindful.

Send us a text

Support the show

120 COPING SKILLS
https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills


GET THE MUSE HEADBAND AT A DISCOUNT!
https://choosemuse.com/freetobemindful
Use this link to get 15% off your total when you purchase the amazing brain sensing headband that tells you when you're in a meditative state and guides you to improve your practice.


LET’S STAY CONNECTED:
🌐 Website: https://www.freetobemindful.com
🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/
💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com/
🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking

DISCLAIMER:
Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

The start of a new year often comes with quiet expectation... to do more, be more, and have everything figured out. For many moms, especially those balancing motherhood, work, and caregiving, that pressure doesn’t feel motivating. It feels heavy.

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, licensed therapist, mom coach, and podcast host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman reflects on the emotional weight of the New Year and what it really means to grow when life, and capacity, looks different than it once did.

Rather than leaning into “new year, new me” energy, this conversation offers a grounded reframe rooted in grace, intention, and deliberate growth. It’s an honest look at expectations we place on ourselves, how motherhood reshapes our capacity, and why progress still counts even when it doesn’t show up loudly or in numbers.

This episode is especially for professional moms who are juggling multiple roles while quietly wondering if they’re doing enough, or falling behind.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this reflective New Year episode, Vanessa explores:

• Why the New Year often feels emotionally heavy for moms
• How motherhood and professional life change capacity and expectations
• The difference between intentional growth and deliberate growth
• Why progress doesn’t always show up in numbers
• Letting go of unrealistic “new year, new me” pressure
• A more compassionate approach to personal growth

A NOTE FOR MOMS WHO NEED SUPPORT RIGHT NOW

Vanessa shares why she’s bringing back The Real Talk Reset, an intentionally small Amiga Moms support group created for moms who are carrying a lot and need space to pause, talk honestly, and manage big emotions without suppressing them.

• The next Real Talk Reset takes place January 10th in Ridgefield, NJ
• https://www.amigamoms.com/event-details/therealtalkreset-jan
• Podcast listeners receive a special thank-you discount: FTBMPod25J
• Groups are intentionally kept small for a curated, intimate experience
• While it can feel therapeutic, this is not therapy

If you’re listening after January 10th, The Real Talk Reset will continue on a monthly basis in Ridgefield, NJ.

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE

You don’t need a louder year to have a meaningful one. You don’t need to reinvent yourself to grow. And you’re not behind... you’re r

Send us a text

Support the show

120 COPING SKILLS
https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills


GET THE MUSE HEADBAND AT A DISCOUNT!
https://choosemuse.com/freetobemindful
Use this link to get 15% off your total when you purchase the amazing brain sensing headband that tells you when you're in a meditative state and guides you to improve your practice.


LET’S STAY CONNECTED:
🌐 Website: https://www.freetobemindful.com
🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/
💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com/
🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking

DISCLAIMER:
Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.