There's this beautiful tension between being able to show up authentically in different rooms and slipping into performance mode without even realizing it. Marisa calls it her gift to "mold and chameleon" into different spaces, but there's a line where connecting becomes performing, where you're trying to prove you're worthy of being in the conversation instead of just being present. And Sara knows this tension intimately. When her business expanded last year, revenue grew but so did expenses. She found herself making the same money, staring at her bank account thinking, "Well crap, I'm not who I said I was." That's where imposter syndrome lives. Not in failure, but in the gap between who you think you should be and what the data shows.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The difference between authentically matching energy in a room versus going into performance to feel worthy
• Sara's raw story of expansion, increased revenue, flat profits, and the identity crisis that followed
• Why you can't just switch a button and muscle your way through imposter syndrome
• How your nervous system stores everything and why healing happens in layers, not quick fixes
• The vibrational frequency you bring into spaces and how it mirrors back what you're extending

Healing isn't about someone telling you to just change your behavior and push through. You have to sit in the tension, understand why you're feeling the way you do, and honor where you actually are. That's where the real power lives.

If you're ready to step into that work, join us for Heartwork Leadership Live on March 13-14 in Knoxville. We're going deeper into the identity work, the nervous system recalibration, and what it means to let your true life fucking glitter. Register here: https://theheartworklife.myflodesk.com/rfi6abz6yv

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast

Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

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You know that feeling when you step into something new and it doesn't quite fit? When the opportunity feels too big, the role feels too heavy, and you're wondering if you'll ever actually grow into it? Sara and Marisa unpack the analogy of the oversized coat: that moment when God gives you something bigger than what you currently fit into, not to overwhelm you, but to invite you to grow. This episode is about the discomfort of the stretch, the fear of the unknown, and what it actually means to trust that you're becoming the person who can fill out the next season of your life.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The oversized coat analogy and why God gives you opportunities that feel too big instead of ones that fit perfectly right now
• Why you need to give yourself 60 to 90 days before making any additional decisions after a big leap, and how to navigate the growing pains without panicking
• What to do when you're stretching into something uncomfortable and you genuinely don't know if you'll ever fit, and why the answer isn't about knowing
• How to stop putting on someone else's coat by comparing your journey to theirs, and why your growth path is uniquely designed for you
• Why the lesson isn't actually about the coat itself, but about who you're becoming as you grow into the capacity to carry what's next
  
  

Don't be afraid of the next coat. The discomfort you feel right now isn't a sign you're in the wrong place. It's proof you're being stretched into someone capable of carrying more than you ever thought possible. The question isn't whether you'll fit. It's who you'll become in the process of trying.

Bonus: If you're in a season of stretch right now and need the space to do the inner work that actually supports your growth, join us March 13 and 14 in Knoxville for our Heartwork Leadership Live event. This is where we go deeper into becoming the leader your next season requires. Save your spot HERE!

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast

Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

Support the show

You hired them because you saw potential. You trained them because you believed they could step into what you needed. But somewhere between the vision and the reality, a gap opened up. They're not moving as fast as you hoped. They're not thinking the way you do. And suddenly, you're questioning everything: Did I hire the wrong person? Am I a bad leader? Why can't they just get it? Here's what Sara and Marisa know after years of building teams and training associates: sometimes the problem isn't the person. It's the expectation. This episode is a raw, real conversation about what it actually takes to lead someone into their potential without breaking them or yourself in the process.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The difference between hiring an adjusting horse versus a future partner, and why role clarity from day one changes everything about retention and performance
• Why placing unrealistic expectations on team members sets everyone up for disappointment, and how to get honest about what someone can actually deliver
• How to discern whether someone needs the full recipe with step by step instructions or just the ingredients, and why forcing your learning style onto theirs creates friction
• The evolution from wanting to be liked by everyone to becoming firm with expectations while staying kind, and why that muscle only develops through experience
• What it actually looks like to train someone up while trying to step back from your business, and why pouring your essence into a new team member now saves you time later

Leadership isn't about finding people who think like you. It's about creating the conditions for different humans to thrive within your vision. And that requires a level of self awareness and flexibility that most business advice doesn't prepare you for.

Bonus: If you're in the thick of training a team, struggling with expectations, or trying to build leadership capacity in your business, our Heartwork Leadership Live event on March 13 and 14 in Knoxville is where we're going deeper into all of this. This isn't a typical leadership workshop. It's heart work meets implementation strategy, and we're keeping it intimate so we can actually go there together. Grab your spot HERE!

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast

Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

Support the show