What if confidence is something you uncover through surrender? Julie Kendall, an award-winning actress who left corporate America to pursue her creative dreams, reveals how letting go opened doors she never imagined.

"This is our one shot in this body. Why not go for it as far as you possibly can?" Julie's philosophy has guided her through bold moves like packing her car and moving to Atlanta with no safety net. That leap of faith led to unexpected opportunities, including a specially-created position with a former employer who had been quietly admiring her acting journey from afar for years.

Julie shares her transformative daily practice that combines meditation, candle rituals, and journaling—a practice that takes just thirty minutes but has manifested remarkable results in her career and personal life. She describes writing each morning as if her perfect day has already happened, feeling the emotions and visualizing success before it materializes. Her candid conversation with "the universe" through a candle flame offers a unique approach to spiritual connection that anyone can adapt.

Most powerfully, Julie reframes our relationship with fear. Drawing from Elizabeth Gilbert's wisdom, she explains how she thanks fear for its protective role while firmly relegating it to "the back seat" of her life. "Fear never goes away," Julie acknowledges, "but I don't need you in the front seat anymore." This perspective allows her to appreciate even challenging emotions like jealousy as guideposts rather than sources of shame.

Whether you're considering a career change, creative pursuit, or simply seeking more confidence in daily life, Julie's practical wisdom offers a refreshing alternative to conventional advice. Her approach demonstrates that true confidence emerges not from controlling outcomes but from surrendering to your authentic self and trusting the process.

Ready to transform your relationship with confidence? Follow @therealjuliekendall on Instagram to learn more about Julie's wellness practices and acting career, or check out her health-focused content aimed at helping people thrive from the inside out.

Follow Julie Kendall on Instagram: @therealjuliekendall

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New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

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🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

Ever wonder how some creatives seem to make massive progress while you're still waiting to feel "ready"? This conversation with Izzy Stevens blows the lid off that myth. As an award-winning director, Netflix trilogy lead, and founder of Indie Spunk, Izzy has mastered the art of taking bold action before confidence arrives.

"Walk in like you belong there," Izzy advises about entering intimidating spaces. She shares how she crashed Sundance Film Festival without an official selection, armed only with a bold pitch that started with "The world operates like a sex cult for women." By confidently presenting her feature film concept, industry professionals assumed she belonged—creating connections that would have been impossible had she waited for an invitation. That's the magic of authentic visibility.

Fear of judgment once paralyzed Izzy, who admits she used to nearly have panic attacks before sending business emails. Now she runs a thriving multi-six figure mentorship business by embracing what she calls the "Freedom Formula"—focusing on five daily priorities instead of endless to-do lists. This approach allowed her to complete multiple drafts of her feature screenplay in under 12 months while still nurturing client relationships and maintaining creative flow.

The most powerful revelation? Confidence isn't a prerequisite for success—it's the byproduct of action. "Just take the steps. Invest in yourself, invest in mentorship, invest in moving forward," Izzy urges. She suggests a practical approach to quieting the inner critic: identify limiting beliefs, thank them for their protective intention, then consciously choose new beliefs that serve your goals better.

Ready to stop overthinking and start creating momentum in your creative career? This episode provides the permission slip you've been waiting for. Your belief system might be lying to you about what's possible, but as Izzy demonstrates, walking through fear is the ultimate shortcut to confidence.

You can follow Izzy Stevens on Instagram: @indiespunk

For more information on Izzy's Freedom Creator Mentorship Program:

https://niki_sterner--indiespunk.thrivecart.com/freedom-creator/

For more information on Izzy's Script to Screen Program:

https://niki_sterner--indiespunk.thrivecart.com/script-to-screen/

For more information on Izzy's Watch Me Make A Movie Program:

Watch Me Make A Movie

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

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🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

What happens when you've spent decades building a successful career only to realize it's not the life you want? Micah Caldwell faced this question head-on when, after nearly twenty years as a high-powered telecommunications lawyer in Washington DC, she hit a breaking point. Managing multi-billion-dollar government programs during the pandemic had pushed her to her limits, and when asked to rebuild an entire program from scratch, something inside her simply said: enough.

This conversation takes us through Micah's courageous decision to walk away from everything she had built—her career, community, and the identity she had cultivated for two decades. With remarkable candor, she shares the uncomfortable truth that she had been living according to others' expectations rather than her own desires. Her journey of rediscovery led her first to Asheville, North Carolina, where she reconnected with creative pursuits that had brought her joy before adult responsibilities and parental expectations redirected her path.

The heart of Micah's story reveals how she transformed from burned-out lawyer to thriving voice actor and comedian in Atlanta's creative community. She offers practical wisdom about managing the persistent inner critic that tries to sabotage creative ambitions, sharing her three-step process: stop the negative thought, reframe it through the lens of what you'd tell a friend, and verbalize the positive alternative aloud. This practice acknowledges that our inner critics often represent internalized external feedback rather than our authentic selves.

Perhaps most inspiring is Micah's evolving relationship with possibility. After years of limiting her dreams to what seemed "practical," she's learning to envision bigger goals and actively invite opportunities through specific requests and public commitments. Her story reminds us that confidence isn't about fearlessness but about consistently doing things that scare you, whether that's performing stand-up comedy or completely reinventing your professional identity.

Ready to question whether your current path truly reflects your deepest values? This conversation offers both inspiration and practical tools for those considering their own creative transitions, demonstrating that it's never too late to reclaim your voice and build a life aligned with your authentic self.

You can follow Micah on:

Instagram: @micahonmic

Facebook: Micah Caldwell

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

Ever felt stuck waiting to feel ready before taking that big leap? Niki Sterner discovered the secret isn't waiting for confidence to arrive—it's taking courageous action first and letting confidence follow.

The Confidence Shortcut revolves around three essential pillars: mindset, path, and action. When these elements align, transformation happens faster than you might believe possible. Niki vulnerably shares how she spent years playing small until she developed a system that helped her reconnect with her dreams and take bold action despite her fears.

One particularly powerful ritual Niki describes is her "burning ceremony," where she wrote down all her limiting beliefs, read them aloud to her family, and set them on fire—symbolically releasing what had held her back. This act of courage created ripple effects not just in her life but in her children's lives too. They've since stepped into leadership roles, tried new things, and embraced challenges they previously would have avoided.

For parents especially, Niki addresses the guilt that can come with pursuing personal dreams while balancing family responsibilities. She's discovered that quality time matters more than quantity, and modeling courage for her children has become one of her greatest gifts to them. When we evolve, we give permission to those around us to do the same.

Whether you're facing career transitions, creative blocks, or simply feeling that there's more to life than what you're currently experiencing, this episode offers practical wisdom for moving forward. As Niki says, "Pick something and jump"—because the shortcut to confidence is courage, and what's meant for you will never pass you by. Ready to take your first step? Download the free Confidence Kickstart Morning Routine in the show notes and start building momentum today.

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

Redefining confidence might be the key that unlocks your potential. While many of us believe confidence means feeling certain we'll excel, host Niki Sterner offers a liberating alternative: true confidence is simply believing you can take action when you say you will. This perspective shift removes the paralysis of perfectionism and opens the door to real growth.

Niki shares her remarkable journey from hesitation to action, including a pivotal moment when she submitted her comedy to a Hollywood festival despite minimal experience. Not only did she perform, but she unexpectedly hosted her comedy block when another performer missed their flight. This experience exemplifies the episode's central message: taking action before feeling ready creates unexpected opportunities while waiting for readiness often means waiting forever.

The episode delivers practical tools for quieting your inner critic, including Michael Phelps' technique of saying positive affirmations at every doorway you walk through. Niki reveals her transformative daily habits: taking showers with bursts of cold water (deliberately practicing discomfort) and using morning and evening guided meditations to program her mindset for success. She discusses how Gay Hendricks' book "The Big Leap" changed her perspective on self-sabotage and finding her "zone of genius" - that sweet spot where effort feels like flow.

What makes this conversation particularly powerful is Niki's vulnerability about overcoming serious health challenges that threatened her acting career after completing a two-year conservatory program. Rather than surrendering her dreams, she found a way to rewire her brain and continue forward. Ready to stop overthinking and start taking action toward your dreams? The shortcut to confidence isn't waiting to feel ready - it's embracing courage right now.

Thank you to Micah Caldwell, my talented friend and conversation partner. You can find her on instagram - @micahonmic

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

When was the last time you let fear of failure stop you from pursuing something important? This candid conversation dives deep into the paralyzing effects of a fixed mindset and reveals how believing "if I'm bad at something, that's my forever thing" can keep us stuck for decades.

Through vulnerable storytelling, we explore a transformative approach to rediscovering and pursuing long-buried dreams. The "three lists" exercise—identifying childhood heroes (Star List), acknowledging natural talents (Success List), and confronting fears (Scared List)—creates a roadmap for authentic growth. Rather than waiting to feel ready, we discover how deliberately seeking discomfort builds the courage muscle and generates momentum.

What's particularly fascinating is the mindset routine shared that transforms pre-performance anxiety into excited anticipation. By clearing negative thoughts with a neutral statement ("The first blizzard is December 1st") followed by empowering affirmations, we can rewire our emotional response to high-pressure situations. This technique, adapted from sports psychology, proves remarkably effective for creative expression and public speaking.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when discussing how women can lift each other up in creative pursuits. There's a palpable shift happening from competition to community, where seeing another woman succeed becomes inspiring rather than threatening. By sharing our authentic voices and supporting others doing the same, we create ripple effects that expand possibilities for everyone.

Ready to stop overthinking and start taking bold action? Grab the free Confidence Kickstart Morning Routine in the show notes—it's the daily practice that's helping thousands build sustainable confidence through consistent habits rather than waiting for courage to magically appear.

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

Super grateful to my conversation partner and dear friend, Micah Caldwell. She’ll be joining me on a future episode, and her story is one you won’t want to miss. @micahonmic

Most of us have it backwards. We wait for confidence to arrive before taking action, but what if that's precisely why we stay stuck? In this intimate and powerful episode, I reveal my personal turning point that came from a simple question from my acting coach - and how it launched what I call a "Courage Quest" that completely transformed my life.

After decades of limiting beliefs and chronic health challenges that seemed to confirm my fears, I discovered the neurological key to unlocking confidence: deliberately training your brain to recognize possibilities instead of dangers. I share the exact system that helped me rewire negative thought patterns, and how the momentum from one small act of courage snowballed into experiences I never thought possible - from handling giant snakes to motorcycle riding and whitewater rafting.

The most profound revelation? Confidence doesn't come first - action does. Through my daily practice of "The 3 C's to Confidence" (Clarity journaling, Creative genius guided audios, Courage challenges), I've built a framework anyone can use to stop overthinking and start showing up. I explain why creating a "Scared list" and scheduling just one fear-facing activity can break the cycle of waiting to feel ready. Whether you're a creative professional facing performance anxiety or someone who's played small for too long, this episode offers the practical shortcut to confidence you've been searching for. Ready to stop waiting and start living? The journey begins with a single courageous step.

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.

Niki Sterner shares her personal journey from feeling stuck and uncertain to finding true confidence through action rather than endless preparation. After years of playing small despite extensive training, she discovered that the key obstacle wasn't external factors but her mindset.

• Suffered from a health crisis caused by breast implants and mold exposure that created a limbic system injury
• Discovered Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) which helped rewire her brain from danger-scanning to joy-seeking
• Found clarity by identifying her true desires and developing a 20-year vision that she reverse-engineered
• Realized the power of shifting from victim mentality to creator mentality
• Learned that confidence comes after taking action, not before it
• Gained her voice through consistent practice, including comedy writing and performance
• Transformed her relationship with fear by reframing it as part of the creative process

Ready to take the next step? Check out my free guide, the Confidence Kickstart, linked below. Keep showing up, keep taking action and remember the shortcut to confidence is courage.

New episodes every week — packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and real-life shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, build true confidence, and take bold action.

📌 Subscribe + share if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally move forward.

💛 For freebies and updates, Join The Confidence Shortcut Community

✨ Grab your free Confidence Kickstart Guide.

🧠 Click to learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and how it helps rewire your brain for healing.