That week you're trying to "get through"? It's been going on for months. Maybe years. And the exhaustion, the flatlined results, the body that's screaming for attention — those aren't just symptoms. They're a fork in the road.

In this episode, I'm sharing my own breakdown-to-breakthrough story (fibromyalgia at 28, a doctor who told me to "accept" chronic pain forever, and the two-word decision that changed everything) — plus a framework to help you discern whether your resistance is self-sabotage or intuitive wisdom.

In This Episode:

• The moment I heard "accept your circumstances" and something in me said "F*ck that"
• Why you can't outwork a self-defeating pattern (and what to do instead)
• The difference between reactive self-sabotage and unhurried intuitive wisdom
• Three questions to ask when you're at the fork between breakdown and breakthrough
• How one decision — not a plan, not a strategy — opened a path that wasn't there before

Memorable Moments:

"That week you're trying to 'get through'? It's been dragging on for months."

"You set a boundary last week. Then immediately made 'special' accommodations."

"You can't outwork a self-defeating pattern."

"Breakdown or breakthrough. Same signs. Different destination."

Ready to identify the pattern that's keeping you stuck?

Book a Clarity Call: https://bit.ly/AAClarityCall

Connect with Anik:

• Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

Coming Next Week: I sit down with Patti Stewart — a self-defense instructor who survived an abusive relationship by learning to trust the instincts she'd been taught to silence. Physical safety starts with trusting your gut. That conversation is going to land.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:46 The week that's been "dragging on for months"

02:47 My breakdown path — fibromyalgia at 28

06:03 The doctor's office and the "F*ck That" moment

12:58 The difference between self-sabotage and intuitive wisdom

12:24 Question 1: What is this feeling trying to tell me?

14:20 Question 2: What am I being protected from?

15:50 Question 3: If I couldn't fail, what would I do?

18:23 The invitation to decide

22:30 Next week: Patti Stewart on trusting your gut

Quick question: What are you waiting for?

That move you haven't made. That conversation you haven't had. That boundary you haven't set.

You know exactly what I'm talking about.

In this episode, I'm naming the pattern I see constantly in smart, capable, talented people: The Permission Trap.

It sounds like "I'll go for it when I've proven myself more." Or "I'll negotiate once I've been here longer." Or "I'll set that boundary when things calm down."

It sounds strategic. It sounds responsible.

But it's not timing. It's avoidance disguised as readiness.

If you've been waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say "now you can start" — this episode is your tap.

Because that permission slip you're waiting for? It's never coming. And the only person who can sign it is you.

In This Episode:

• Why "I'll start when..." is sophisticated avoidance (not smart timing)

• The real cost of the Permission Trap (it's not what you think)

• The 3 lies keeping you at the starting line

• The one question that changes everything

• How to move like someone who already has permission

Memorable Moments:

"You're not waiting because you're not ready. You're waiting because you've outsourced your permission slip."

The Permission Trap doesn't just delay your career or your business. It dismantles your self-belief."

"Ready isn't a feeling. It's a decision."

"You don't need permission to be powerful.

Resources:

Book a Free Clarity Call

Breakthrough Blueprint Quiz: https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint

Connect with Anik:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/

Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/

Next Episode: The Self-Imposed Breakdown... or Breakthrough? — If your body is starting to rebel, you're not going to want to miss this one.

She Slowed Down and Scaled Up

Julia Chien did everything right.

She launched her online nutrition practice during COVID. Clients poured in. Revenue grew. She was riding the high — traveling, thriving, loving what she did.

And then 2024 hit. And everything she'd built stopped working.

In this episode, Julia gets radically honest about what happens when first-generation success reaches its expiration date — and why the beliefs that built her first six figures were the same ones breaking her down.

If you've ever wondered why what used to work isn't working anymore... this conversation will hit different.

In This Episode:

• Why rapid early success can set you up for a harder crash
• The moment Julia realized her "hustle" was actually her body screaming for help
• How to know when you need to push harder vs. when you need to rest
• What "slow down to speed up" actually looks like in practice
• The mindset shift that changed everything: "Fuck it. People connect to humans."
• Why your definition of success might not actually be yours

Memorable Moments:

"You have to slow down in order to speed up in business." — Julia Chien

"What is meant for you will never pass you." — Julia Chien

"The beliefs that built her first six figures — work hard, push through, sacrifice rest — those same beliefs were now breaking her down." — Anik Malenfant

Resources:

🔗 Book a Free Clarity Call with Anik:

📋 Your Breakthrough Blueprint Quiz: https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint

Connect with Julia:

Website: www.juliachien.ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliachien.rd/

The Eczema Warrior Podcast: https://www.juliachien.ca/podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliachien.rd/

Connect with Anik:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/

Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/

Next Episode:

Coming up next week — The Permission Trap: Why "I'll Start When..." Is Killing Your Business. If you've been waiting for someone to tell you you're ready, you're enough, it's time... this one's going to hit a nerve.