In this episode of the UpliftHER Leadership Series on the Self-Care Goddess Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mary Brodie , digital experience strategist, founder of Gearmark, two-time author, and a thoughtful voice at the intersection of technology, human experience, and conscious leadership.

Our conversation was a beautiful, expansive exploration of what it truly means to navigate change with grace. Mary shared her nonlinear career journey from aspiring English professor to digital strategist, from corporate roles shaped by layoffs and pivots to founding her own consultancy — and the deep self-awareness, curiosity, and compassion that carried her through each chapter.

This episode weaves together career evolution, leadership, spirituality, and resilience, offering gentle yet powerful insights for anyone navigating uncertainty or redefining success on their own terms.

✨ Here’s what we explored in this rich and reflective conversation:

✅ Embracing nonlinear career paths and releasing the pressure to “have it all figured out”

✅ Why knowing what you don’t want can be just as powerful as knowing what you do

✅ Navigating layoffs, job loss, and career transitions without internalizing shame

✅ Reframing rejection and understanding that most setbacks are not personal

✅ The role of curiosity, experimentation, and flexibility in conscious leadership

✅ How meditation, Buddhism, and self-compassion reshaped Mary’s inner world

✅ The difference between empathy and compassion — and why compassion creates healthier boundaries

✅ Letting go of codependency and learning not to take things personally

✅ Acceptance as a leadership skill, not a form of resignation ✅ Insights from Mary’s upcoming book: Acceptance: The Key to Being a Good Listener

Mary reminds us that most paths are reversible, few decisions are permanent, and growth often comes from allowing ourselves to pause, reflect, and evolve. Through her wisdom and lived experience, she invites us to lead with presence, listen more deeply, and meet life’s transitions with compassion rather than fear.

Leadership isn’t about certainty; it’s about awareness. When we stop taking life’s twists personally and start meeting them with acceptance and curiosity, we open the door to more aligned, human-centered leadership.

✨ Take a deep breath. Your journey doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else — only to you.
Connect with Mary BrodieLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfbrodie/Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mary-Brodie/author/B07ZBP6359?shoppingPortalEnabled=trueWebsite: https://www.mfbrodie.com/Connect with Me ( Rita)

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In this deeply moving episode of the Self-Care Goddess Podcast, we explore the healing power of love, presence, and self-awareness with Chrystal Rae, spiritual author, yogi, artist, poet, and co-owner of multiple yoga studios and teacher training schools based in Dallas, Texas.

Chrystal shares her extraordinary life journey, including a near-death experience following a devastating car accident that became a profound turning point in her understanding of love, purpose, and the nature of the soul. What emerged from that moment was a clear mission: to remind the world that love is all that matters.

Through heartfelt storytelling, spiritual wisdom, and lived experience, Chrystal invites us to see healing not as something to fix, but as something to remember, our true nature rooted in unconditional love. Drawing from yoga philosophy, near-death experiences, sound healing, and conscious living, this conversation gently guides listeners back home to themselves.

✨ Here’s what you’ll learn in this soul-nourishing episode:

✅ How a near-death experience reshaped Chrystal’s understanding of love, life, and purpose

✅ Why love is not just an emotion, but a universal healing force and state of consciousness

✅ The difference between intimacy-based love and unconditional, universal love

✅ How trauma, addiction, and shadow experiences can become pathways to healing and wisdom

✅ Why leaning into discomfort is often where the deepest transformation begins

✅ How yoga, breathwork, and meditation help regulate the nervous system and build emotional resilience

✅ Why sound and light are emerging modalities in healing and future medicine

✅ The role of self-compassion in breaking cycles of perfectionism, addiction, and self-judgment

✅ A simple guiding question to return to during difficult moments: “What is my most loving thought, word, or action?”

✅ How to respond instead of react when life feels overwhelming

✅ Chrystal’s perspective on forgiveness as a way to free yourself, not condone harm

✅ The importance of choosing an “overriding principle” for your life as a compass for decisions

✅ Why healing is a daily practice rooted in presence, breath, and conscious choice

Connect with Chrystal Rae

🌐 Website:https://chrystalraesoul.com/📖 Book: Love Letters to Your Soul (available on Amazon, audiobook narrated by Chrystal)🎙️ Speaker, sound healing guide, yoga teacher, and spiritual mentor

Connect with me (Rita)

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In this inspiring episode of the Self-Care Goddess Podcast, UpliftHER Leadership Series, we welcome Jill Proud, leadership coach, peer group facilitator, and founder of Vital Visionary, for an honest and empowering conversation about vitality, vision, and sustainable leadership for high-performing women.

With over 20 years of experience supporting Olympic athletes, CEOs, founders, and executive teams, Jill shares how true leadership begins from the inside out. She reflects on her personal journey, the lived experiences that shaped her work, and why women do not need to push harder to succeed. Instead, she invites leaders to ground themselves in clarity, internal alignment, and embodied vitality.

This episode is a powerful reminder that success does not require self-sacrifice. It requires presence, self-trust, and the courage to center yourself in your own vision.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this empowering episode:

✅ Why vitality is the foundation of sustainable leadership, not hustle or burnout

✅ How women are conditioned to prioritize everyone else and how to gently shift back inward

✅ The difference between external success and internal success

✅ Why clarity is the first pillar of confident, impactful leadership

✅ How to reconnect with your personal vision beyond roles, titles, and expectations

✅ The power of peer groups and being in rooms where women truly feel understood

✅ Common patterns Jill sees in high-performing women, including feeling stuck, isolated, or exhausted

✅ How menopause, life transitions, grief, and leadership pressure intersect and what actually helps

✅ The role of boundaries, nervous system regulation, and embodied self-care in leadership

✅ Jill’s “Three Words” framework and how it becomes a daily filter for aligned decision-making

✅ Why embracing feminine leadership does not mean losing strength, but leading with wholeness

Jill’s Core Leadership Wisdom

“If you’re not vital, you can’t deliver on the vision.”

Connect with Jill Proud

• Website: https://www.vitalvisionary.com
• LinkedIn: Jill Proud
• Jill's links and resources: https://linktr.ee/jill_proud

• Founder of Vital Visionary Leadership coaching, women’s peer groups, and executive facilitation

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