The Courage to Choose: How to Stop Waiting and Start Trusting Yourself with Nan Whaley

The Courage to Choose: How to Stop Waiting and Start Trusting Yourself with Nan Whaley

What if the life you're dreaming about is waiting on a decision you're too afraid to make? So many women spend years waiting to feel certain before they take the leap—whether that's changing careers, ending a relationship, starting a business, running for office, or simply admitting they want something different. But what if confidence doesn't come before the decision? What if it comes after? In this deeply honest conversation, former Dayton Mayor and trailblazing leader Nan Whaley shares why some of the most important choices of her life were made long before she felt ready. From becoming the first woman nominated by her party for Governor of Ohio to leading a city through extraordinary challenges, Nan has learned that perfection is not the goal—courage is. Together, we explore: ✨ Why perfectionism keeps women stuck  ✨ The real reason decision-making feels so overwhelming  ✨ How to stop waiting for certainty and start trusting yourself  ✨ What failure actually teaches us  ✨ Reinvention, resilience, and choosing again and again  ✨ Why sharing our stories helps other women find their own strength This episode is for every woman standing at a crossroads, wondering if she's capable of more than the life she's currently living. Because the truth is: there is no perfect choice. There is only the choice to trust yourself enough to take the next step.  JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support] Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy [betsyleonidas@gmail.com]@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co [https://www.instagram.com/write_your_own_story_co/?hl=en#]Or betsyleo [https://www.instagram.com/betsyleo/?hl=en#] Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

Why Every Woman Should Take a Solo Trip (At Least Once)

Do you feel like you're standing between chapters of your life? Maybe you know something needs to change, but you're not quite sure what comes next. Maybe you've been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or stuck in a season that no longer fits. In this episode, Betsy shares one of the most powerful tools she's used for years to navigate life's biggest transitions: solo travel. What began as a post-breakup trip during her senior year of college has become a ritual she returns to whenever she needs clarity, confidence, and a reset. After her most recent solo getaway, Betsy came home with a renewed sense of peace, excitement, and direction for the chapter ahead. She shares why every woman should consider taking a solo trip at least once, how solitude can help you reconnect with your intuition, and the surprising lessons that emerge when you stop distracting yourself and finally sit with your own thoughts. In this episode: ✨ Why solo trips have become Betsy's secret weapon during life transitions ✨ The difference between being alone and being lonely ✨ How to find clarity when you're in a "Now What?" season ✨ Why confidence grows when you learn to trust yourself ✨ The mindset shift helping Betsy step into her next chapter with more peace and less fear If you've been craving a fresh start, more clarity, or simply a deeper connection with yourself, this episode is your reminder that sometimes the answers you're searching for are found in the quiet. JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support] Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy [betsyleonidas@gmail.com]@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co [https://www.instagram.com/write_your_own_story_co/?hl=en#]Or betsyleo [https://www.instagram.com/betsyleo/?hl=en#] Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

Your Old Life Is Falling Apart, Now What? with Sarah Barnes-Humphrey

What happens when the life you worked the hardest for suddenly falls apart? When the career, marriage, identity, or future you built your entire world around no longer exists… and you’re left staring at the question: Now what? In this raw and deeply honest conversation, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey shares what it looked like to lose the life she thought she was supposed to want — after spending 20 years helping build the family business she believed she’d one day take over. Overnight, the doors closed. The identity disappeared. And while everyone else saw a successful woman holding it together, behind the scenes Sarah was rebuilding herself from scratch — working part-time jobs, questioning everything, crying on the couch daily, and trying to figure out who she was without the titles, certainty, and expectations she had built her life around. What came next was not a polished reinvention. It was messy, painful, confusing, brave, and ultimately transformational. In this episode, we talk about: * What happens when your “dream life” no longer fits * The pressure women feel to perform, achieve, and hold it all together * How to know whether fear is stopping you… or whether something simply isn’t aligned * Identity loss after career shifts, divorce, burnout, or major life change * Why curiosity is more powerful than perfection * The hidden loneliness of entrepreneurship and rebuilding * Learning to trust yourself before you feel ready * The difference between purpose and self-worth Sarah also shares how she went from losing everything she built to creating an entirely new path rooted in authentic connection, storytelling, and helping others feel seen and heard. If you’re in a “now what?” season right now — where the old chapter has ended and the next one feels uncertain — this episode will feel like someone finally saying the quiet part out loud. Because you do not need to have it all figured out to begin again. JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Sarah Barnes-Humphrey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbarneshumphrey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbarneshumphrey/]  Let's Talk Supply Chain: https://letstalksupplychain.com [https://letstalksupplychain.com]  The Blended Podcast: https://blendedpledge.org/podcast [https://blendedpledge.org/podcast]  Blended Pledge: https://blendedpledge.org [https://blendedpledge.org]  Book: I Buried Her in a French Press – https://www.amazon.com/Buried-Her-French-Press-Finding/dp/1544549466/ref=sr_1_1 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support] Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy [betsyleonidas@gmail.com]@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co [https://www.instagram.com/write_your_own_story_co/?hl=en#]Or betsyleo [https://www.instagram.com/betsyleo/?hl=en#] Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

This Will Change How You Make Decisions Forever with Megan Pando

If you’ve been stuck overthinking, going back and forth, waiting for clarity…  this might be the shift you’ve been needing.  Because the problem isn’t that you can’t make decisions, it’s that you’ve been taught to look for the “right” one.  This week, Betsy sits down with Megan Pando—founder, entrepreneur, and former Shark Tank participant—for a conversation that reframes everything you thought you knew about decision-making.  In this episode, you’ll learn:  *  why you feel stuck when making decisions  *  the difference between anxiety and inner knowing  *  how to stop overthinking without forcing clarity  *  and how to trust yourself again  This isn’t about becoming more logical.  It’s about becoming more aligned.   So if every decision has been feeling heavy, confusing, or overwhelming lately… take this as your sign.   You don’t need more time. You don’t need more opinions.   You just need a new way of listening to yourself.   And once you feel it—you won’t go back. ✨ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support] Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy [betsyleonidas@gmail.com]@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co [https://www.instagram.com/write_your_own_story_co/?hl=en#]Or betsyleo [https://www.instagram.com/betsyleo/?hl=en#] Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

How to Be Heard as a Woman (Even When You Doubt Yourself) with Sarah Jakle

What if the voice you’ve been doubting… is the very thing the world needs most? In this deeply moving episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with Sarah Jakle, founder of Democrashe, for a conversation that will stay with you long after it ends. This episode is for the woman who has something to say—but hesitates. The one who questions if her voice matters, if she’ll be heard, or if it’s even worth speaking at all. After being told she would never work again due to a life-altering autoimmune diagnosis, Sarah faced a moment where everything she knew about herself was stripped away. What followed wasn’t just a comeback—it was a complete redefinition of identity, courage, and what it means to use your voice.  Together, Betsy and Sarah explore: *  How to transform your inner critic into your inner best friend  *  The power of taking one small, brave step at a time  *  Why confidence doesn’t come first—and what actually does  *  How to speak up even when you feel unseen, unheard, or afraid  *  The concept of “What’s your victory?” and redefining success on your own terms  *  Why your voice matters—even when it feels like it doesn’t  This is not a conversation about becoming louder.  It’s about becoming truer. If you’ve ever felt like shrinking, silencing yourself, or waiting for permission—this episode is your reminder: your voice already belongs. And the moment you start using it, everything begins to shift. Listen all the way through—you might just meet a version of yourself you’ve been waiting for 💫 Learn more about DemocraShe: https://www.democrashe.org/who-we-are Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support] Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy [betsyleonidas@gmail.com]@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co [https://www.instagram.com/write_your_own_story_co/?hl=en#]Or betsyleo [https://www.instagram.com/betsyleo/?hl=en#] Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast