Alright, folks! So today we’re diving headfirst into the wild world of self-criticism and the liberating idea that sometimes, the truth just doesn’t serve us. Picture this: you drop a glass and suddenly you’re the clumsy villain of your own story! But guess what? It’s time to flip the script! I’m here to chat with you about how our interpretations of our little blunders can spiral into a tsunami of self-loathing, and how we can break free from that cycle. We’ll unpack the notion that how we perceive our mess-ups—big or small—can shape our confidence and overall vibe in life. Trust me, realizing that life is messy and that we don’t need to play the blame game can be a total game-changer. So let’s kick that guilt to the curb and learn to be our own biggest cheerleaders instead! Ready? Let’s roll!

Takeaways:

1. Life is messy and embracing that messiness allows us to approach our emotions and experiences with more grace and understanding, instead of blame.
2. Understanding that our perceptions of truth can often hinder our growth is vital for personal development and emotional resilience.
3. Rather than focusing on whose fault it is when something goes wrong, we should ask ourselves how to move forward and what we can learn from the situation.
4. Shame and guilt are unhelpful emotions that can prevent us from making progress; instead, we should learn to be kind to ourselves and focus on constructive actions.
5. The narrative we create about ourselves in moments of failure can either propel us forward or hold us back, so we must choose our words carefully.
6. We often believe that attributing blame leads to accountability, but in reality, it can create more negativity; let’s focus on solutions instead.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. amandahest.ca/bookacall

Alright, folks, let’s dive into some juicy family dynamics! Today, we're peeling back the layers on why family gatherings feel like stepping into a well-rehearsed play where everyone knows their lines—especially those cringe-worthy ones. The real kicker? It’s not about the events themselves; it's about the patterns we’ve been stuck in since we were knee-high to a grasshopper. We're talking about those age-old scripts we keep repeating, and trust me, they’re not as random as you think. Spoiler alert: it’s your nervous system playing tricks on you, making you time travel back to your childhood every time Uncle Bob brings up politics at the barbecue. So grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let’s explore how we can break those patterns without putting the blame on anyone else—because, really, who has the energy for that?

Takeaways:

1. Navigating family dynamics often unveils deep-rooted patterns that we unknowingly perpetuate, impacting our emotional well-being.
2. The key to transforming how we interact with family involves reframing blame and focusing on personal accountability instead.
3. Our nervous systems have been conditioned from childhood to react in predictable ways during family gatherings, leading to emotional time travel.
4. Mastering the art of storytelling about our experiences can significantly alter our emotional responses and improve our overall happiness.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. amandahest.ca/bookacall

There is a systemic failure happening in the helping industry — and nobody is talking about it.

Coaches and therapists are opening emotional doors they are completely unprepared to sit in. And when you show up authentically — crying, angry, overwhelmed, resistant — instead of being held, you get shut down. Pathologized. Shamed into getting small.

I'm recording this one hot, because it happened to me today. And I need you to hear it.

What I cover in this episode:

1. The $25,000 business mastermind where I was told they'd "move on" while I cried — and how it took me months to recover my confidence
2. Being interrupted mid-share and told to mute myself and come back with a "more appropriate" share
3. Being told by a business coach — twice — that I needed therapy, not coaching
4. Why this isn't a you problem — it's a capacity problem on their end
5. Why shutting down emotion doesn't protect the client — it retraumatizes them
6. What trauma-aware support actually looks like in practice
7. Clients who've been fired by therapists for being "too emotional" — and why that's an industry failure, not a client failure
8. What it looks like when all of it is welcome: crying, anger, resistance, circling, even lying — none of it pathologized

The truth I keep coming back to:

Shame is the mechanism used to make you small. When someone in authority responds to your emotion with dismissal or redirection, the message that lands is: what you just did was wrong. And you shrink. You manage yourself. You stop showing up fully.

That was never your shame to hold.

You are allowed to show up as the fullest, most authentic version of yourself. There are helpers — coaches, therapists, friends, partners — who won't reject that. Your job is to find them.

If this resonated:

Book a free discovery call with me: amandahess.ca/bookacall

Connect on Instagram: @theamandahess

Do you ever feel like there’s a version of you that wants more out of life…

More joy.

More confidence.

More freedom.

More YOU.

But every time you try to move toward her, something pulls you back?

In this episode, we’re talking about identity, possibility, and why becoming the woman you want to be has less to do with “fixing yourself” and more to do with what your brain believes is possible for you.

I share a story from figure skating that completely shifted how I think about growth and identity, and why being around people who are already doing the things you want to do changes your brain faster than trying to force yourself to believe differently.

We also talk about:

Why sensitive women often stay stuck in old identities

How your environment shapes what feels possible

Why your thoughts are not facts

The psychology behind seeing other people do what you want to do

Why your brain resists change (even when you WANT it)

What Rick Rubin calls the “lazy brain”

Why more possibility creates more freedom

The connection between anxiety, emotional heaviness, and purpose

Why you don’t need to “fix” yourself to create a different life

How coaching, support, and community help you expand your identity

The biggest takeaway from this episode:

You are not as stuck as you think you are.

Sometimes your brain just needs evidence that another way of living is possible.

And when you start surrounding yourself with people, spaces, and conversations that expand what feels possible…

you start becoming someone new without even realizing it.

If this episode resonated and you want support applying this work in your own life, you can book a discovery call with me here:

amandahess.ca/bookacall

Connect with me on Instagram:

@theamandahess

Today I’m talking about something I see constantly in women who are overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, anxious, or stuck in survival mode: the inability to slow down and be alone with themselves.

So many of us are constantly doing. Working, parenting, helping everyone else, consuming self-help, listening to podcasts, journaling, trying to improve ourselves, trying to stay productive — and while none of those things are bad, eventually we lose our connection to ourselves.

In this episode, I’m talking about:

1. Why constant doing can keep us emotionally dysregulated
2. What emotional reactivity actually is
3. How fear of feeling keeps us stuck in fight, flight, freeze, and fawn
4. Why silence feels uncomfortable for so many women
5. The importance of emotional safety and nervous system regulation
6. How to build the ability to feel emotions without becoming consumed by them
7. Small ways to slow down and reconnect with yourself throughout your day

This episode is a reminder that healing is not always about doing more. Sometimes it’s about creating enough space to finally hear yourself again.

1. Emotional reactivity isn’t just about outward behaviour — it’s when emotions are running your internal experience.
2. Many women stay busy because being alone with themselves feels unsafe.
3. Constant input and productivity can disconnect us from our bodies and nervous systems.
4. Fear of emotion creates chronic fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses.
5. Emotional safety is something we can build over time.
6. Small moments of silence and grounding matter more than you think.
7. Healing is not about white-knuckling your way through life.

If this episode resonated with you and you’re realizing how much of your life has been spent in survival mode, I’d love to support you.

You can book a free discovery call at:

👉 amandahess.ca/bookacall

Together, we can look at what’s keeping you emotionally stuck, how to create more emotional safety, and whether coaching is the right next step for you.

Let me tell you, if you’ve ever felt like you just can’t shake off a past hurt, you’re in for a treat. We’re diving into the fascinating world of trauma—what it really is and why it affects us all differently. I’m talking about the sneaky ways that emotional pain can manifest in our daily lives, from the tone of someone’s voice to the way silence can feel like a punch in the gut. It turns out that our brains are wired to keep us safe, but sometimes, they misinterpret signals and lead us down a rabbit hole of anxiety and fear. We’ll unpack why trying to simply ‘think’ your way out of it is like trying to use a spoon to dig a hole—it’s just not going to work! Instead, I’ll share some insights on how to work with your nervous system to create a sense of safety and stability in your life. Plus, I’ve got a brand new free class coming up that’s perfect for anyone feeling stuck in the cycle of overthinking. It’s time to learn how to prioritize your feelings without guilt and start living a ‘fuck yes’ life—one that’s truly yours!

Takeaways:

1. You might think you're overreacting, but your brain is just processing trauma differently than others.
2. Replaying conversations is not a flaw; it’s your brain's way of trying to create safety after emotional pain.
3. Feeling anxious or reactive isn't a logic issue; it's a feelings problem that needs to be addressed with care.
4. It's crucial to realize that your needs are just as important as everyone else's, not optional.
5. Suppressing emotions only makes things worse; you need to learn how to process feelings effectively.
6. A 'fuck yes' life is about prioritizing your own desires and needs, not waiting for others to validate you.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. amandahest.ca/bookacall

Alright friend, grab your gardening gloves because today we’re talking about something really important: how to create a life that actually blooms.

The biggest takeaway from this episode?

I think we spend way too much time pulling weeds and not nearly enough time planting flowers.

You know how in spring we clean out our gardens? We pull out the dead stuff, clear the weeds, make space for something new. I really think we need to do the same thing mentally and emotionally too.

So many women are walking around completely focused on what’s wrong. What’s wrong with them. What’s wrong with their relationship. Their body. Their job. Their life. And while yes — sometimes we absolutely do need to deal with the weeds — I don’t think healing is supposed to just be endless weeding.

At some point, we also have to plant flowers.

In this episode, I talk about:

1. Why constantly “fixing yourself” can actually keep you stuck
2. The difference between pulling weeds and creating beauty
3. Nervous system regulation that actually feels supportive and doable
4. Why pleasure matters more than most women realize
5. How kindness, rest, joy, and unconditional love change your life
6. Why so many women are burned out from trying to hold too many plates
7. How to start creating a life that feels full instead of just managed

I also share why figure skating is one of the biggest nervous system regulators in my own life, and why the things that light you up emotionally are not frivolous — they’re necessary.

This episode is really an invitation to stop living in constant maintenance mode and start intentionally creating a life you actually want to be inside of.

Because the truth is:

If all we ever do is pull weeds, we end up exhausted.

But when we start planting flowers?

Everything changes. 🌸

Want to talk to me directly? Book a free discovery call here:

1. amandahess.ca/bookacall