Empowered & Embodied Show

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In episode 153 of The Empowered and Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil are diving deep into a conversation with the incredible Adhya Rose—an efficiency and energetics coach who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs create time freedom and streamline their businesses with ease.

But this episode isn’t just about systems and structures (though we touch on those, too!). We explore authenticity, embodiment, alignment, and the power of allowing—because let’s be real, the journey to an empowered and embodied life is anything but linear.

From unpacking societal expectations to embracing our unique evolutionary paths, this conversation will inspire you to let go, surrender, and trust in the unfolding of your own journey. Because, spoiler alert: you don’t have to control everything to feel at peace.

"The most amazing thing you can do for yourself and the world is to come forward with all of who you are." - Adhya Rose

Key Takeaways:

• What authenticity really means—and why it’s more than just a buzzword.
• How alignment and embodiment help us move through the world with ease.
• The role of systems in supporting personal and professional growth.
• Why control isn’t the goal—and how allowing can bring true freedom.
• The connection between inner peace, surrender, and the messy human experience.
• How our personal evolution impacts the collective (whether we’re aware of it or not!).

Key Moments:

0:00 – Opening the conversation on authenticity

7:28 – The role of values in life and business

10:05 – Why asking for help can be difficult

13:00 – Creating support through community systems

15:52 – How systems shape our human experience

19:04 – Finding peace during change and uncertainty

22:02 – The ongoing journey of self-awareness

24:37 – Karma, life lessons, and personal growth

27:49 – Growth through chaos and conflict

33:50 – Embracing authenticity in all forms

37:26 – Balancing control and surrender

40:26 – Allowing life to unfold with intention

45:36 – Holding space for infinite possibilities

49:18 – Final reflections and key takeaways

56:55 – Closing with gratitude and community

Connect With Adhya:

Website: www.adhyarose.com

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adhya-rose-27960017a/

Special Offering: Scaling with Ease – A 12-month program designed to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs streamline their businesses, implement sustainable systems, and grow with intention.

https://www.adhyarose.com/scaling-with-ease-mastermind

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

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Have you ever felt othered, that you don't belong or matter at work? Do you feel like your opinions aren't heard or that you need to say "yes" when you really mean "no"?
Then it's possible you're working in a psychologically unsafe environment.
This week, Kim & Louise take a peek behind the curtain at the idea of psychological safety at work. What does it mean to feel psychologically safe? What are some ways leaders (at all levels) can help to create a culture in which courage and vulnerability are the norm?
Take a listen and share your thoughts with us on this incredibly important topic.
Show Notes:
Welcome and hellos:
*Weekly Wrap-Up (00:09)
*Introduction to this week's topic: psychological safety at work. (5:39)
*Workplaces can't fix feelings but leaders can lead from a place of inclusivity and create a psychologically safe environment. (13:16)
*Leadership can be stepping in and showing vulnerability by taking action in different ways to inspire psychological safety. (18:38)
*What do you do when you don't know where to begin? (20:49)
*Micro-aggressions are becoming actionable offenses and that helps people feel psychologically safe at work. (25:52)
*Consider how you can use your own courage and vulnerability to impact change in the workplace. (28:58)
*What changes have you seen when someone or an individual takes an action? Share your stories. (29:21)
*Golden Nugget (32:49)
*Next week's topic: adaptability vs. resilience. (34:17)
RESOURCES:
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant
Creating Psychologically Safe Workplaces For LGBTQIA+ Folks by Change Catalyst
The Case for Psychological Safety and Better Teams - Dr. Rafael Chiuzi at TEDxMcMasterU
Psychological Safety: Clear Blocks to Innovation, Collaboration, and Risk-Taking - LinkedIn Course by Amy Edmundson

Connect with us directly:

You can find Kim at https://www.kimromain.com, as well as on LinkedIn @kimromain and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @thekimromain

You can find all things Louise here.

Wanna get started on crafting your own kickass career? Download Your Career Clarity Assessment here

You can also get Kim's Mindset Magic Cards here.

Don't forget to email your questions, comments, outbursts, and suggestions at

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

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Should I stay or should I go?

The Clash asked this important question back in 1981. It's something we should all ask ourselves on a regular basis. Is this job, organization, project, relationship, or environment serving me? Can changes be made to make work for me? Or, should I just go?
Very often, leaving can be hard and painful, even if it's leaving a circumstance that no longer serves us. Endings are hard. And knowing when to leave - before it gets to the point of toxic and damaging - is a skill worth learning.
This week, Kim and Louise dive into the heart of the matter and share thoughts on how to know when, prepare for, and take steps to leave a situation that is no longer serving you so you can step into your next level of growth and expansion.
Show Notes:
* Weekly Wrap-up - did we reach our intentions for the week?
* Louise discusses giving herself grace this week. (00:48)
* Kim talks about allowing herself to feel what she needed to in the heaviness of the week. (2:04)
* Weekly Topic - "I QUIT!" - How do you know when it's time? (4:55)
* Why do you think it is so hard to leave a job/company/whatever? Kim and Louise uncover how it felt for them and how they knew when it was time to leave. (5:23)
* Kim notes "turning the tables" and asking why should I stay instead of why should I go. (6:40)
* Feeling "disconnected" before asking the question. (9:05)
* Realizing that at times you may not even be aware you were asking "the" question. (11:20)
* What is your responsibility to your team? (20:35)
* Putting on your oxygen mask first. (21:15)
* Why are you crying in the bathroom? (25:15)
* Whatever is wrong in one position/job will follow you to the next unless you deal with it first. (29:40)
* Find out what golden nuggets Louise and Kim took away from today's discussion. (34:05)

Connect with us directly:

You can find Kim at https://www.kimromain.com, as well as on LinkedIn @kimromain and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @thekimromain

You can find all things Louise here.

Wanna get started on crafting your own kickass career? Download Your Career Clarity Assessment here

You can also get Kim's Mindset Magic Cards here.

Don't forget to email your questions, comments, outbursts, and suggestions at [email protected].

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

Send us a Message

In episode 152 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim and Louise explore the art of navigating difficult conversations while staying true to yourself. From intimate relationships to workplace interactions, they reveal what it takes to communicate with honesty, clarity, and compassion, even during emotionally charged moments.

They discuss the critical role of self-awareness, identifying personal triggers, and creating mental space to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively. Louise shares her journey of moving beyond her natural "harmonizer" tendencies to express her authentic truth, while Kim examines how trust—in ourselves and others—forms the foundation of meaningful dialogue. Together, they emphasize that practicing these conversations, despite their messiness, is essential for developing deeper connections, stronger communities, and a more compassionate world.

This episode invites you to reconsider their approach to conflict, embrace vulnerability, and understand that mistakes are an inevitable part of growth. When we remain fully present during challenging exchanges, we create opportunities for genuine, transformative change.

"Tough conversations are actually how we are kind to one another." - Louise Neil

"When you're really present, you can make a different choice." - Kim Romain

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Trust develops through engaging in difficult conversations—not avoiding them
• Self-awareness is crucial: recognizing how conflict manifests in your body helps you respond intentionally
• Conflict isn't about determining who's right or wrong—it's about mutual understanding
• Challenging conversations don't necessarily cause harm; with practice, they can strengthen relationships
• It's perfectly acceptable to pause, reset, or revisit conversations when needed—growth is a process

EPISODE TIMELINE

00:00 – Welcome & birthday celebrations 🎉

06:07 – The power of space & self-reflection

09:04 – What makes a conversation "hard"?

12:11 – Trust, fear, and navigating conflict

18:03 – Recognizing emotional triggers in real time

23:30 – The impact of self-awareness on communication

29:58 – Why we avoid difficult conversations

35:35 – Learning to lean into discomfort

41:22 – The difference between tough conversations & arguments

46:50 – Final reflections and takeaways

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

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In episode 150 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim and Louise sit down with author, activist, and performer Susan Lieu to explore the weight of family expectations, intergenerational trauma, and the journey to reclaiming self-worth. Susan, author of The Manicurist’s Daughter and creator of the solo show 140 Pounds: How Beauty Killed My Mother, shares her deeply personal story of uncovering long-buried family secrets, navigating cultural pressures, and ultimately learning how to break cycles of silence and choose herself.

Through humor, vulnerability, and bold insights, this conversation explores self-worth beyond achievement, the importance of having "salad friends" (the ones who tell you when you have spinach in your teeth), and why true healing starts with looking inward.

"We pay a tax on our silence. Whether it’s in our bodies, our relationships, or our sense of self, unspoken pain doesn’t just disappear—it festers." – Susan Lieu

Key Takeaways

🔹 Breaking Family Cycles – How Susan confronted generational silence and redefined her own path.

🔹 The Weight of Cultural Expectations – How ancestral trauma shapes self-worth and what it takes to unlearn it.

🔹 Achievement ≠ Fulfillment – Why success alone won’t bring happiness—and how Susan learned to redefine it.

🔹 The Importance of ‘Salad Friends’ – Surrounding yourself with people who tell you the truth (with love).

🔹 Receiving Without Guilt – Learning to let yourself enjoy life’s little pleasures without justification.

🔹 Healing Starts With You – Instead of seeking validation externally, real transformation begins by going inward.

Key Moments

[00:00] – Intros and celebrating the little things (like giant Peruvian grapes!)

[07:09] – Unpacking family trauma and the power of storytelling

[13:42] – The weight of cultural expectations and the cost of silence

[21:26] – Why achieving more doesn’t always mean feeling more fulfilled

[28:49] – Breaking the cycle: Reparenting yourself and shifting family dynamics

[34:35] – The art of truly listening and holding space for others

[41:17] – Reclaiming self-worth and learning to receive joy without guilt

[48:23] – Choosing yourself: How to step into your own power

CONNECT WITH SUSAN:

Website: http://susanlieu.me

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanlieuofficial

Instagram: https://instagram.com/susanlieu

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@susanlieu6046

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MENTIONED:

📖 The Manicurist’s Daughter by Susan Lieu

🎭140 Pounds: How Beauty Killed My Mother by Susan Lieu

🎙️ Model Minority Moms Podcast

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.