Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
Elevate Within is a transformational podcast for women navigating burnout, identity shifts, grief, healing, reinvention, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
Hosted by Sandy Davis, Elevate Within creates honest, unfiltered conversations around the “messy middle” the part of the journey rarely discussed publicly. Through vulnerable storytelling and powerful conversations with women from diverse backgrounds, this podcast explores what it truly means to rebuild yourself personally, professionally, emotionally, and spiritually.
From corporate burnout and high-functioning anxiety to self-worth, relationships, trauma, purpose, and rediscovering your voice, Elevate Within is a space for women seeking deeper healing, confidence, connection, and self-discovery.
Each episode is designed to remind women that they are not broken, not behind, and not alone in their journey.
This is more than a podcast.
It’s a community for women learning how to rise, rebuild, and elevate from within.
Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
Motherhood, Burnout & Creating Joy | Amanda Maloney
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Amanda Maloney wasn’t a CEO when she burned out. She was a mom in the carpool line who forgot she mattered too.
Most burnout stories start in the corner office. Amanda Maloney's starts somewhere different, in the parking lot of a part-time job, in the kitchen at midnight trying to figure out the bills, at dinner with her best friends realizing she had quietly become someone she didn't recognize.
In this episode of Elevate Within's Architecture of Reinvention: The Art of Unbecoming summer series, Amanda joins Sandy Davis and Claudia Cuevas, LMFT to share how burnout crept in through the side door of ordinary life, motherhood, the 2008 financial crash, a pandemic that asked everything of her while nobody asked if she was okay. She names the guilt that fueled her burnout with total honesty: guilty when she worked, guilty when she didn't, guilty about wanting something for herself.
Amanda shares the Magnetic Method, her five-step framework for moving out of problem-solving mode and into creation, along with segment intending a simple practice that gives any heavy task a purpose beyond itself and makes it instantly lighter. She is candid that she hasn't arrived anywhere she is still in the messy middle, still building, still figuring it out and that living a life she loves was never about finishing. It was about starting now.
What You Will Hear in This Episode
How burnout can live quietly inside ordinary motherhood, not just executive life.
The full guilt list many women carry without ever naming it out loud.
The Magnetic Method and the shift from problem-solving into creation.
Segment intending, a practice for making any heavy task feel lighter immediately.
Why joy doesn’t require arrival, and what it means to create it now.
Connect with Amanda Maloney
Website: abundanttransformationsllc.com
⭐ If this resonated, please leave a rating or review, it helps reach more women who need this conversation.
🎙️ ABOUT ELEVATE WITHIN Elevate Within is a podcast and community for high-achieving women navigating the messy middle — the space between who you were and who you're becoming.
🎧 SUBSCRIBE & NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
🎵 Spotify: Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
🍎 Apple Podcasts: Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
▶️ YouTube: Elevate Within Always
📻 Amazon Music: Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
📻 iHeart Radio: Elevate Within with Sandy Davis
📖 Substack: https://substack.com/@elevatewithin
⭐ APPLE PODCAST LISTENERS If this resonated with you, a rating or review would mean everything. It helps Elevate Within reach more women who may need this conversation right now.
📖 GO DEEPER ON SUBSTACK Weekly essays and honest conversations about burnout, grief, reinvention, resilience, healing, and the messy middle.
🔓 Free subscribers — full access to all public content
🔐 Paid subscribers — bonus essays, early access to upcoming series, behind-the-scenes recordings, and direct community engagement
👉 https://substack.com/@elevatewithin
💼 CONNECT WITH SANDY
📎 LinkedIn: Sandra Davis
🌐 Fractional COO Services & Discovery Calls: ElevateOpsAdvisory.com
💼 CONNECT WITH CLAUDIA CUEVAS, LMFT
🌐 https://claudiacuevas.com/ OR
https://www.therapyforlatinx.com/united-states/mission-viejo/therapist/claudia-cuevas-146
So one thing that I really like to always say is people think I when they hear like mindset coaching, I mean it's also transformational life coaching, you can call it what you will. But I I think people assume it's gonna be being in a positive mindset all the time. Like, oh I'm gonna teach you how to, you know, be positive. And that is uh the exact opposite of what I teach. What I teach is how to face your challenges and get through them. That's like get through it to the other side.
SPEAKER_00Welcome back to Elevate Within. I'm your host, Sandy Davis. Elevate within is for the high-achieving women and the messy middle, the space between who you were and who you're becoming. This is a space for honest conversations about reinvention, resilience, healing, leadership, and what it really takes to rebuild from the inside out. Each week, I am joined by my co-host Claudia Cuevas, licensed marriage and family therapist, as we explore the stories, lessons, and emotional realities behind transformation. Because reinvention isn't just about changing our circumstances, it's about understanding yourself. It's about healing, it's about letting go of who you thought you had to be, so you can become who you were always meant to be. Whether you're navigating burnout, grief, identity shifts, career transitions, entrepreneurships, caregiving, or simply asking yourself what's next. You are not alone. So take a breath, pull up a chair, and join us at the table. This is Elevate Within. Hello and welcome back to Elevate Within. I'm your host, Sandy Davis, and your co-host, Claudia Cuevas. When exploring the architecture of reinvention, sometimes reinvention doesn't begin with a breakdown. Sometimes it begins with a question, a quiet question that shows up years after taking care of everyone else, after building a career, raising a family, meeting expectations, holding everything together. The question sounds simple, but for many women, it's surprisingly difficult to answer. And that question is, what do I want? Today's guest has spent years helping women find their way back to themselves. I'm honored to introduce Amanda Maloney. Amanda is a mindset coach, author, and founder of Abundant Transformations LLC, and a woman who understands what it feels like to spend years taking care of everyone else while slowly losing connection with yourself. Like so many women, Amanda navigated the pressures of career, motherhood, financial stress, expectations, and the constant feeling that there was never enough time, energy, or space left for her. Rather than waiting for life to become easier, Amanda began exploring mindset work, personal growth, intentional living as a way of reconnecting with herself while still living through the realities of everyday life. Today, she helps women move from burnout and mental overload into greater clarity, confidence, and alignment. Through her coaching, writing, and speaking, she reminds women that reinvention doesn't always begin with a dramatic life change. Sometimes it begins with giving yourself permission to remember who you are beneath the roles, responsibilities, and expectations you've carried for so long. In today's conversation, we're talking about motherhood, identity, burnout, joy, self-worth, and what it means to create a life you genuinely love while you're still becoming. Amanda, welcome to Elevate Within.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much, Sandy, and hi Claudia. I'm really excited to be here today. We are excited to have you.
SPEAKER_00Amanda, take us back before the coaching business, before the book, before the work you're doing today. What was life like back then?
SPEAKER_01So I grew up in a little town that was south of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. And I grew up with my parents and my sister. She's older. And we went to private Catholic schools. And um, I always kind of had um, I don't know, an interest in theology and that kind of gave me that upbringing. And what's interesting though is some people would would like see me and they would think, you know, maybe we came from money, or, you know, you go into these private Catholic schools, and it just was not the case in my household. We had a little two-family house, and you know, it was great, but I shared a small room with my sister uh till I was 11. And um she ended up going off to work and I wanted to work. I remember wanting to, and we had this like we lived right behind this little restaurant, and my mom like had waitress there part-time. My father was a police officer, so she, you know, would just get jobs forever she could in between, between his details and his schedule. And my sister started working there, and uh, I remember ended up, you know, wanting to get a job. I know you can't do that at this point anymore, but at 11 years old, I was, you know, in a kitchen picking green beans, you know, the ends-on green beans and yeah, washing um linens and things. And just from that very beginning, it just really gave me that like worker mentality and responsibility. And I loved making my own money. It also gave me independence. There was, you know, so much of my strengths in life, I think, came from working early. And then it's also kind of what burnt me out in the end. Um, but you know, I mean, it was great. And I I I wouldn't take it back. So I ended up, I didn't love school. I was someone who didn't love school, but I did, um, when it came time to high school, I did go to a private Catholic school. My mom really wanted us to. And at that point, I was also contributing. So it's like that was more responsibility. Um, you know, where we were working, we would contribute to go to the school. But at first, you know, I looking back, I probably wouldn't change it, but uh at the time, I'm like, what am I doing here? You know, it was um all girls and it was it was tough. But uh at that point we had moved to a different house. And um, things like I always had, especially in high school and being a Catholic high school, they start teaching theology, which I loved. And I found that to be a really important subject for me. Um, where I said I didn't love school, that was one class I always looked forward to because it, you know, my whole life I grew up Catholic. But once you hit that class, it's like it kind of taught you about every religion. And it just really opened my eyes to, you know, what was more in the world. And being Catholic and going to church all the time, and uh, you know, it built such like a nice faith in me that I love, and it definitely opened me up to um knowing that there's more out there. But it also gave me a lot of good girl conditioning. So it's like between that and you know, starting the job early and contributing to high school, it's like I always had that feeling of, you know, what is right and what's wrong. And sometimes, you know, it wasn't really the case. You know, I just felt like we just had this always, you know, you need to work hard for your money, you need to get a good job, you need to treat your time. That was a huge one, treat your time for money. That's all I knew. It's like my parents, you know, lived check-to-check. We didn't have like entrepreneurs and uh, you know, creating digital courses and things that can last without you, right? Right. So, you know, that was um a big part of my upbringing. And then I went, um, like I said, I didn't love school. So I ended up doing two years at uh community college. I got my associate's degree. And at the same time, I was always working. Like I got my first office job and I was working part-time. And after that, I ended up going full-time and started working my way up. I went to Boston and then ended up getting laid off. I was like a kid who got, you know, laid off at 19 years old. So the whole thing was a good thing. What are you doing? Well, so when I first went out, it was administrative worked. I started doing like administrative, um, especially through while I was still going to school. And then that actually led just to like a bigger position. It was um administrative to a managing director of a financial firm. So it was, you know, moving on up, it was good. And then something happened. Somebody was embezzling money. I don't even know what happened. One day I showed up for work and they literally brought me in the elevator and the doors closed, and they said we're getting off at like the HR department. Wow. Exactly. I'm like, what is going on? But they gave me a $5,000 severance. I was 19 years old. I very responsibly booked a trip with my friend. And I'm like, okay, let's start this over again. So, but I but I always had that worker mentality. So I ended up finding, I think I went through a tempeh agency and found um an IT staffing firm. So I went in as an administrative assistant role and just started working my way up there. I was there 14 years, and I was somebody who always like kind of got a little bored. I'd do a position for, you know, two years and then I was kind of tapped out. Then I'd try something else. And I was always like the helper and um, you know, such a good girl. I showed up to work every day. I could bend out drinking with my friends and I would show up on time. Trust me, like there were, you know, from my age, I I was always had that good girl mentality and uh ended up working my way up and eventually became project delivery manager. I was in project work and making, you know, huge commission checks, which was like such a great time in my life. Um and then I had met my husband. So we ended up getting married in 2005 and kind of had kids like a year, you know, got I think it was like one year later, got our house. And then a year later I had my son, and I did go back to work, but the project delivery manager was like nights, weekends, like you name it, we were just on. So I'm like, I can't go back, like having a baby, I don't want to do that. So I did have to, you know, send him to daycare, which was absolutely heart-wrenching for any mom that's out there. I totally get you. And I did a project coordinator role, so I didn't have to do the overtime. There goes the commission checks. So I was like, okay, you know. And then after I think I had my daughter three and a half years later, and after she was born, I was like, we can't do this with two kids, like putting them in daycare is just so expensive. It was just like I felt like I was missing so much of my son's life. So I ended up um, you know, saying, well, figure it out. So he's like, you know, my husband's like, okay, well, we got this. So I ended up leaving that job, and that was just like kind of all the wrong time. It's like as soon as I bought my house, it was in 2006 around Massachusetts, the market just absolutely tapped. I remember and I'm like, so we were in a reverse mortgage. Now I I don't have another check coming in. Um, you know, it was just like working these like when I tell you part-time jobs, I worked at a coffee shop, I did some retail, I did some, you know, light office things, but you name it, I tried it. And I just started, you know, getting back into personal development. I kind of like lost that for a few years. Um, and I started, you know, reading some books and doing different things and practicing the law of attraction. And it was, I think it wasn't until I don't know, we we were just in a bad situation, like really bad financially. We're like, what are we gonna do? You know, I had to do something. So this isn't now like years later. And I want to say, so it was 2020, just before 2020, maybe 2018. I think I went back to um, I ended up getting a job at my local town hall, which was awesome. It's like literally five minutes down the road. Got a full-time job. I was in, you know, accounting, like stuff I had done before. And excited, but it's like I got one week vacation the first year or the way that that it landed. And I'm like, here I am with kids. You know, my husband had a couple days from home, but for the most part, you know, his job was way more important than mine at the time, just bringing, you know, as far as bills were. So um it was like such a struggle again. So I'm like, all right, here I am now. Five days a week. I'm back, like we're just starting to feel like we were making a little money. Now every single dollar was literally going toward, you know, food, making sure that my kids had activities, babysitters, the ride home, you know, whatever it was. It's like I was just constantly. It was just that like off that feeling, sinking feeling. So I'm like, part of it I liked. I was back in the office and I was feeling like, oh, you know, I liked doing work again. There was things that I enjoyed, but it's I just wasn't really working. I'm like, this is crazy. So um then the pandemic hit, and most people, you know, were home. I wasn't like I was still reporting to the office. So now I have kids remote schooling. I'm still in the office. And my husband was home, but he literally was on calls 24-7. So it's like he he wasn't making sure they were on Zoom. He was doing the best he could. Um, so it was just kind of chaos. My son was really into the Xbox, like everyone, you know, it's like the internet. Honestly, thank God for it. I'm like one of those people that it helped those kids, the kids that lived through that generation, they were lonely. They were, you know, it's like I'm I'm all for it. It was fine with it. But you have to get used to the work done too, you know. And so um, that was just like so many challenges through that time, like, you know, everybody out there.
SPEAKER_02Can you give us because I know we're going into like the heavy stuff, and so can you share with us when you started getting a clue of like I might be hitting some burnout here? Like, what were some of those instances? Maybe the first time or second time, right? Because it's right, it's not bias, right? So when when did you kind of start really kind of noticing that maybe you were hitting those burnout times?
SPEAKER_01So definitely started um like spiraling. I found I was yelling at my son a lot. He got like the brunch of it. He was a very, very high energy kid. And Squad love it. I love like it's one of his you know greatest aspects now. I love him. But at the time it was stressful. It's like you're, you know, they don't understand, but it's like you're juggling all these things. So I was snapping a lot at the kids. Um, you know, just annoyed at my husband, like resentment for no reason. He's just working, but I was annoyed. It's like, you know, a lot of things falling on me. Um what else did that look like? Just you know, no self-care, like not taking care of myself, uh, lack of sleep, just feeling, you know, guilty, having having too much wine, you know, going out on a wine, you know, to play date or something and turning to that to make yourself feel better. Um, some of those I love, and you know, walking across the street and it was fine. But then, you know, when you had too much, and there were some days that I was just mad at myself, you know, that like what am I doing? I have these, you know, kids here. And um, and then, you know, when I had the pandemic had hit, and I was one day found myself Googling, like, you know, how can I stay positive in these times? Like, what is going on? So, and I was doing it more just for like my family and my kids, and then all of a sudden this like ad pops up, and it's just not something I would normally click on an ad. And it's this uh red-haired guy from Australia, you know, with his little accent telling me about something called a superconscious recode. And I was like, hmm. And for whatever reason, I clicked on the ad. And I was just so intrigued. It's um he runs something called like the magnetic mind program, and I ended up going through it as a client. So I went through it as a client and then uh just noticed such a change in myself and like my husband, like my kid, everybody was like, wow, you know, you could you could just tell that they were like, mom's so different, she's not yelling anymore. Like, this is great. And I loved it so much. So I ended up getting certified. And then in the midst of all this, you know, the pandemic is still kind of happening, people aren't really getting together. And um, I remember, you know, we could go to a restaurant again, and I was gonna meet some friends out at a restaurant, and I was all excited. And we went out and I just remember the conversation, and I'm looking around at these like women, like my best friends and you know, people I and this was the same with my neighbors, my, you know, everybody I kind of met. And I was like, wow, like listening to just the way that the conversations would go. And I'm like, that that was me, like literally just months ago. What kind of thing is what they had to change.
SPEAKER_00What conversation would they have?
SPEAKER_01Just like still the so like mental overload, the you know, stress of of the pandemic, the you know, the kids and getting here and oh my god, and the work and tired and you know, all this stuff going on. And I'm like, I just don't feel that anymore. It was like a real like eye-opening to me. Like, obviously, I changed. Like I knew, you know, how you know you changed, but I didn't realize how much I changed until I think it was like that was like a big moment for me. And that inspired me to write a book. I was like, you know, this there's so many women out there. I'm like, our poor moms. I'm like, we have so much guilt, so much, you know. And that was like part of the Catholic upbringing. It's like, oh my gosh, the guilt that comes with I was guilty when I worked, I was guilty when I didn't work, I was guilty when I wanted to, you know, do something for myself. I was guilty when we didn't have the money to, you know, go on these lavish vacations that you're watching on, you know, the highlight rails of social media and you know, every vacation coming and going, like the kids' school breaks and oh, like are we going away? It's like, oh, you know, it's like you have all that guilt, constant guilt. Yeah. And I'm like, I gotta do something because there's no need for it. It's like we can, we're all chasing to find like, you know, I'm gonna be happy when. Like when this happens, then I'm gonna live a life I love. Or when this, you know, once I have the money, then it's gonna be great. And it's like, no, it's not. You're gonna be the same person when you have the money. It's like if you go to, you know, a fancy restaurant and have champagne, and you're sitting there with the same group of people you always saw, you're gonna be that same person as if you were sitting on a park bench having a picnic, you know, with uh a soda. It's like you'll your identity doesn't change. And that's what I think people were always chasing, chasing like the ifs and the and the wins.
SPEAKER_00And the immediate gratification. Yes. You know.
SPEAKER_02Were there any signs physically for you? For me, um, because I'm very up in my I'm very brain-oriented and not so much in touch with my emotions. Um, I knew burnout was um, you know, among because I got sick with a pneumonia, right? And so I wonder if you were able to identify any physical ailments that kind of like correlated with your burnout.
SPEAKER_03Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01I think mine is like exhaustion. And the best way I can explain it is just mental load. It's like you literally like I I even have a picture on my my book with like a cloud about this woman's head because it's like you just feel like uh like you know, it's anybody's talking to you and uh it's like you just have that. Um, it's just heavy. It's just heavy mental load is like the best description. And or like the gut feeling, like, oh my gosh, you're gonna want to like pay your bills. Like, I was the one who paid the bills in my house, so it's like, ugh, you know, it's like that sinking feeling, or um, yeah, that was probably the most I would say, you know, physical I would get. Yeah. Yep.
SPEAKER_00And when you were scrolling, and I know for most women, right? The workaholics, the, you know, trying to figure things out, um, besides the the wine, which that is like the number one go-to, it is also the scrolling, right? It it's the the the constant scrolling. So when you found this ad, like at the time when you're scrolling, like, did you were you just looking for like anything that would uplift you? Did you feel like you know you were going a bit depressed? And that's why, you know, you were scrolling, like, hey, I just need something to give me a little bit of joy or motivation. Numb you out. Or numb you out, right? Exactly, yes. And be there had to be something um that you were going through at that time for you to have that ad resonate with you to want to click it and to want to do the work and get certified in it.
SPEAKER_01That's exactly what it was. I literally was typing how to stay positive in this time, you know, and uncertainty, or I don't know what it was. And again, like in my mind, I was thinking it was more to like my daughter went through a hard time, you know, she was so young. It's like we all had, you know, affected differently. And um it like stood out to me. And I'm not sure.
SPEAKER_02It was the helper trying to the helper trying to help someone else, but really it was for yourself.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Did you know that at the time that you were essentially helping yourself as opposed to like looking for ways to help your family? Because obviously, from what you're describing, you put everybody in front of you.
SPEAKER_01Yes. And I did feel like I did that for years and years. And then somewhere around, like it was probably my dad passed away in 2017. And he was someone I always had those, like he was someone I always had those like conversations with. He loved to talk about, you know, the bigger picture in life and you know, very philosophical and you know, talk about religion and those things. So I think somewhere just before that almost um is when I was starting to look into personal development books again because I loved that stuff. Like I always, even astrology, you know, when I was young, we'd go for our readings and just, you know, different different things always were like kind of fun for me. And um I started practicing the law of attraction. And it's actually the way I got this town job because I had been out for nine years. So, you know, it's a long time being outside of an office. And I'm like, what am I gonna do? You know, how am I gonna get this? And it's so hard to get these jobs. It's usually like uh somebody from within gets hired. And I just did these little techniques that I, you know, started reading the secret, I think it was with the time. And I I just believed it. Yeah. And I'm like, I'm just putting it out there and I believed it, and it took a while and I got it. And it's just funny because like when I've I've done this like a few different times now, and when you write out exactly like how you want it to be, and then I went in and I was actually interviewed for a different position, and I was like, oh, you know, whatever, that's what I applied for. And it wasn't working out, and you know, whatever reason, and it was because they had this other position coming up and they thought I'd be a better fit. So it's funny how like things work, you know. So and then um, so after that, um, we I manifested my dog. My husband did not like dogs, he was highly allergic to dogs, my kids for a dog, like yeah. And we put out there exactly what we wanted to be, and it literally happened within like two months. Um, but there was Why the why the dog?
SPEAKER_00I I know the only reason why I'm asking is because I I've always had dogs, right? You know, but uh Was also a workaholic and I didn't have a family. But there's something to be said. You're not the only one where it's just like it's not a cat, it's not a bird, it's really a dog. It's the dog.
SPEAKER_01They're so cute. He's the quirkiest, craziest little thing I've ever met. But um he's so fun. Yeah. Just I grew up with dogs. I you know, we didn't I had friends who had cats, but I'd um I just really always loved a dog. They're just always there. They're just, you know, and I thought it would be great for the kids too. Um, they've always wanted one. But just because it was a hard time. A lot of people I think got dogs in the pandemic. We were a little bit later. Um, but yeah, it just made the world a bit of sense. And I, you know, he's part of my best material now when I do my um content creating because he's so funny. So it's worth it.
SPEAKER_02He was worth I'm curious. Share with us one of your like go-to quick in the back pocket technique that you have that has helped you and others that you can maybe share with us.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So this is probably one of my favorite things of all time. And it is, I think it's called segment intending. So I have a, it's one of like a process that I put in the book. Um, and my book isn't very like heavy. It's like literally very practical tips and strategies. I tried to just make it quick chapters, something you can literally stop and do right now. So I had practiced this a lot. And um, my my dad had started getting sick too. And there were like certain tasks at work that you're like, oh, you know, like, oh my gosh, this is the day I'm getting all like the bills in or whatever it was. And I would just stop and I would either say, say the task or like the next hour or the next something you would dedicate a time and I'd say, I'm gonna take this next hour and I'm gonna crush this task and I'm gonna offer it up as a prayer, good vibes, positive energy, something to my dad. Or and you know, you can just pick anyone and it just helps you just when you put like purpose out there, it gives you a little more purpose. People talk about purpose all the time, and it's like we all have purpose, you know. But it's just being intentional with it. Uh, and that to me is huge. Anytime I feel like, oh, I'm in a rut, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna stop. And like, who needs my help today? And it could be someone across the country I've never met, but you know, with whatever's going on in the news or something to stop and say, you know what? This is my time. I'm gonna get through this, this simple little task here I am complaining about.
SPEAKER_02Um, I'm gonna You re reframe it from something that can feel heavy and negative and like that you have to do to something that you can accomplish and it can be a blessing for someone else. Yes. Yeah. Just give it a different intention.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's amazing for me.
SPEAKER_00What did you discover about yourself that surprised you once you started doing this work?
SPEAKER_01Um, I think probably resilience, because I am still in the messy middle. Like I am not here to tell anyone I've got it all together because I don't. Um, my big thing is I am here to say that I absolutely live a life I love. I wouldn't change anything. And I'm doing it while I'm, you know, stuck in the middle.
SPEAKER_00And why do you feel like you're in the messy middle? And I I'm only asking this is because Claudia and I were talking yesterday, and I was like, yeah, I'm in the messy middle. And I do feel like the messy middle is cyclical, right? You can get into it, you recognize it, you can get out. None of us have all the answers. This is why we just all kind of sit around together to share our stories, give advice or counsel, or at least identify for other women of like what the messy middle looks like. So for you, why do you feel like you're still in the messy middle? Like what identifiers do you know?
SPEAKER_01It has just taken so much longer than I anticipated to, I've never been an entrepreneur. This is like the first time. Like I said, I always came from that worker mentality. Like I'm an employee and that, you know, it's I'm yeah, self-sabotaging constantly. But probably I think because it's just taking longer than I thought. So I'm still working part-time in an office. I work three days a week. So it's like I really have two days a week in the weekends that I dedicate toward my business. So until I can get to a point where I don't have to do that anymore, that's why I'm still working through my, you know, financial stuff. Like things are getting better. But that with having the quirky little rescue dog, I have um two teenagers. My son is actually went to Usia this year because he works full-time now. He's um graduated, but my daughter's 15, so she can't quite drive yet. So it's like the rides. This is like every time you kind of the schedules, it's just still the chaos.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. Uh what point did you realize I don't have to wait until life is perfect to enjoy it?
SPEAKER_01It definitely was when I was in the certification program because it's something, whatever it was, you know, sparked in me to do it. And I think I started posting videos like my videos on LinkedIn and Instagram from they're so embarrassing. Like I still're just so I'm like straight. Like you could can kind of get to know me a little bit here. I'm, you know, pretty light and fun. Like I literally got deer in headlines on these videos trying to co coach people on mindset. They're probably like, oh my gosh, this girl. But um, no, just kind of putting myself out there. It's like just I don't know. I yeah, wish I there was like one particular moment, but I think that is what happened with me. It's like a series of tiny little steps, tiny small action steps. I don't have like sometimes this great, you're like, ah, that's aha moment. It's literally just putting one foot in front of the other, just saying, okay, I'm I I committed to this. I created a business. I'm so passionate about doing it. And what do I need to do? Like, what's the next step?
SPEAKER_02And just thank you so so much for saying that because I think Sandy and I were talking about that there is no formula, right? It's really about going through the steps, putting one foot in front of the other, and doing is what gets you. It's it's so amazing to be able to look back to those first initial videos and see the progression and see how much comfortable you become. And it really is so helpful for other people going through this process that it doesn't have to be perfect, that you just gotta do it. Um, and then you'll get to whatever the first, you know, part of your journey is, and then you just keep on moving forward.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00I I call that recognizing the small wins. Yes, you know, that is the one thing that I've learned being in the messy middle, it's like, hey, if you can have down days or not, you have to find your small wins in the day. Walk us through now you publish your book, you have your coaching, um, high level. What what do you do with that? How can women learn more about that?
SPEAKER_01So one thing that I really like to always say is people think I when they hear like mindset coaching, I mean it's also transformational life coaching, you can call it what you will. But I think people assume it's gonna be being in a positive mindset all the time. Like, oh, I'm gonna teach you how to, you know, be positive. And that is the exact opposite of what I teach. What I teach is how to face your challenges and get through them. It's like get through it to the other side. So, and I do that with um like the magnetic mind method is a a five-step process. So we'll we'll go through that. But the biggest like premise behind the work is to create. So it's like to get you out of problem solving and into creation. And it's just like how our society is. Like we all kind of are always faced with a problem and we're finding solutions to problems. And one thing, you know, the easiest way I always like to explain it is by saying weight. Like if you're someone who wants to lose weight, you always have this 10 pounds you're trying to drop, you know, uh, it's like your subconscious always hears the weight. Like the weight is the one thing that it hears. So it's like you can't get away from it. But if you change it to, I choose to create a healthy body I love, suddenly your subconscious is going to find ways to help you create a healthy body love. So it's all about kind of changing. I I like to really just focus on creation. I don't really focus on problems. Um, and just like, what is it that you really want? And we'll go into getting really clear about it. Um, because sometimes they can ask, like, especially women or moms, you know, what is it that you want? And you're like, what do you mean? What do I want? You know, it's like their whole lives. They're like trying to figure out what everybody else wants and making them happy. So it's just getting clear about what you want. And it's not, you know, some people come saying, like, I'm getting close to the end of my career. Like, I don't want a big career change. Like, I I want to retire. And it's like, okay, like, of course you can. And that's when we just start saying, Okay, well, let's if you're miserable at your job, but you only have two years left, it's like, let's find out how you can add so much fun and love and whatever else you need to outside of work that you're not even gonna notice it when you show up at work anymore. Um yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I love ending elevate within episodes with something reflective. So what would you say to the woman listening who can't remember the last time she felt joy?
SPEAKER_03What would I say?
SPEAKER_01That you have to create it, that you have to find it within, that it's not something outside of you. It's inside of you. So you have to surround yourself with people that you love, join communities. Um you can find it. That's part of my tagline is how to ignite your superconscious swagger. Because we all have it in there.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Tell the folks where they can find you.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So you can find me on um abundant transformations. Lc.com is my website. And I do have uh different ways that you can work with me. There is some do-it-yourself options like my book and mindset mastery to go, is basically what I've spent tens of thousands of dollars and decades to learn, jam-packed into like nine short videos. Um, and you can just listen to them all the time. They all have something called a superconscious recode, which is part of my certification. So it just kind of helps release some old limiting beliefs that might be stuck in your subconscious. So if you're interested in, you know, a little science and soul, that would be a great place to start. And I do one-on-ones and programs and wellness and workshops. So I'm out there. Yep. Come find me.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Well, we truly appreciate you being part of this series. I so appreciate it. I love what you're doing and really honored to be here. So yes, thank you. If you like to learn more about Amanda's work or connect with her directly, you'll find all of her information and links in the show notes. Until next time, keep elevating personally, professionally, and from within. And before I go, if no one told you that they loved you today, I love you. So, Amanda, I love you. Thank you so much again. Take care.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_00If this conversation resonated with you, you're not alone. That's exactly why this space exists. Elevate within as for the high-achieving women in the messy middle, the space between who you were and who you're becoming. The architecture of reinvention is an invitation to pause, to reflect, to heal, and to begin the process of unbecoming everything you were told you had to be, so you could become who you were always meant to be. Be sure to join us each Friday for our Architecture of Reinvention Roundtable discussions, where we continue these conversations and explore the deeper lessons, insights, tools, and reflections that emerge from each story. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube so you never miss an episode. For Apple Podcasts listeners, I would be grateful if you leave a rating or review. It helps reach more women who may need this conversation right now. And if you'd like to go deeper, join us on Substack at Elevate Within. There, you'll find weekly essays and honest conversations about burnout, grief, reinvention, resilience, healing, and the messy middle. Free subscribers receive full access to all public content, while paid subscribers receive bonus essays, early access to upcoming series, behind-the-scenes recording, and opportunities to engage directly with the community. If you know of a woman who needs to hear this conversation today, please share it with her. You can find me on LinkedIn under Sandra Davis, on Substack at Elevate Within, and if you're in need of fractional COO work or would like to book a discovery call on how I can help, you can reach out to me at ElevateOpsAdvisory.com. You'll find all those links in the show notes. Until next time, keep elevating personally, professionally, and from within.