What if the secret to everything you want lies in being comfortable in the discomfort? In this episode, the host, Hazel Ann, unpacks the mindset shift that changes everything — showing up before you’re ready. Together with guest Kevin Breitinger, a fellow 20-year-old who took on a 60-second public speaking challenge, they explore how stepping into fear can unlock confidence, clarity, and growth in every part of your life.SUMMARYThis week’s conversation dives deep into what it truly means to embrace discomfort. Kevin shares how facing his fear of public speaking redefined his confidence, communication skills, and self-belief — transforming fear into freedom.Hazel and Kevin talk about the power of consistency, accountability, and intrinsic motivation, and how these principles build both character and courage. You’ll hear real insights on overcoming the fear of judgment, improving self-expression, and creating ripple effects that impact your career, relationships, and purpose.They also discuss how travel and self-reflection shape perspective, why discipline matters more than talent, and how to define your own version of success — even when imposter syndrome creeps in.Whether you’re chasing a dream, starting a business, or simply finding your voice, this episode will remind you that discomfort is the classroom where growth happens.
TAKEAWAYS
CHAPTERS00:00 Embracing Discomfort in Public Speaking03:54 The 60 Second Public Speaking Challenge06:25 Overcoming Judgment and Fear08:42 Commitment and Accountability in Challenges11:17 Intrinsic Motivation vs. External Validation14:06 Improving Articulation and Communication Skills16:26 The Importance of Listening and Silence19:06 Building Relationships Through Public Speaking20:45 Self-Reflection and Continuous Improvement22:23 Setting High Standards and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome23:59 Embracing Discomfort for Growth27:32 The Importance of Discipline and Consistency32:23 Defining Your Dream Life34:16 Finding Inspiration and Motivation37:43 Overcoming Fear and Self-DoubtRESOURCES MENTIONEDIs Public Speaking Really More Feared Than Death? LET'S CONNECT✨ Did this episode hit differently? I want to hear from you!
DM me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway or the ONE thing you’re committing to this week — let’s build accountability together.
Host - Hazel Ann
Instagram: @hercareerherwayTikTok: @hercareerherwayGuest - Kevin TikTok: @1takekevin1🎧 Subscribe to the Her Career, Her Way YouTube channel:👉 youtube.com/@HerCareerHerWay
It's 4:30pm and already pitch black outside. Your motivation? Buried under blankets and a Netflix queue. Sound familiar?
SUMMARY
In this episode, Hazel Ann breaks down the Winter Arc: a framework for turning the darkest, coldest months into your secret competitive advantage. We're talking seasonal affective disorder (the science behind why winter feels so hard), the cultural trap of "New Year, New Me," and the exact 4-step framework I used to stop hibernating my ambitions and start building momentum when it mattered most.
No toxic positivity. No "just push through it" nonsense. Just real talk about auditing your life, rewiring your brain with neuroscience-backed strategies, and taking micro-actions that compound into major career shifts by spring.
This isn't about doing more. It's about doing differently—when it counts.
If you've been feeling stuck, unmotivated, or like you're just surviving until the new year... this one's for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
RESOURCES MENTIONED
LET'S CONNECT
This episode hit different? I want to hear from you.
Instagram: @hercareerherwayTikTok: @hercareerherway
Join the #WinterArcChallenge: Share your goals, vision boards, or micro-actions and tag me—I'm featuring your journeys all season long.
DM me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway from this episode or the ONE thing you're committing to this week. Let's build accountability together.
Ever feel like everyone else just "gets it" faster than you?
You're not broken. You're just using the wrong strategies.
In this solo episode, Hazel Ann is getting real about the moment that changed everything: sitting in her internship, nodding along as her mentor explained a process, then completely blanking two days later. The shame of asking "wait, how do I do this again?" while other interns just... remembered.
This episode breaks down the three research-backed strategies that took her from frantically taking notes and remembering nothing to actually retaining what she learnt. No more re-reading the same paragraph five times. No more pretending to remember something you don't.
You'll learn why "learning styles" are actually limiting you (with research to back it up), the neuroscience behind why your brain deletes information, and the exact frameworks to learn faster without burning out.
If you've ever felt like you're working twice as hard to learn half as much, this episode is for you.
💡 What We're Covering in This Episode
📑 Chapter Timestamps
00:00 - The Internship Shame Story: When I Realized Something Was Wrong
03:15 - Myth-Busting: Why Learning Styles Are Limiting You
06:42 - How Your Brain Actually Works: The Science of Forgetting
10:28 - Strategy #1: The Testing Effect (Close the Tab and Explain It)
15:19 - Strategy #2: Spacing + Interleaving (Stop Cramming, Start Mixing)
20:34 - Strategy #3: Make It Matter (Attention + Emotion + Structure)
26:08 - Why This Matters Long-Term: The Compounding Effect
28:45 - Your Action Plan: Start With These 3 This Week
💬 Let's Connect
I'd love to hear from you! What's your "old you" learning habit that you're ready to leave behind? Or what was your biggest takeaway from this episode?
Instagram: @hercareerherway
DM me: I read every single message and love hearing your stories
If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you're feeling generous, leave a review—it helps other people find the show!
Remember: You're not behind. You're not broken. You just didn't know these strategies yet.
New you starts today. Let's go. 🎙️
📖 Resources Mentioned:
Sternberg, R. (1994). Thinking Styles.
Reid, J. (1995). Learning Styles in the ESL/EFL Classroom.
Riener, C. & Willingham, D. (2010). The Myth of Learning Styles.
Hatami, S. (2018). Learning Styles — A Review of Concepts and Research.
Huberman, A. (2023). Huberman Lab Podcast: Optimal Protocols for Studying & Learning.
Brown, P., Roediger, H., & McDaniel, M. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning.
Dunning, D. & Kruger, J. (1999). Unskilled and Unaware of It.
In this episode of 'Her Career Her Way', Lori Atwood, a certified financial planner, shares her journey into finance and offers valuable insights on budgeting, saving, and investing. She emphasises the importance of understanding one's relationship with money, the need for emergency funds, and the significance of tracking spending. Lori also discusses the realities of entrepreneurship and the importance of having a financial runway before starting a business. Her advice aims to empower individuals, especially younger generations, to take control of their financial futures.
Takeaways
CONNECT with Lori Atwood
Instagram: @fearlessfinance
Tiktok: @fearlessfinance
FOLLOW & CONNECT
Instagram: @HerCareerHerWay
TikTok: @HerCareerHerWay
RESOURCES:
https://fearlessfinance.com/contact/
Enter "Her Way" in the promo code field and get $50 off your first meeting
Rate, review, and subscribe so other ambitious women can find us!
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Financial Empowerment
02:58 Lori's Journey into Finance
05:54 Understanding Budgeting and Scarcity Mindset
08:39 The Importance of Happiness in Financial Decisions
11:45 Saving vs. Spending: Finding Balance
14:42 Emergency Funds and Financial Security
17:31 Navigating Economic Uncertainty
20:34 Tracking Spending: The Autopsy Approach
23:25 Grocery Spending and Overconsumption
26:24 The Role of Credit Cards in Financial Health
29:17 Investing Basics: Starting with Index Funds
32:16 Managing Student Loans and Debt
35:13 Retirement Planning: 401k and Roth IRA
38:14 The Reality of Entrepreneurship
41:10 Final Thoughts and Financial Advice
In this bonus episode of 'Her Career Her Way', Hazel Ann reflects on five transformative lessons learned over the past year, emphasising the importance of self-acceptance, the power of starting despite fear, the influence of one's social circle, the significance of recognising personal strengths, and embracing uncertainty as a pathway to growth. The conversation encourages listeners to set intentions for their next chapter, focusing on authenticity, meaningful connections, and the beauty of life's journey.
Takeaways
FOLLOW & CONNECT
Instagram: @HerCareerHerWay
TikTok: @HerCareerHerWay
💫 Rate, review, and subscribe so other ambitious individuals can find us!
Chapters
00:00 Reflecting on a Year of Growth
02:57 Letting Go of Judgment
05:47 The Power of Starting
08:56 The Company You Keep
12:12 Owning Your Strengths
15:05 Leaning into Uncertainty
17:54 Intentions for the Next Chapter
In this episode of Her Career Her Way, Hazel Ann explores the concept of perfectionism, discussing its impact on self-worth and personal growth. This episode reframes perfectionism from a character flaw into a strength you haven't learned to channel yet.
We break down the science (30-42% genetic), explore the 5 perfectionist types, and expose why society wants women "balanced" instead of powerful. You'll get practical tools to transform perfectionism from prison to power—including self-compassion techniques, restoration strategies, and language shifts that separate your work from your worth.
Bottom line: Your perfectionism protected you. Now let it serve you differently.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✨ Perfectionism is 30-42% genetic—you're wired this way, not broken
✨ 5 types exist: Intense, Classic, Parisian, Procrastinator, Messy—each needs different strategies
✨ Adaptive (playing to WIN) vs. Maladaptive (playing NOT to lose)—shift your approach, keep your standards
✨ Self-worth ≠ performance. "That didn't go well" ≠ "I'm terrible"
✨ The Balance Trap: Society limits women's bandwidth to limit their power
✨ Self-compassion reduces maladaptive perfectionism WITHOUT lowering standards
✨ Language matters: "This could be better" (opinion) vs. "I'm terrible" (self-judgment)
✨ You're not living in preparation—this IS your life
FOLLOW & CONNECT
Instagram: @HerCareerHerWay
TikTok: @HerCareerHerWay
Tag us with your perfectionist type—we're reading every message!
📚 RESOURCES
💫 Rate, review, and subscribe so other ambitious women can find us!
Her Career Her Way — Honest conversations for ambitious women building careers in their 20s.
Stop apologising. Start building. This is YOUR career, YOUR way.
Have you ever felt like there's never enough time—only to realise you've been managing the wrong thing entirely?
In this episode, Hazel Ann breaks down why time management feels impossible and reveals the game-changing shift that transformed her productivity: stop managing time, start managing energy.
We dive deep into the psychology behind why your brain sabotages your schedule, the science of procrastination, and practical strategies that actually work with your brain instead of against it.
In this episode, you'll discover:
✨ Time is finite. Energy is renewable
✨ You're not bad at time management—you're using a broken system
✨ Working smarter (aligned to your values) > working longer ✨ Your time struggles aren't a character flaw, they're a design flaw
If this episode resonated with you, screenshot it and tag us @hercareerherway
What's your biggest time struggle? Let us know in the comments—we read every single one
FOLLOW THE PODCAST
Chapters
Have you ever talked yourself out of an amazing opportunity because you were terrified of making the "wrong" choice?
In this episode, Hazel Ann sits down with Gracie Rotman, who went from decision paralysis to living her dream life studying in Milan while building her own business. We dive deep into why our brains trick us into thinking there's only one "right" path—and how to move past that fear to grab the opportunities waiting for you.
Gracie is a Marketing graduate from the University of Florida. After a transformative internship at Coach, she took the leap to study abroad in Milan while launching her own networking business to help ambitious women network and build meaningful connections.
In this episode, you'll discover,
✨ There are no wrong decisions, only different timelines✨ Your fear voice vs. your true self—how to tell the difference✨ Every choice is either a blessing or a blessing in disguise✨ Everything that is meant to happen, happens
Gracie's Socials:
If this episode resonated with you, screenshot it and tag us @hercareerherway
What opportunity have you been overthinking? Let us know in the comments—we read every single one
FOLLOW THE PODCAST
Chapters
This episode, Hazel Ann explores the real challenges of goal-setting in your 20s—from lack of clarity and fear of failure to the behavior-intention gap that keeps us stuck between what we say we want and what we actually do. She dives into the science behind habit formation, discuss practical strategies like keystone habits and understanding your "why," and explore how to break big dreams into actionable steps. The conversation emphasises the importance of self-awareness, planning, and embracing uncertainty as part of the growth process—because fear isn't a stop sign, it's often a signal that you're heading toward something meaningful.
Mentioned in the Episode:
"The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Habit-Why-What-Change/dp/1847946240
In this episode of 'Her Career Her Way', Hazel Ann discusses the complexities of productivity, workaholism, and the importance of rest. She reflects on her personal experiences transitioning from a high-achieving internship to a period of downtime, exploring feelings of guilt associated with rest and the societal pressures surrounding productivity. Hazel Ann emphasises the need to reframe our understanding of productivity, recognising that rest is not a sign of laziness but a crucial component of creativity and personal growth. She offers practical solutions for achieving a balance between work and rest, encouraging listeners to embrace their unique career paths and the importance of self-reflection.
Works Cited
Internships aren’t always easy — but the challenges can teach you just as much as the wins. In this episode, I talk about handling tricky mentor relationships, learning how to ask for the feedback you need, and building intentional connections that last. I also share how I turned what once felt like “weaknesses” into strengths. This is the real behind-the-scenes of growing in your 20s — reminding you that setbacks are part of the process, and that your path forward is more within reach than it sometimes feels.
Wrapping up my internship felt surreal — I came in full of questions and left with lessons I didn’t expect. In this episode, I share how setting intentions early shaped my experience, the skills I built along the way (from Excel shortcuts to confidence in networking), and what working a 9-to-5 taught me about structure and balance. These takeaways are for anyone trying to make sense of the messy, exciting start of a career — with the goal of making it feel a little more clear and a lot more doable.
Check out this article for more information about the case study mentioned: https://jamesclear.com/implementation-intentions
Figuring out your passions in your 20s isn’t easy—especially when outside voices and endless choices drown out your own. In this episode, Hazel Ann Felder unpacks distractions (like thinking Suits meant law school was for me), and dives into psychology research and practical tools to help you tune into what you really want.
Along the way, we’ll explore:✨ The Asch conformity experiment on why we follow the crowd✨ Dan Gilbert’s paradox of choice and how too many options keep us stuck✨ Why, as Ben Hardy writes, achieving goals doesn’t always equal fulfilment✨ Insights from Rick Hanson on why pleasure is fleeting✨ Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz
Come away with tools to sift through the noise, reconnect with what excites you, and take small steps toward clarity—without the pressure to have it all figured out.
Ever feel like no matter what you do, it’s still not enough? From feeling guilty about downtime to comparing ourselves to family or peers, the pressure to constantly “do more” is real—especially in your 20s. In this episode, Hazel Ann Felder and Gracie Rotman unpack where that pressure comes from, how it shows up in everyday life, and why women are often taught to shrink themselves.
We’ll walk through practical tools—from journaling your daily “receipts,” to time blocking, self-affirmations, and reframing worst-case scenarios—that help remind you that you are, in fact, enough.