035 - Empowerment, Grief & Letting Go of Expectations with Athena Concannon

Today's interview is a powerful example of strength through hardship, and why allowing yourself to show up exactly as you are without expectation will help you navigate life with a little more ease.    I'm honoured to have had the chance to interview my friend Athena Concannon on the Room to Grow Podcast today, and Athena brought so much wisdom that you can apply in your own life, especially when the going gets tough, and opened up to share her heart with us.   Athena is a fitness and lifestyle coach who helps women who feel stuck or stagnant become strong in both mind and body, find purpose, and step into their most empowered selves.  A few years ago, she left her corporate job to start her own online business, Achieve with Athena, and has been changing lives ever since!   Athena walks us through what gave her the courage to leave her corporate job and some of the positives (and downsides!) of running your own business.  She credits strength training as a tool that has continued to be a source of confidence, which is why she's so passionate about helping other women find the same success.   Strength training was also one of the tools she used after experiencing significant loss in her life last year, and walks us through some of the ways that grief has showed up for her and how she's worked through it.   Some other main takeaways covered you're going to want to hear: Letting go of expectations and what self care should look like Transitioning between different seasons in life Honesty and transparency in running your business Having hard conversations and how strength training correlates with confidence How joy and grief can co-exist Mapping out your day as a business owner Differentiating between different kinds of stress Aiming for anti-perfect when it comes to fitness, nutrition and life Athena has such a positive energy and I've learned so much from her that I'm even more thrilled to be sharing her with you!  If you love this episode, please share it on social media and tag both of us so that we can thank you in real life ;).   FIND ATHENA Athena's website Facebook Page: Achieve with Athena Facebook Group: The Legit Fit Lifestyle Lounge Instagram: @athenaconcannon Pinterest Page: Athena Concannon Twitter Page: @achieveathena   DON'T MISS... Want to chat more and do a deeper dive into these kinds of topics and get access to live videos, exclusive guest appearances and discussions?  The Room to Grow Podcast Facebook group is a judgement-free safe space to open up, and I'd love to welcome you in with the other amazing women in the group.  It's the best place to go for a little extra support.  See you over there! And, if you can take a screenshot of this episode and tag me over on Instagram @emilygoughcoach I would absolutely love to connect with you and thank you for listening in real life!  It makes me day to see you listening to the podcast and fills me up with pure joy. Seriously.  See you on the 'gram!   REFERENCES Find full show notes including all resources mentioned in the episode at emilygoughcoaching.com/035 roomtogrowpodcast.com