#9_Newspaper Interview: Somewhere Between Flower Crowns & Cold Plunges, Things Shifted

This episode drops you straight into a real, unfiltered moment: an interview during a self-leadership retreat in Sweden. At the core, it challenges the idea that self-leadership is something you figure out alone. Yes, you’re responsible for your life — your emotions, your actions, your direction — but growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in conversation, in reflection, in being mirrored by others. I share how I got into this work — not linear, not planned, but driven by curiosity, movement, culture, and a desire to live differently. From growing up around entrepreneurship, to traveling, to discovering Pilates and coaching, everything builds into a way of working that blends body, mind, and environment. The retreat itself became a living example of that philosophy:nature, movement, discomfort, play, cultural immersion — all used as tools to help people let go of what they carry, reconnect to their truth, and step into their “next chapter" we are going back to Sweden, August 2026 & we've still got some spots available: https://lenaheuel.com/sweden2026/ Your timestamps: 00:00 – What this episode actually isLive interview recording from your Sweden retreat + what listeners will get from it 02:00 – The trap of self-leadership becoming isolatingWhy doing everything alone isn’t the goal 04:30 – My philosophy: connection to self and environmentIntroducing the idea of “ecosystem” instead of solo growth 07:00 – Why integration is the missing pieceGrowth vs. actually anchoring what you learn 09:30 – Enter Sweden: culture, midsummer & curiosityLight, human moments that set the tone (flowers, traditions, playfulness) 14:00 – Owning your truth (the flower crown metaphor) Not hiding, not comparing — fully expressing your version 18:00 – My background (unconventional path)Entrepreneurial upbringing → travel → media → movement → coaching 24:00 – The moment things clickedRealizing life doesn’t have to follow a “polished CV” 28:00 – Why Pilates (and body work) mattersConnection between posture, openness, and receptivity 32:00 – Coaching, mindset & inside-out livingHow perception shapes reality 36:00 – Spirituality, energy & the unknownGrounded perspective: trust without losing yourself 40:00 – The problem with always needing a planWhy presence gives you better answers than control 44:00 – What actually happens on the retreatIntentions, flexibility, and adapting to the group 47:00 – The rock exercise (letting go of weight)Physical metaphor for emotional baggage 52:00 – Crossing the “threshold” into a new chapterRitual, symbolism, and trusting the process 56:00 – Sharing your mission & owning your storyStanding on your “stage” and expressing your why 59:00 – Cold plunge & facing fear The story we tell vs. the reality we experience 01:02:00 – What self-leadership really meansLeading your own ship: radical responsibility, no projection