The Challenges of Change
by Laura Weiner-Kiser
Welcome to The Challenges of Change, a podcast dedicated to self-improvement and personal growth. I'm your host, Laura, a mindset coach in the health and fitness industry. Join me as we navigate the hurdles of life and explore practical strategies for managing stress, regulating emotions, upgrading your mindset, and reclaiming your worth.
Episodes
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The Shadow vs. The Beast: Why Your Brain Lies About What Is Scary Episode 95
What if the thing you are most afraid of is not actually as big as it looks? In this episode Laura sits down with Zands for a conversation about self-understanding at the level that actually changes things. Not the version where you know your personality type or your triggers. The version where…
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From Broken to Becoming: Healing Trauma, Finding Agency, and Choosing Your Life Episode 94
What happens when a 30 year career in finance ends not because of burnout, but because of a mosh pit, a moment of clarity, and a voice you finally decided to trust? Steve Sapourn spent decades high functioning and quietly falling apart. Childhood trauma, addiction, and a nervous system wired for...
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The Control Illusion: Why Your Need for Control Is Actually a Fear of Feeling, Episode 93
What if the thing you call "control" is just fear wearing a very convincing costume? You've felt it — that grip-tightening urgency when things start slipping. The frantic planning. The self-blame spiral that sounds rational but quietly hollows you out. We tell ourselves we just need to get a…
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Confidence vs. Self-Assurance: The Missing Link in Your Leadership, Episode 92
We treat confidence like a prerequisite—that magical armor we need to earn before we’re allowed to be brave. But what if waiting for confidence is actually the very thing keeping you stuck? Most of us spend our lives chasing the feeling of certainty, hoping that if we just "had more confidence,"...
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You've Been Dimming Your Light for People Who Won't Even Clap With Tammi B, Episode 91
You've been showing up. Giving everything. Shrinking yourself just enough so nobody feels uncomfortable. And the people you've been doing it for? Still not clapping. Tammi B knows this story from the inside. For years she was the prayer warrior, the encourager, the one everyone leaned on...while...
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The Bridge Nobody Tells You Conflict Can Build, Episode 90
What if every conflict you've been running from was actually an invitation to be trusted, respected, and known? Most of us weren't taught how to fight well. We were just taught not to fight — swallow it, smooth it over, move on. And so we did. Until we looked up one day and realized nobody really...
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You're Not Stuck. You're Running a Script You Never Wrote, Episode 89
What if the thing holding you back isn't a lack of motivation—it's a story you don't even know you're telling yourself? Most of us aren't struggling because we're lazy, broken, or not trying hard enough. We're struggling because we're running on invisible scripts—unconscious assumptions so deeply...
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Stop Fighting Your Feelings — Become the CEO of Your Emotions, Episode 88
What if the emotions you've been running from are actually trying to guide you? In this episode, we sit down with a conversation that stops you in your tracks, the kind that makes you pull over, put your phone down, and actually listen. We're talking about the hard stuff: grief, fear, shame…
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Why You Reject Yourself Before Anyone Else Can, Episode 87
There’s a quiet pattern many of us live inside, and most of the time we don’t even notice it. Before the world has a chance to say no… we say it to ourselves. We assume we’re not qualified.We assume they won’t like us.We assume the opportunity isn’t meant for us. And without realizing it, we pull...
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The Rules of the Game: Why Life Feels Harder When You Refuse Reality, Episode 86
Most of us believe the path to change starts with motivation, discipline, or a better strategy. But real transformation begins somewhere much less comfortable: accepting reality exactly as it is. In this episode of The Challenges of Change, Laura explores what happens when we refuse to…
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The 3 Hidden Types of Procrastination (And How to Finally Stop Self-Sabotaging), Episode 85
You don’t procrastinate because you’re lazy.You procrastinate because you’re human. In this episode, Laura breaks down the three types of procrastination most people cycle through: conscious delay, creative avoidance, and priority dilution. If you’ve ever reorganized your desk instead of starting...
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The Motivation Trap: How “Avoiding Failure” Drains Your Energy, Episode 84
Most people think motivation comes from pushing harder.In reality, it often comes from aiming differently. In this episode, Laura breaks down how your thought patterns—especially your focus on what you don’t want—quietly shape your decisions, energy, and results. Drawing on neuroscience, she...
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The Drop-Off: What No One Tells You About Habit Change, Episode 83
Why do so many habits fall apart 🤔 In this episode, Laura sits down with Jess to unpack why motivation fades, why “knowing better” doesn’t always lead to doing better, and what it actually takes to create sustainable change. From the common habit drop-off to the challenge of intellectualizing...
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Stop Escaping Stress. Start Training Your Mind, Episode 82
Mental health isn’t just something you have—it’s something you actively care for. In this episode of The Challenges Of change, we challenge the way most people think about mental health and explore what it really means to take responsibility for your mind. You’ll learn why numbing behaviors like...
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You Can’t Lead Others Until You Lead Yourself (Here’s Why Most Leaders Fail First), Episode 81
Most people think leadership is about influence, authority, or managing others. It’s not. In this episode, Laura breaks down the leadership skill no one talks about—but every great leader must master: leading yourself first. After introducing The Challengers Circle, a new community built for...
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You Can’t Think Your Way Out of Stress Learning to read your body, regulate your nervous system, and show up better, Episode 80
Personal growth changes you—but it also changes your relationships. And if you’re not paying attention, stress can quietly become the wedge between who you’re becoming and the people you love. In this episode, Laura unpacks what happens when self-awareness increases faster than your nervous...
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From Control to Curiosity: Escaping the Perfectionism Trap With Jessica Gruss, Episode 79
Perfectionism doesn’t make you better—it makes you smaller. In this episode of The Challenges Of Change, Laura and Jessica unpack how perfectionism quietly shapes our decisions, fuels resistance, and limits our ability to adapt when life doesn’t go according to plan. What starts as a desire for...
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Stop Setting Goals You’ll Quit: The Alignment Method for Real Change, Episode 78
Most New Year’s resolutions don’t fail because of laziness—they fail because they’re built on the wrong foundation. In this episode, Laura breaks down a smarter, more sustainable way to approach goal-setting—one rooted in alignment, intention, and self-trust, not pressure or perfection. Instead…
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The False Equation Behind Success, Purpose, and Burnout, Episode 77
We all say we want more: more success, more meaning, more happiness, more ease.But what if the very thing exhausting you isn’t the work — it’s the false equation you’re using to pursue it? In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable contradiction between what we think we want and what…
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The Invisible Forces Quietly Controlling Your Life (And How to Break Free), Episode 76
Ever feel like you're doing everything right and still carrying pressure that won’t quit? In this episode, Laura pulls back the curtain on the “invisible forces” shaping your life—unconscious cultural norms, inherited expectations, and internal micro-cultures you don’t even realize you’re...
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The Belief That Changes Everything: How Willingness Rewrites Your Life With Deborah Yager, Episode 75
What actually transforms a life? In this raw and unfiltered episode, Laura sits down with Deb to unpack the mechanics of real, lasting change — the kind that starts when everything falls apart. Deb takes us back to 2011, when she hit rock bottom: the wrong career, destructive relationships, and...
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How to Adapt When Life Doesn’t Go to Plan (Your New Year Strategy), Episode 74
Most people don’t fail because they’re “undisciplined.” They fail because they build goals on invisible expectations, rigid rules, and versions of themselves that don’t match their real capacity. In this eye-opening episode, Laura breaks down the psychology behind why so many pursuits—fitness,...
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When “Fine” Isn’t Enough: How to Actually Feel Satisfied with Your Life With Coach Eric, Episode 73
What if “satisfied” isn’t a finish line… but a practice? In this episode, Laura sits down with Eric, a former fitness coach turned mindset coach at Change By Challenge, to unpack what it really means to feel satisfied in your life—not just on paper. They trace Eric’s journey from chasing external...
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Sunk Costs, Dead-End Roles, and Knowing When It’s Time to Quit, Episode 72
We don’t just fear losing money or time — we fear losing identity, status, relationships, and the story we’ve built about who we are. That fear silently shapes our choices every day. In this episode, we break down the psychology of loss aversion, sunk cost effect, sure loss aversion, status quo...
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Understanding Yourself to Lead Others: Emotional Intelligence for Real-Life Challenges, Episode 71
We all know what it feels like to be misunderstood by other people—but what about when you misunderstand yourself? In this episode, Laura breaks down the quiet, everyday ways we mislabel our emotions, misread our motives, and then build whole stories (and decisions) on top of those inaccuracies....
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Breathe Before You Break: How Conscious Breath Transforms Love, Work & Self With Anthony Abbagnano, episode 70
What if the fastest way to change your life is the simplest—your next breath? In this conversation, Laura sits down with Anthony (half English, half Italian; citizen of many cultures) to unpack how conscious breathing became his lifelong practice after a transformative moment at age eight.…
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Living Forward: Turn Pivotal Moments into a Future You’re Proud Of, Episode 69
What if your past wasn’t a prophecy…but a draft? In this episode, we unpack how to transform your future by intentionally redefining your story. Most of us use history as our decision-making template, accidentally creating a loop where yesterday becomes tomorrow. But when you choose to rewrite…
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Stop Resisting, Start Integrating: Emotional Mastery & the Paradox of Control with Coach Jess, Episode 68
What if the fastest way to change isn’t more control—but deeper acceptance? In this intimate conversation, Laura Weiner-Kiser and coach Jess Gruss unpack how “being okay” can actually block growth, why anger and sadness are intelligent signals (not flaws), and how community dissolves the myth…
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Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Relationships: The Unconscious Communication Mask That Creates Your Pain, Episode 67
Are you tired of feeling misunderstood? Dive into the unfiltered reality of human communication and discover the secret behind why your attempts at vulnerability often backfire. In this deep-dive episode, we expose the silent, powerful mechanism of self-sabotage: masking. When we express...
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From Overwhelmed to On-Purpose: Choosing How You Engage with Life With Jennifer Ferrante, Episode 66
What if the stories you tell yourself are the biggest obstacle to your growth? In this episode, Laura and hypnotherapist/author Jennifer unpack how to deconstruct beliefs, work with the reticular activating system (RAS), and leverage the placebo effect to create real change. You’ll hear practical...
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Lead Yourself First: The Art of Becoming Someone You’d Actually Follow, Episode 65
What if the biggest leadership challenge is the one in your mirror? In this episode, we unpack self-leadership—how to become someone you’d actually follow. We explore why you “can’t force the horse to drink,” and how a smarter approach to guiding yourself turns stalled intentions into consistent...
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Your Mind’s Cast of Characters: Using Parts Work to Get Unstuck With Coach Jess, Episode 64
Ever feel like different “you’s” are arguing in your head? In this episode, Laura and coach Jess Gruss demystify Parts Work (Internal Family Systems/IFS)—a practical way to turn inner conflict into inner leadership. We unpack why protective strategies from childhood (perfectionism…
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Stop Outsourcing Safety: Silence the Inner Critic & Choose Bravery, Episode 63
Safe spaces are not enough. If you keep chasing external safety, you’ll never feel brave. In this solo episode, Laura Weiner-Kiser breaks down the difference between safe spaces and brave spaces—and why true safety starts inside your nervous system, not in a controlled environment. You’ll learn…
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From Approval to Agency: Valerie Steele on Boundaries That Stick, Episode 62
Feeling “low” doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. In this honest conversation, Laura and coach Valerie Steele unpack why our energy naturally fluctuates—and how to stop shaming ourselves for it. We go deep on people-pleasing, self-worth, and the skill of validating your own experience so you...
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She Stopped Pleasing Everyone—And Finally Became Herself with Tara Wiskow, Episode 61
When your identity is built on approval, who are you without it? In this episode, Tara Wiskow shares how a traumatic family revelation, emotional eating, and a doctor’s blunt wake-up call became the catalyst for rebuilding her life on authenticity—not applause. We unpack why people-pleasing is a...
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Feeling Misunderstood? The Real Reason Might Be Your Nonverbals, Episode 60
We like to think communication is simple—say what you mean, and people understand. But the truth? 80% of communication comes from nonverbals—our tone, body language, and expressions. And when those don’t align with our words, people walk away confused, mistrustful, or disconnected. In this…
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The Hidden Cost of Constant Giving, Episode 59
We celebrate giving—but what about receiving? In this heartfelt episode of The Challenges of Change, Laura explores why so many of us struggle to let love, support, and kindness in. Using the powerful metaphor of The Giving Tree, she unpacks how constantly giving without learning to receive leads...
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The Power of Not Going Alone: Why Asking for Help Builds Trust and Connection, Episode 58
We often convince ourselves that carrying things alone is an act of strength. We say we’re protecting the people we love, sparing them from our burdens. But underneath that story is another truth....fear. Fear that they won’t be able to hold our emotional weight. Fear they might dismiss or…
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What You Avoid Owns You: How Facing the Uncomfortable Frees You, Episode 57
Avoidance isn’t laziness—it’s a nervous system response. But when we chronically avoid hard emotions, difficult conversations, or uncomfortable truths, we slowly give our power away. In this episode, Laura unpacks the psychology and nervous system roots of avoidance, why it becomes a coping...
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The Hidden Cost of High Performance: How to Pursue Goals Without Losing Yourself, Episode 56
What if your drive to succeed is quietly draining your fulfillment? In this powerful episode, Laura breaks down the invisible pressure many of us carry—the need to constantly perform, achieve, and optimize—and why that mindset can sabotage not only our well-being, but our long-term success. She...
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From Anxious to Empowered: How to Heal Through Mindset, Nutrition, and Self-Leadership, Episode 55
What if anxiety wasn’t something you had to manage forever—but something you could move through and rise above? In this powerful conversation, Laura sits down with Melissa Armstrong, a former nurse turned holistic health consultant, to explore the deeper root causes of chronic stress, burnout…
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That Thought Isn’t the Problem…. It’s the SIGNAL: Why You Keep Misreading Your Mind, Episode 54
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing things that don’t even feel good?”—this episode is for you. In this deeply honest and empowering conversation, we explore the truth behind why your thoughts and emotions can feel so overwhelming—and how most of us have been misreading the…
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From Stuck to Shift: Practicing the Habits That Heal, Episode 53
We all know what to do, but actually doing it? That’s the real work. In this episode, we unpack the everyday emotional struggles so many of us face: procrastination, harsh self-talk, boundary-setting, anxiety, and depression, not as personal failures, but as normal human challenges that require...
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Knowing Isn’t Doing: The Real Work of Change, Episode 52
Ever wonder why you know what to do—but still don’t do it? In this short and powerful episode, Laura unpacks the frustrating truth: information isn’t enough. Change doesn’t happen in your head—it happens in your habits. From resisting discomfort to falling back into old routines, she explains why...
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Feel It to Free It: The Power of Emotional Processing, Episode 51
What if the very emotions you’ve been avoiding are the key to your peace, purpose, and personal power? In this short but impactful episode, we dive into why learning to process your emotions isn’t just self-care, it’s survival. You’ll discover how unprocessed emotions quietly shape your choices,...
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Say It While You Can: The Healing Power of Expressing How You Feel, Episode 50
What if the very thing that could bring you more joy, connection, and even better health… is simply saying how you feel? In this heartfelt and deeply human episode, Laura reflects on a moment of unexpected clarity, a quote that stopped her in her tracks and made her realize how often we wait…
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Amplify the Spark: Turning Connection, Courage & Community into Impact With Nicole Waters, Episode 49
In this energetic and heart-expanding episode, Nicole Waters joins Laura for a powerful conversation about purpose, leadership, and the deep magic of connection. What begins as a reflection on their serendipitous meeting quickly blooms into a masterclass on building momentum through aligned...
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From Knowing to Becoming: The Sacred Work of Integration, Episode 48
In a culture obsessed with consuming more information, this heartfelt teaching from Laura is a clarion call to pause and ask: Are we living what we know? In this intimate and powerful session, Laura explores the gap between understanding and embodiment, reminding us that knowledge without...
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The Myth Of Balance And The Wisdom You Find Along The Way with Coach Jess, Episode 47
What if balance isn't a destination, but a rhythm we learn to move with? In this soul-nourishing conversation, Jess Gruss joins Laura to unravel the myth of balance as a perfectly distributed 50/50 life. Together, they explore the idea of balance as a living practice—a process of returning to...
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Breaking the Cycle: Healing from Self-Abandonment, Episode 46
Why is it so hard to show up for ourselves—especially when it matters most? In this honest and soul-stirring episode, Laura unpacks the hidden patterns of self-abandonment that so many of us carry: people-pleasing, over-giving, poor boundaries, and the fear of being “too much” or “not enough.”…
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About this show
Welcome to The Challenges of Change, a podcast dedicated to self-improvement and personal growth. I'm your host, Laura, a mindset coach in the health and fitness industry. Join me as we navigate the hurdles of life and explore practical strategies for managing stress, regulating emotions, upgrading your mindset, and reclaiming your worth.
Hosted by
Laura Weiner-Kiser