Advertise on podcast: It's Your Time

Why do so many high-performing women in sales still feel like frauds—despite the results, promotions, and proof? In this episode, Michelle breaks down imposter syndrome through the lens of neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and cognitive behavioral tools. You'll learn why this experience isn't a mindset failure—but a natural response to growth, visibility, and stepping into new identity levels. Inside this episode: The neuroscience behind imposter syndrome (amygdala + prediction error) Why your brain resists updating your identity—even after success The 3 cognitive distortions that keep self-doubt alive A simple 3-step tool: Name it, Neutralize it, Choose again How to regulate your nervous system in high-stakes sales moments If you've ever questioned whether you belong in the room—this episode will help you understand why… and what to do instead.   www.michellebourquecoaching.com/newsletter

What happens when life doesn't go according to plan—and the identity you expected no longer fits? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Lana Manikowski to explore life after infertility, and the deeper conversations around identity, worthiness, and redefining success as a woman. They discuss: The emotional impact of infertility and unmet expectations How women internalize worthiness through achievement and motherhood Why belonging can feel challenging—and how to reclaim it A new perspective on purpose that removes pressure and creates freedom Expanding connection, community, and meaning in your life This episode is a grounded, honest look at what it means to rebuild your story—and how to create a life that feels purposeful, connected, and fully your own.

What if your personal brand has nothing to do with how much you produce—and everything to do with how people experience you? In this episode, we redefine performance through the lens of identity, nervous system regulation, and intentional leadership. You'll learn why sustainable success isn't built on overworking or proving your value—but on consistency, trust, and how you show up under pressure. Inside, we explore: The neuroscience behind trust, predictability, and influence How stress impacts your communication, decision-making, and presence Why your "pattern" matters more than any single achievement A powerful reframe: from reactive performance to self-led leadership Simple daily practices to build a calm, credible, and impactful personal brand If you're a high-performing woman in sales or leadership who feels the pressure to constantly prove yourself, this episode will help you shift from effort-driven success to aligned, sustainable performance. Because your brand isn't your output. It's your presence—over time.   www.michellebourquecoaching.com/newsletter

If you've been feeling the pull for a reset—but don't know where to start—this episode offers a grounded, practical way in. Inspired by Atomic Habits and The Big Leap, we explore how small habit shifts and deeper identity work come together to create lasting change. Inside this episode, you'll learn: Why tiny, consistent habits matter more than big, temporary changes The difference between changing outcomes vs. changing identity How to "stack" habits so they actually stick What might be keeping you from your next level (even if things look successful on the outside) How to recognize and move beyond your upper limit patterns This is about more than productivity or discipline. It's about becoming the version of you who naturally creates the results you want—without stress, guilt, or force.   www.michellebourquecoaching.com/newsletter

If you've ever felt like you're right on the edge of your next level—only to pull back, procrastinate, or create stress out of nowhere… this episode is for you. In this episode of It's Your Time, Michelle breaks down the upper limit problem, a concept from Gay Hendricks' The Big Leap, and explains why so many high-achieving women unconsciously self-sabotage when things start going well. You'll learn how your nervous system, subconscious beliefs, and identity work together to keep you operating within a familiar "set point" for success—and why growth can actually feel like anxiety. Michelle also introduces the concept of disintegration anxiety, where your old identity begins to fall away before your next level fully forms—and why that discomfort is not a sign to stop, but a sign you're evolving. This episode blends neuroscience, cognitive behavioral tools, and identity work to help you understand what's really happening when you feel stuck or overwhelmed at the edge of growth. In this episode, you'll learn: What the upper limit problem is and how it shows up as self-sabotage Why your brain perceives success and growth as a threat The role of your amygdala and nervous system in holding you back What disintegration anxiety is and why it's a necessary part of growth How to shift automatic thoughts using CBT-based tools Practical ways to regulate your nervous system and expand your identity If you're a high-performing woman in sales or leadership who feels like you should be further along—but something keeps holding you back—this episode will help you understand why. And more importantly, what to do next.  

Most high performers are excellent at taking action. We know how to work hard, stay productive, and keep moving forward. But what we often don't examine is the belief underneath the work. In this episode, Michelle shares a powerful coaching experience that revealed a belief many ambitious professionals quietly carry: the idea that our worth is tied to how hard we work. Through the lens of neuroscience and mindset work, she explores how unconscious beliefs shape our behavior—and how we can begin to change them. Inside this episode, you'll learn: Why 90–95% of our thinking happens unconsciously How metacognition (thinking about your thinking) creates the space for real change The role of neuroplasticity in rewiring your brain How the Reticular Activating System (RAS) filters the evidence you see in your life Why small shifts in belief create powerful long-term identity changes A new metric for success many high performers overlook: joy If you've ever measured your value through productivity, this episode offers a different way to think about growth, success, and self-trust. www.michellebourquecoaching.com/connect

High achievers are often praised for working harder, pushing longer, and producing more. But what if the next level of success actually requires slowing down? In this episode, Michelle is joined by emotions expert and coach Rhonda Farr for a candid conversation about the hidden patterns many high performers experience — including workaholism, identity around productivity, and the discomfort of slowing down. Together they explore: • Why high performers often avoid slowing down • How early conditioning shapes our beliefs about success and worthiness • The role of nervous system regulation in sustainable performance • How metacognition helps us question old patterns and create new ones • Small practices that can help you reconnect with yourself If you've ever felt like your life looks successful on the outside but doesn't always feel that way internally, this conversation will help you understand why — and what you can begin doing differently.   Check out Rhonda's info:  https://rhondafarr.com/  

High-achieving women in sales and leadership roles are often praised for their drive, resilience, and capacity to "handle it all." But what if burnout isn't a time-management issue — it's an identity pattern? In this episode, Michelle explores how stress can become neurologically wired into your sense of self — and why slowing down can actually trigger anxiety in high performers. You'll learn: How your nervous system memorizes urgency and over-responsibility The science of neuroplasticity and identity rewiring What "disintegration anxiety" is and why it keeps women stuck in burnout cycles The difference between tolerance and true leadership capacity How to build sustainable success without self-abandonment If you're a woman in sales or a performance-driven role who is ready to lead without proving, achieve without burning out, and expand your capacity without losing yourself — this episode will shift how you think about ambition, energy, and identity.

As Q1 comes to a close, this episode offers a powerful self-love reset for high-achieving women — especially women in sales, leadership, and performance-driven roles. This is not self-love as self-care. This is self-love as identity, boundaries, and intentional decision-making. Inside this episode, you'll explore: Why goals are achieved through identity — not intention How over-functioning drains your energy and performance The leadership skill of setting clear boundaries The difficult conversation that may unlock your momentum How to choose one focused goal that builds confidence and follow-through If you've been feeling behind, stretched thin, or reactive as March approaches, this episode will help you reset with clarity, protect your nervous system, and define wealth, wellness, and wild success on your terms. Because real performance is built on self-respect. And self-respect is self-love.

What if your exhaustion isn't "just aging" — but nervous system burnout? In this episode, Michelle sits down with women's health expert Kellie Lupsha to explore how women in midlife can reclaim energy, regulate their nervous system, and become the CEO of their health. If you're navigating perimenopause, burnout, hormone shifts, sleep struggles, or chronic stress, this conversation will change how you think about your body. You'll learn: Why high-achieving women often live in hidden nervous system overload How chronic stress impacts metabolism, hormones, and energy Simple daily resets that restore clarity, strength, and vitality Why lifting weights and metabolic resilience matter in perimenopause How to shift your identity from "pushing through" to leading your health This episode is for women in sales, leadership, and performance-driven roles who want sustainable energy without hustle culture. Midlife isn't decline. It's leadership. Check Kellie out: Website: kellielupsha.com IG: @Kellie Lupsha  Register for the Challenge:  https://womenslongevityandwellness.com/energychallenge Podcast: Thriving in Midlife  APPLE https://apple.co/4aaWSbS SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/69kxJub4M9tbEosFeA2La7    

I recently had the opportunity to guest coach in an amazing program led by Dr. Stacy Heimburger Smalley.  We explored what it really takes for high-achieving women to rebuild self-trust, confidence, and sustainable success — without burnout or perfectionism. Together, we unpack why so many driven women set powerful goals… yet still feel disconnected or frustrated in the process. This episode is a grounded conversation about identity, nervous system awareness, and redefining success in a way that actually supports your energy. Inside this episode: • Why consistency (not perfection) builds real self-trust • How to stop moving the goalpost and acknowledge progress • The power of setting intentions based on how you want to feel • Why small, aligned actions create lasting confidence • How to define success for your current season of leadership If you're a woman in sales, leadership, or a performance-driven role who wants growth that feels grounded instead of exhausting, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.   Check out Dr. Stacy's information - @sugarfreemd

Most high-performing women don't struggle because they lack skill or experience. They struggle because they don't fully trust themselves. In this episode of It's Your Time, Michelle explores the hidden cost of not trusting yourself — especially for women in sales, leadership, and high-responsibility roles. When capability becomes your identity, self-trust quietly erodes, leading to burnout, over-functioning, and stalled growth. In this conversation, you'll learn: Why capability without self-trust leads to exhaustion, not confidence How nervous system conditioning keeps women stuck in over-responsibility The emotional, financial, and identity costs of waiting for permission What shifts when self-trust becomes your internal authority Michelle also introduces the Self Trust Audit, a practical tool to help you identify your self-trust pattern and begin rebuilding agency through small, nervous-system-safe shifts. This episode is for women who are done pushing harder — and ready to lead themselves with clarity, permission, and trust. www.michellebourquecoaching.com/audit

What if mentorship wasn't about getting ahead — but about coming home to yourself? In this episode of It's Your Time, Michelle is joined by Medtronic leaders Kelsey Hougen and Courtney Behrmann for a grounded, honest conversation about mentorship, identity, and self-trust. Recorded during a live ASPIRE coffee chat, this episode explores how women in sales and leadership can build meaningful careers without burning out or outsourcing their worth. You'll hear about: Why mentorship can be seasonal, informal, and deeply personal How self-trust is built through small, consistent actions The importance of nervous system awareness in performance-driven roles Letting go of hustle culture and redefining success on your own terms This episode is for women who don't need more ambition — but are ready for more clarity, perspective, and agency in their careers.   www.michellebourquecoaching.com/audit  

Ambition shouldn't feel heavy — but for many women in sales and leadership, it does. In this episode of It's Your Time, Michelle explores ambition without guilt and the often-unspoken fear of being "too much." She breaks down why high-performing women aren't afraid of success itself, but of the relational consequences that can come with growth. You'll learn: Why your nervous system may associate expansion with danger How empathy and emotional intelligence can lead to self-silencing The difference between compassion and self-abandonment How to define success in a way that actually fits your season of life This episode is a grounded conversation about confidence, identity, and nervous-system safety — especially for women who are ready for more, but don't want to lose themselves in the process. Self Trust Audit: www.michellebourquecoaching.com/audit

Why does success never feel like enough—even when you're doing everything "right"? In this episode, Michelle breaks down the neuroscience behind the proving loop and why so many high-achieving women feel driven to constantly earn their worth. You'll learn how the nervous system links performance with safety, why dopamine keeps moving the goalpost, and why rest can feel surprisingly uncomfortable. This conversation explores: The conditioning that ties achievement to belonging Why accomplishment brings relief, not security How internal permission changes ambition from exhausting to energizing What it means to build success without burning out your nervous system If you're a woman in sales, leadership, or high-performance environments who wants success to feel as good on the inside as it looks on the outside, this episode is for you. www.michellebourquecoaching.com/newsletter