How Women Can Shift from Striving to Thriving

What if the real problem isn't you — but the definition of well-being you were given? Most high-achieving women think well-being means getting everything "under control." Better routines. More sleep. Fewer obligations. But you can be crushing it at work and still feel disconnected. You can manage your calendar perfectly and still feel like you're running on fumes. You can do "everything right" and still feel off. That's because real well-being isn't one thing—it's a set of interconnected areas. When one is out of sync, it pulls on the others. Here's what I've learned working with executive women: They're trying to solve a five-dimensional problem with one-dimensional solutions. Harvard's research backs this up. Their Global Flourishing Study of 200,000+ people found that sustainable well-being comes from functioning moderately well across multiple dimensions—not excelling in just one or two. The five domains that actually determine whether you're thriving: 🔗 Connection - Beyond family time: mentors, peers, the "village" of women who've been there ⚡ Energy - Not just fitness, but understanding your rhythms and nervous system regulation 🌱 Growth - Forward momentum and purpose (stagnation kills motivation even when everything else works) 🛡️ Security - Financial stability and support that gives you confidence for calculated risks 💪 Resilience - Recovery and adaptability without depleting yourself The insight that changes everything: "B+ across all five domains" beats "A+ in two, F in the others" every time. When you're resourced across all areas, you don't just survive ambitious goals—you sustain them. The question isn't whether you're successful. It's whether that success is sustainable. What resonates most? Which domain feels most neglected in your current season?

➡️ Why Most High-Performance Advice Is Failing Women The productivity world wasn’t built for your biology. Most high-performance advice was designed by men, for men—and that’s exactly why it’s not working for so many high-achieving women. No shade to our hard-working men - we love to see you thrive, too! ------ ⬇️ Here’s the truth when it comes to high-performance for women: 1. Most Current Tips and Hacks are Based on a 24-Hour Rhythm, Not a 28-Day One 💡 Most advice assumes your energy, focus, and stress tolerance reset every day. 💡 But women operate on an infradian rhythm—your hormones fluctuate across a 28-ish day cycle (with special bonus versions in peri/menopause) ➡️ That means the “wake up at 5 AM, crush your goals, train hard daily” routine can lead to burnout when applied all month long. 2. Don’t Ignore the Power of Your Cycle 💡 Hormones like estrogen and progesterone impact your brain, motivation, creativity, and recovery. 📆 Your cycle can actually be your greatest tool for aligned performance—when you work with it, not against it. 💡High estrogen = peak energy and verbal fluency → great for meetings, launches. 💡High progesterone = more inward and detail-focused → great for deep work, planning. 3. Stop Pursuing Advice that Rewards Output Over Alignment 💡 Traditional high-performance culture glorifies nonstop output, but women’s biology is cyclical, and peak performance doesn’t mean performing at 100% every day. ➡️ Real success is learning how to ebb and flow intentionally—honoring rest + recovery as a strategic advantage. 4. You Need to Account for Hormonal Sensitivity to Stress 💡Chronic stress hits women harder. Many productivity protocols can inadvertently push our stress hormones into overdrive through overtraining, under-eating, and overworking—wrecking hormone balance over time. 💡 The same routine that energizes a man might push a woman into chronic low-level inflammation or cycle dysfunction. 5. Understand How Women Process Recovery - Physically and Mentally 💡“Just sleep 7 hours and meditate” is not enough. 💤 Female physiology needs more restorative practices based on where you are in your cycle. 💡 Luteal phase? You may need more sleep, slower movement, deeper nourishment. ---- ⬇️ The Solution? Personalized, Biology-Informed High Performance. This isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing it smarter—in rhythm with your body. --- 👋🏼 I'm Dr. Laura DeCesaris, Functional Medicine Strategist and Women's Health expert, and host of The Femme Factor Podcast ➡️ I've helped hundreds of professional women just like you take back control of their health, amplify their productivity and impact, and create more space for joy, vibrancy, and wellness in their lives. I'd love to help you do the same! Want to explore this for yourself? Let’s chat! DM me 'RHYTHM' and let's connect.

🚫 Most women don’t lack ambition. What we lack is a clear transition between the rules for girls and the rules for leaders. 📉 People say, “Women need to advocate for themselves.” But they forget: many of us were raised to follow rules in childhood that no longer serve us in adulthood As girls, we were taught: ⁉️ Speak up? You’re showing off. ⁉️ Take credit? You’re selfish. ⁉️ Push back? You’re difficult. Then suddenly, somewhere between girlhood and leadership, the expectations flipped, But no one told us when the switch happened. So we get stuck between two rulebooks: 🤔 Be humble. But be visible. 🤔 Be kind. But be powerful. 🤔 Be modest. But get promoted. And when we hesitate, they say it’s because we’re not confident enough. But really, it’s because we’re playing a game where the rules keep changing. Here are five things I have learned and actually work: 🔁 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. It shapes who you get to become tomorrow. Think long-term. Act like your future depends on it, because it does. 🧹 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. You’re not interrupting. You’re contributing. Say what you mean. Own your space. 👀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. People do. And it’s your job to make sure the right ones are paying attention. 📊 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Don’t wait until year-end reviews when the memory has faded. Keep a running list of results, decisions, and moments where you moved the needle. If you can’t name your impact, no one else will. 📅 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺. Block time each week to share progress, build alliances, and remind people what you’re leading. If you don’t make it part of your schedule, it won’t be part of theirs either. You don’t need to work harder. You need to get 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲. If you’re ready to shift from quietly capable to visibly in charge, join the waitlist for our next cohort of ⭐ From Hidden Talent to Visible Leader. ⭐ 🔗 Link in comments. 👊 If hard work alone were enough, you’d already be in the corner office.

In my earlier career, I supported stress engineers. Their job was to push materials to the limit, ensuring they could withstand incredible pressure without breaking. Funny thing is, I now realise I’ve become a type of stress engineer—except I work on leaders & their careers. Because so many of the women I support do the same thing to themselves. They push through. Stretch & stretch, balancing everything: careers, families, life. With an internal narrative “I just need to push through to the weekend”. 💬”If I can just get through this project then I can ease up” 💬 “I’ll get chance for a PROPER break on my holidays which isn’t too long to wait” Often, only taking action when they’re about to crack—or already have. Take Amelia. She came to me so burnt out she could barely think. Her career, once was her pride and purpose. She loved it, pouring all her energy into it. But by the time we met, she didn’t care anymore. She felt invisible, overlooked, and—let’s face it—disrespected. Her spark had faded under layers of self-doubt and life’s challenges. She was ready to walk away. But I could still see the real Amelia underneath it all. Just like the old story of the Buddha statue—where layers of plaster hid the shining gold beneath—her spark was still there, buried under exhaustion, stress, & perimenopause. To the outside world, she seemed fine. Like she was coping. Pushing through. But that’s not the same as thriving, is it? What Amelia needed wasn’t just a boost. She needed what I call the “4 Ps” (straight from my TEDX Talk - Menopause: Smashing the last glass ceiling): Purpose, Possibility, Potential, and People. She needed space to rediscover her purpose and potential, whilst learning how to build recovery and regeneration into every day. Fast forward 6 months, and she’s a force to be reckoned with. That old spark? It’s a bonfire now. She’s energised, visible, and thriving. She’s gone from feeling invisible to building her brand globally in her business, securing a mega bonus, and being offered a promotion. Most importantly, she’s stress-proofed her career with strategies that don’t just help her survive—they help her soar. She admitted to me that she doesn’t even recognise the old her, and cannot thank me enough for helping her make changes that will continue to reward her for life. Women like Amelia remind me why I do this work. Because you’re not here to cope or push through. You’re here to shine. (Amelia isn’t her real name for confidentiality) _________ Want to work with me? If you’re ready to step into your power as a leader, reclaim your energy, & thrive at work & at home, let’s make it happen. Learn more about the Impactful Leader Mastermind here & book in a chat: https://lnkd.in/eQE9CuRb . Your next chapter starts now! Images: Sinead (a woman in her late forties with dark hair) taken at a peak stress moment, worn out and broken by perimenopause. And a more recent pic happy and healthy!

This McKinsey & Company article insightfully explores the complex balancing acts and personal strategies women leaders employ to succeed at the highest levels. While the piece offers powerful perspectives on individual resilience and adaptability – the inner game, as they call it – it prompts a critical question for me: What if focusing primarily on the individual game distracts us from the outer game? What if the fundamental systems, cultures, and structures within our organizations are inadvertently setting talented women up for a struggle they shouldn't have to face on their own? Women across all professional levels, not just CEOs, confront systemic hurdles. They're told to lean in, prove themselves constantly, and somehow perfectly balance demanding careers with personal lives within often inflexible environments. When organizations expect individual women to overcome these systemic barriers through sheer personal strategy, they aren't truly supporting them; they are, in effect, undermining their potential and the organization's own success. As a leader passionate about helping ambitious women genuinely thrive, I see a clear and urgent connection between this systemic disconnect and tangible business outcomes. The cost of not actively transforming your workplace to truly support women is evident, and it's likely impacting your business right now: ·       Disengaged women directly translate to a drag on productivity and a slowdown in innovation. ·       Unequal opportunities create a leaky leadership pipeline, causing you to lose valuable talent and the investment made in them. ·       A lack of genuine support and mentorship leads to increased turnover, sending experienced professionals to competitors who offer a more inclusive and empowering environment. These are concrete obstacles directly impacting your company's growth and profitability. The flip side of this challenge is an immense opportunity. When businesses make the authentic investment in the well-being, development, and systemic empowerment of their women employees, the return is significant. Engaged, thriving individuals become powerful drivers – they are more productive, more innovative, more resilient, and deeply committed to propelling the business forward. So, here’s the critical question: Given the undeniable business impact, if you know your current systems aren't fully engaging and retaining your talented women, what are you truly willing to do differently – at a systemic level – to bridge that gap? I'm curious... https://lnkd.in/e7uTdy5q

Balancing Career, Perimenopause, and Motherhood: The Ultimate Juggle Women in their 40s and beyond often find themselves managing a career, raising kids (or supporting young adults), and navigating perimenopause or menopause—all at once. It’s a season of life that demands resilience, but it can also be empowering when we learn to prioritize ourselves. As a physician, entrepreneur, and mom, I know firsthand how easy it is to put ourselves last. But thriving in this phase of life means recognizing that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival. Here are 5 tips to help you balance it all: 1. Master Your Energy, Not Just Your Time Menopause can bring fatigue and brain fog, so work with your natural energy rhythms. Schedule deep-focus tasks when you feel sharpest and allow for breaks when needed. Biohacking your hormones with diet, movement, and sleep can help, too. 2. Advocate for Yourself at Work Whether you're leading a company or climbing the corporate ladder, don't suffer in silence. Ask for flexible work options, set boundaries, and educate others about menopause—breaking the stigma benefits everyone. 3. Lean Into Support You don’t have to do it alone. Delegate tasks, seek mentorship, and connect with other women who understand. Community is powerful, whether it’s friends, a coach, or a health practitioner guiding you through this transition. 4. Prioritize Sleep Like It’s a Business Meeting Sleep disruptions are common in perimenopause, but they’re not something to “push through.” Support deep sleep with good sleep hygiene, stress management, and hormone balancing strategies. You can’t pour from an empty cup! 5. Ditch the Guilt and Redefine Success Success at this stage of life isn’t about grinding 24/7—it’s about sustainability. Give yourself permission to slow down when needed, pivot if necessary, and embrace this era as a time of wisdom and transformation. Midlife isn’t the end of your prime—it’s the beginning of a new, more powerful chapter. You don’t have to do it perfectly; you just have to keep going. How do you balance career, motherhood, and menopause? Let’s break the silence together! #MenopauseAtWork #WomenInLeadership #CareerAndMotherhood #Perimenopause #MidlifePower

Here’s why hustling hard won’t lead you to being successful in business or in life. As a successful woman in business, you’re hitting those ambitious targets, but at what cost? Stress, burnout, middle tyre, low libido and a lingering sense of emptiness? It’s time for a reality check. ⛔The truth is, hustle culture glorifies relentless work, but it's taking a toll on your mental health and happiness. Studies reveal that 76% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes, with many suffering from anxiety and depression. That’s scary. Sound familiar? Real success and happiness come from balance—not just in business, but in life. Prioritising your wellbeing, nurturing meaningful relationships, and finding joy in your daily activities are crucial steps toward true fulfilment. Dr. Emma Seppälä highlights that our culture of constant busyness diminishes both productivity and creativity. It’s time to rethink our approach if we truly want to achieve professional and personal success. 🥰Just imagine waking up each day with energy, feeling genuinely happy and fulfilled, and still achieving your business goals without the grind. This isn't a fantasy—it's entirely possible. The key lies in redefining success on your terms. Here’s how we can start: 👉 Set Clear Boundaries: Separate work time from personal time. It’s essential for maintaining mental health. 👉 Embrace Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness practices to stay present and reduce stress. 👉 Invest in Relationships: Spend quality time with loved ones. Strong connections are vital for long-term happiness. 👉 Follow Your Passions: Engage in activities that bring you joy and fulfilment beyond work. Are you ready to transform your life and achieve a level of success that includes true happiness and wellbeing? I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Ready to make the shift? Dive in with me and discover the power of living a balanced, joyful, and successful life. 🌟 Message me if you’re ready to take the first step. Let’s do this! 💪

She didn’t need a new role. She needed her husband to see her career the way he’d want their daughter to see hers. A high-performing woman in sales. Seven months pregnant. And quietly preparing to resign. Not because she wanted to. But because her husband and mother-in-law expected her to “step back” after the baby. She reached out to me - Not for a role. But for the right words. I asked her to try just one question: “If our daughter were in my place, would you want her to give up her career?” That one line changed everything. Her husband paused. Reflected. And convinced his mother to help with childcare. She returned to work after delivery. She’s still thriving. The job didn’t change. The support did. Here’s the part most companies miss: 🚫 Post-maternity attrition isn’t always about KPIs. 🚫 It’s cultural. Emotional. Invisible. If you want women to stay - Give them not just coaching. Give them courage. Help them shift their home ecosystem, not just their resumes. We do this kind of work every day at SalesWomentoring. If you're designing return-to-work strategies, let’s talk. Sometimes the most powerful tools aren’t in policy - they’re in conversation.

Early in my career, I thought the key to success was keeping my head down, working hard, and saying yes to every task that came my way. I avoided conflicts and focused on delivering strong results, believing that my work alone would speak for itself. As a woman of color, I had internalized the pressure to be perfect, to prove I belonged, and to steer clear of standing out too much. Cultural expectations often reinforce this for women, people of color, and those of us with quieter personalities. But I quickly learned that hard work, while essential, wasn’t enough to move ahead. I found myself stuck, working tirelessly but not moving forward in the way I had hoped. That’s when I realized I needed to shift my approach. This approach is often shaped by cultural stereotypes, particularly impacting women, people of color, and introverts. However, relying solely on hard work is a temporary strategy and doesn’t guarantee long-term career growth. To advance your career more effectively, consider these steps: • Shift from focusing solely on performance to building relationship currency: Connect with colleagues and leaders, and make your credibility visible through meaningful interactions like virtual coffee, lunch or a meeting outside the office. • Set Boundaries Around Low-Value Tasks: Often, newcomers and marginalized groups are assigned low-impact tasks like taking notes or organizing events. These tasks can drain your energy and obscure your contributions. Focus on high-value work that aligns with your career goals. • Advocate for Meaningful Work: Learn to effectively promote your contributions and express your value. Build strong relationships with your boss and advocate for projects that align with your skills and interests. By shifting your focus and strategically advocating for yourself, you can advance your career and achieve greater success. Embrace these strategies to unlock new opportunities and reach your full potential. Read on for more: https://lnkd.in/gaT6NPnH #potential #Inclusion #leadersofcolor #cultural