"When I find myself going back to that reactivity mode or older way of thinking, I have to step back and ask, 'What do I really want?'" In this episode, Heather and Alexis Dean explore what it really means to take ownership of your ambition, your emotional world, and the desires you keep pushing aside. The things that irritate or trigger you aren't random; they're signals pointing directly to where you're being asked to grow. This conversation challenges the instinct to blame, label, or control, and instead invites you into a deeper level of self-responsibility, curiosity, and intention. Because when you stop outsourcing your discomfort and start listening to it, you unlock a completely different way of leading your life, your work, and your relationships. What to listen for: ☑️ The things that piss you off are a guide around where you need to do more work ☑️ Women need to feed their ambitions so they don't end up resentful and angry ☑️ Using curiosity to uncover where you're holding yourself back "If you're the one who has the pull and the desire to move a vision forward, and that's your natural gift, it's on you to accept and to lean into it. My resentment was actually me trying to blame somebody else for my own emotional discomfort." ☑️ Discerning between "hard" and emotionally uncomfortable actions ☑️ Operating from a collaborative lens rather than controlling others ☑️ Living your life intentionally instead of following gender norms "It's fine if you want to follow gender norms. The challenge is when people don't actually press pause and examine, 'Is this serving us? Is this how we want to lead our lives and live and work and everything else?'" ☑️ Why using labels is often just a way to avoid feeling our emotions ☑️ Navigating societal norms as a new mother who also runs a business ☑️ What can you do today to create more space and time flexibility? *** About Alexis Dean: For more than two decades, Alexis Dean has helped leaders build teams rooted in trust, accountability, and emotional courage. She believes that good people don't automatically create strong cultures, intentional leadership does. As the founder of Two Roads Training & Team Building, Alexis works with executive teams to help them build high-trust environments where performance and humanity can coexist. She's known for making the conversations most people avoid feel practical, doable, and transformative. Alexis is also the founder of The Dovetail Community, a mastermind and retreat experience for women leading 7- to 9-figure companies who want growth without losing themselves in the process. Alexis's work isn't just about boardrooms, it's about what happens at home, too. She believes women are often leading their families emotionally, strategically, and logistically, whether or not anyone names it that way. In a culture that still questions women's authority, stepping fully into leadership, at work and at home, requires clarity, boundaries, and a willingness to be misunderstood. Connect with Alexis: www.tworoadsteambuilding.com Instagram: @alexis.dovetail and @tworoadsteambuilding *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me inside the Energetic Time Management Accelerator, a focused experience designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator: www.heatherchauvin.com/time Explore the top episodes listeners come back to when they're stuck, burned out, or standing at the edge of a big shift: www.heatherchauvin.com/10 Follow Heather on Instagram: www.instagram.com/heatherchauvin_
