Journeys of Empowerment

Michiel Sujeet Reith
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Real-life stories: conversations with (aspiring) impact-driven female founders who turned inner shifts into meaningful change;Lessons from role models: grounded wisdom from people who chose clarity over pressure and aligned their work with who they are;Reclaim your clarity: a journey of self-discovery, agency and purposeful direction;Join the movement: a community that believes in growth through honest reflection, one story at a time!Empowerment begins with a single step, your choice to listen, reflect and reconnect with what’s true for you now.Oh and one more thing: by leaving a review and sharing an episode you’re already playing a part in someone’s next step 🙏🏾

  1. 2d ago

    #89 | Eline Schoonen | "Turning unfairness into change"

    In this episode I connected with Eline Schoonen, founder of Be-Inc, entrepreneur and someone who has transformed a lifetime of confronting unfairness into a mission to create safer and more inclusive workplaces. From growing up as a determined and outspoken child to challenging systems that failed to see her potential, Eline's journey has never been about accepting: ⇾ "𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲"  Along the way she faced discrimination, survived a traumatic assault, navigated inequality in corporate life and discovered that every painful experience could become fuel for positive change.  Today she channels those lived experiences into building technology that helps organizations communicate with greater awareness, empathy and inclusion. What struck me most is that this conversation was never really about workplace culture or technology. It was about what happens when we refuse to let unfairness define us and instead allow it to shape the positive impact we want to have on the world. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Turning unfairness into change: transforming painful experiences into a lifelong mission to improve the lives of others; 👉🏾 The courage to challenge systems: refusing to accept labels, limitations and outdated structures that underestimate human potential; 👉🏾 Healing through purpose: how sharing our story can release what we have carried for years and create awareness for others; 👉🏾 Creating psychologically safe workplaces: why communication, belonging and inclusion are essential for people and organizations to thrive; 👉🏾 Building technology with humanity: using innovation not just to improve productivity but to strengthen empathy, awareness and connection; Empowering nuggets: 🙌🏾 The experiences that hurt us most can become the foundation of the impact we make when we choose awareness over bitterness; 🙌🏾 Real change starts the moment we stop accepting unfairness as normal and begin acting on what we know is right; 🙌🏾 Creating a better world rarely begins with grand gestures. It begins with the courage to protect the dignity of one person at a time! As she said it clearly:  🙌🏾 "Be gentle to yourself. It will all be well." Books mentioned: 📚 Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer: reflecting on solitude, freedom and discovering that life's greatest moments gain meaning when they are shared. Perhaps empowerment is not about avoiding hardship. Perhaps it is about allowing even our deepest wounds to become a force that creates safer spaces and better futures for those who follow. Connect with Eline: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eline-schoonen/  Website: https://be-inc.ai  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #89 | Eline Schoonen | "Turning unfairness into change"

  2. Aug 11

    #88 | Sneha Rani Augustine | "Coming home to yourself"

    In this deep dive conversation I connected with Sneha Rani Augustine founder of Happynut Tree, transformational therapist, former engineer and someone who has walked the long path from living by expectations to living in alignment with her authentic self. Growing up in India, Sneha excelled in everything she did. She followed the path that was expected of her, built a successful corporate career and achieved what many would consider success.  𝗬𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.  Through trauma, healing, neurodivergence, spirituality and profound self-discovery, she found the courage to stop asking who the world wanted her to be and start asking who she truly was. What struck me most is that this conversation was never really about leaving corporate or even about healing trauma. It was about remembering that home is not a place. Home is the relationship we build with ourselves. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Coming home to yourself: discovering that safety is something we can cultivate within instead of searching for outside ourselves; 👉🏾 Healing layer by layer: how trauma, integration and daily practice gradually reconnect us with who we have always been; 👉🏾 Reclaiming authenticity: stepping beyond expectations, labels and cultural conditioning to live life on your own terms; 👉🏾 Embracing every part of yourself: bringing together science, psychology, spirituality and lived experience instead of hiding parts of your identity; 👉🏾 Living from agency: accepting full responsibility for your own life while allowing others to walk their own path; Empowering nuggets: 🙌🏾 Healing is rarely one breakthrough. It is the quiet practice of returning to yourself again and again; 🙌🏾 The parts of ourselves we once tried to hide often become the very qualities that allow us to serve others most deeply; 🙌🏾 Authenticity begins the moment we stop asking for permission to become who we already are; In Sneha's words: 🙌🏾 "Home is about coming back to my center" Books mentioned: 📚 Being You by Anil Seth: exploring consciousness and how our brains construct reality. 📚 The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk: understanding how trauma lives in the body and how healing becomes possible. Perhaps coming home has never been about finding the right place. Perhaps it has always been about remembering the person you've been beneath the expectations, the fear and the conditioning. Connect with Sneha: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneha-rani-augustine/  Instagram: Happynut Tree  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #88 | Sneha Rani Augustine | "Coming home to yourself"

  3. Aug 4

    #87 | Sofie van der Meulen | "Finding humanity through curiosity!"

    In this episode I connected with Sofie van der Meulen, legal professional, advocate for human-centred justice and someone who has quietly dedicated her life to ensuring people are treated as humans instead of cases. Born with a rare genetic condition, Sofie grew up navigating a world that often made decisions for her instead of with her. Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she transformed them into a deep commitment to justice, curiosity and humanity.  Today whether she is working within healthcare regulation, supporting people through complex legal battles or advocating for consumer rights, her mission remains the same:  ⇾ 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆! What struck me most is that this conversation was never really about disability or the law. It was about what happens when we stop making assumptions and start becoming genuinely curious about the human being in front of us. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Finding humanity through curiosity: how curiosity helps us move beyond assumptions and truly see one another; 👉🏾 Justice beyond rules: why applying the law starts with understanding the person behind the paperwork; 👉🏾 The hidden weight of exclusion: growing up feeling different and the lifelong search for belonging; 👉🏾 Representation creates possibility: why visibility matters for those who have rarely seen themselves reflected; 👉🏾 Humanising systems: transforming legal processes from bureaucratic procedures into places where people feel recognised and respected! Empowering nuggets:  🙌🏾 Curiosity is one of the most powerful forms of compassion because it invites us to replace judgment with understanding; 🙌🏾 Feeling seen is not a luxury. It is one of our most fundamental human needs and the absence of it leaves lasting scars; 🙌🏾 Sometimes the greatest change begins when we pause long enough to question our own assumptions before questioning someone else; In Sofie's words: 🙌🏾 "Ask the person what do you need instead of just deciding over me" Books mentioned: 📚 Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: understanding how our fast and slow thinking shapes assumptions and decision making; 📚 The Choice by Edith Eger: finding freedom through the choices we make after adversity; 📚 The Gift by Edith Eger: discovering healing and growth through life's challenges; Perhaps the next time we feel discomfort around someone who seems different, the most courageous thing we can do is not to look away, but to become curious.  𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱! Connect with Sofie: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofievandermeulen/  Website: https://sofievandermeulen.nl  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #87 | Sofie van der Meulen | "Finding humanity through curiosity!"

  4. Jul 28

    #86 | Julie Taylor | "Be scared and do it anyway!"

    In this episode, I connected with Julie Taylor 🐝, founder of Buzz Business Networking, community builder, connector and champion of human connection who is helping entrepreneurs realize they do not have to build their businesses alone. Julie grew up in the UK, built a long corporate career in banking and later moved to the Netherlands where she stepped into entrepreneurship. Along the way she experienced redundancy, started over in a new country, launched ventures before feeling ready and faced one of the most frightening moments imaginable when her husband suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.  Through every chapter runs the same lesson: courage is not the absence of fear. It is taking the next step anyway. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Building community through connection: why none of us are meant to figure everything out on our own; 👉🏾 Redundancy as a turning point: how losing certainty can become the push we would never give ourselves; 👉🏾 Starting over in a new country: the challenges and opportunities that come with rebuilding from scratch; 👉🏾 Asking for help: why reaching out is not weakness but one of the most powerful things we can do; 👉🏾 Be scared and do it anyway: how action often comes before confidence, not after it! Empowering nuggets:  🙌🏾 Confidence is rarely the starting point. More often it grows because we were willing to take the first step; 🙌🏾 The answers we need are often closer than we think. Sometimes all that is required is the courage to ask; 🙌🏾 The more people we invite into our world, the more perspective, support and possibility become available; In Julie's words:  🙌🏾 “Be scared and do it anyway.” Listening to Julie reminded me that many of the moments that shape our lives arrive long before we feel ready for them. Whether it is starting a business, asking for help, stepping onto a stage or facing an unexpected crisis, the invitation is often the same.  What might become possible if you stopped waiting for confidence and trusted yourself enough to take the next step? Connect with Julie: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietaylorbuzz/  Website: https://buzzbusinessnetworking.eu  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #86 | Julie Taylor | "Be scared and do it anyway!"

  5. Jul 21

    #85 | Vivian Acqua | "Belonging without shrinking!"

    In this episode, I sat down with Vivian Acquah CDE®, inclusion strategist at Amplify DEI, storyteller and someone who has spent much of her life exploring what it truly means to belong without making yourself smaller.  Through her work, her lived experiences, and her deep connection to both her Ghanaian and Dutch identities, Vivian helps people and organizations move beyond labels and toward genuine human connection.  What struck me most is that this conversation was never really about diversity and inclusion. It was about belonging! About the subtle ways we learn to shrink ourselves to fit into spaces that were never designed with us in mind. About carrying multiple identities, navigating exclusion in different forms, and discovering that empathy may be one of the most powerful tools we have for creating a more human world.  Vivian's journey moves from childhood experiences of feeling different, through workplace dehumanization during pregnancy, to becoming a voice for conscious inclusion and effective collaboration.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Belonging without shrinking: what happens when we stop making ourselves smaller to fit into the expectations of others; 👉🏾 The hidden cost of exclusion: how seemingly small experiences can shape identity, confidence, and self-worth for years; 👉🏾 Walking a mile in someone else's shoes: why lived experience creates awareness that theory alone never can; 👉🏾 Healing through lineage and memory: how family history, cultural roots, and ancestral stories continue to shape who we become; 👉🏾 From dehumanization to advocacy: how painful workplace experiences became fuel for creating more inclusive cultures! Empowering nuggets:  🙌🏾 You do not need to fit in everywhere. Sometimes your role is to add something new to the space you're entering; 🙌🏾 Empathy begins when we stop assuming our lived experience is the only reality; 🙌🏾 Understanding yourself is often more important than being understood by everyone else; In Vivian's words:  🙌🏾 "I'm not made for everybody" And perhaps that realization is not rejection. Perhaps it is freedom.  A principle that stayed with me: ✨ Sankofa a Ghanaian principle meaning "go back and fetch." Learning from the past so we can bring its wisdom into the present and future! Listening to Vivian reminded me that belonging is not about finding a place where everyone agrees with us. It is about finding the courage to stand fully in who we are. The more we understand our own story, the more capable we become of holding space for someone else's. And perhaps that is where conscious inclusion truly begins. Connect with Vivian: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianacquah/  Website: https://amplifydei.com  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #85 | Vivian Acqua | "Belonging without shrinking!"

  6. Jul 14

    #84 | Natália Leal | "From Performance to Agency!"

    In this episode, I sat down with Natália Leal, PhD, coach at Natália Leal | Coach & Trainer | Professional Speaker | Thriving Abroad, leadership advisor, former CEO of the World Fair Trade Organization and someone who discovered that achievement and agency are not the same thing. What struck me most is that this conversation was never really about leadership or careers. It was about what happens when we stop living on autopilot and finally ask ourselves a question many of us avoid for years:  ⇾ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁?  Natalia's journey took her from academia to policy, executive leadership and international organizations, yet she realized that for much of her life she accepted opportunities without consciously choosing them.  Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Growing up with a natural desire to serve and represent others, long before leadership became a profession; 👉🏾 A successful international career built through opportunities rather than intentional choices; 👉🏾 The body sounding the alarm through chronic tension and pain after years of always being "on"; 👉🏾 Learning the difference between judgment and discernment, and why wisdom asks for both compassion and perspective; 👉🏾 Moving from performance and obligation toward responsibility, choice and personal agency! Empowering nuggets:  🙌🏾 Wisdom is not knowing more. It is knowing what is needed in this moment, without judging; 🙌🏾 Sometimes our body speaks long before our mind is willing to listen; 🙌🏾 Responsibility and power belong together. When we take ownership of our choices, we also reclaim our agency;  Listening to Natalia reminded me how easy it is to confuse being capable with being conscious. We can spend years doing meaningful work, collecting experiences and fulfilling expectations, yet never pause long enough to ask whether we are actively choosing our path.  Perhaps empowerment begins with a simpler question than we imagine. ⇾ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁? Connect with Natália:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalialealcoach/  Website: https://www.natalia-leal.com  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #84 | Natália Leal | "From Performance to Agency!"

  7. Jul 7

    #83 | Lisa Thompson | "Reclaiming identity beyond achievement!"

    In this episode, I connected with Lisa Thompson, founder of Your Career Space and creator of Career Story Nights, a space where professional identities give way to something much more human: the stories that shaped them. What struck me most about Lisa's journey is that it isn't really about careers. It's about what happens when the titles, brands and achievements that once defined us no longer answer the question of who we are.  After building a successful global career with brands like Gap, Burberry and Nike, Lisa found herself facing a deeper challenge. Not how to climb higher, but how to reconnect with herself beyond the job title. That question eventually became the foundation of the work she now does, helping others connect the dots between who they have been and who they are becoming. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Reclaiming identity beyond achievement: who are we when the title, company and status are no longer there?; 👉🏾 The hidden impact of ageism: how subtle workplace messages can shape confidence, belonging and career choices; 👉🏾 Entrepreneurship as self-development: why building a business often reveals more about ourselves than any leadership course ever could; 👉🏾 The power of storytelling: how sharing lived experiences creates connection, empathy and perspective; 👉🏾 Turning adversity into purpose: how a traumatic head injury unexpectedly became the catalyst for Career Story Nights! Empowering nuggets:  🙌🏾 Sometimes the next chapter begins when the thing you worked hardest for no longer feels like the whole story; 🙌🏾 The parts of ourselves we think are lost are often still there. Waiting to be acknowledged, integrated and expressed; 🙌🏾 Every career is made up of human experiences. When we connect the story, we reconnect with ourselves; As Lisa puts it: 🙌🏾 "The career is the thing that we do, but the story is the journey" Books mentioned: 📚 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: an early influence during Lisa's corporate career; 📚 What Got You Here Won't Get You There: referenced during the conversation about growth and navigating new stages of entrepreneurship; 📚 The Body Keeps the Score: discussed in relation to trauma, healing and personal growth; Listening to Lisa reminded me that many of us spend years building a career, only to discover that what we were really building was ourselves. The achievements matter, but the deeper question remains:  ⇾ when all the labels fall away, what part of you is still waiting to be fully seen? Connect with Lisa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaclairethompson/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/careerstorynights/  Website: https://www.yourcareerspace.com/  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #83 | Lisa Thompson | "Reclaiming identity beyond achievement!"

  8. Jun 30

    #82 | Nataliya Volosovych | "Reinvention through resilience!"

    In this episode, I connected with Nataliya Volosovych, founder of Profile Studio NL, photographer and visual storyteller, whose journey moves through migration, motherhood, identity and the continuous process of rebuilding yourself through change.  Nataliya was born in the Soviet Union and grew up in Ukraine during a time of instability that deeply shaped her resilience and resourcefulness. But underneath that strength lived another longing: to feel truly seen and understood. From navigating cultural shifts and immigration to rebuilding life in the United States and later the Netherlands, each chapter forced her to reinvent herself again and again. Through language, education, motherhood and entrepreneurship, she slowly realized that the answers she was searching for externally had always been waiting within. Photography eventually became more than a profession. It became a way to help others feel seen in the way she herself had long searched for. Deep dive talking points: 👉🏾 Growing up through instability: how post-Soviet Ukraine shaped resilience and adaptability; 👉🏾 Immigration and identity: rebuilding life while navigating different cultures and expectations; 👉🏾 Boundaries and motherhood: confronting people-pleasing and generational patterns; 👉🏾 Photography as connection: helping others feel visible through storytelling and presence; 👉🏾 Reflection as transformation: learning that many answers emerge when we pause and listen inward; Empowering nuggets: 🙌🏾 Reinvention is often less about becoming someone new and more about uncovering who you already are; 🙌🏾 Difficult conversations can create deeper connection than years of silence ever will; 🙌🏾 Self-care is not selfishness. It is responsibility toward yourself and the people you love; In Nataliya’s own words: 🙌🏾 “If you don’t love yourself in all the ways you are, how can you truly love somebody else?” Listening to Nataliya reminded me that resilience is not only about surviving difficult seasons. It is also about having the courage to soften, reflect and choose a path that feels more aligned with who you truly are. Connect with Nataliya: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliyavolosovych/  Website: https://www.profilestudio.nl  Curious to learn more about the 60-day Clarity Intensify Trek? Visit ✨Journeys of Empowerment✨ | Let’s make space to see it clearly before you redesign anything!

    #82 | Nataliya Volosovych | "Reinvention through resilience!"
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About

Real-life stories: conversations with (aspiring) impact-driven female founders who turned inner shifts into meaningful change;Lessons from role models: grounded wisdom from people who chose clarity over pressure and aligned their work with who they are;Reclaim your clarity: a journey of self-discovery, agency and purposeful direction;Join the movement: a community that believes in growth through honest reflection, one story at a time!Empowerment begins with a single step, your choice to listen, reflect and reconnect with what’s true for you now.Oh and one more thing: by leaving a review and sharing an episode you’re already playing a part in someone’s next step 🙏🏾

Information

  • Creator
    Michiel Sujeet Reith
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Journeys of Empowerment | Michiel Sujeet Reith
  • Show Website
    Journeys of Empowerment

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