Finding Your Fierce

Carolyn Colleen
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‘Finding Your FIERCE’ is the podcast for people wanting to take their life, relationships, and career to the next level. Each episode features inspiring stories of people who are living their most FIERCE life - despite facing massive obstacles and challenges. Hosted by best-selling author, acclaimed speaker, and philanthropist Carolyn Colleen; the ‘Finding Your FIERCE’ podcast will help you to overcome the adversity you’re facing in your life so you can transcend and evolve into your best self. Hit the “follow” button and get ready to unleash your most FIERCE self! Learn more at https://CarolynColleen.com

  1. Leading Inside Systems That Were Never Built for Women with Jodi Vandenberg-Daves

    6D AGO

    Leading Inside Systems That Were Never Built for Women with Jodi Vandenberg-Daves

    In this episode of Finding Your FIERCE, Jodi Vandenberg-Daves explores what it means to lead with courage inside systems that were never designed for women to thrive. Drawing on her work as a historian, leadership coach, and author of Leading With Courage, Jodi unpacks how women navigate careers, leadership, and caregiving within institutions that reward conformity, undervalue emotional labor, and often demand resilience without support. She challenges the idea that leadership belongs only to titles, emphasizing values-driven leadership, voice, boundaries, and integrity at every stage of career. The conversation highlights expansive leadership for women, asking hard questions, resisting burnout, mentoring across generations, and building inclusive workplaces and communities that don’t require women to shrink, overextend, or assimilate to succeed. This episode is a powerful reminder that courage for women isn’t just personal—it’s structural, collective, and necessary for real change. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Jodi on LinkedIn Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    16 min
  2. The Shift Toward Acceptance: Healing Through Grief with John DeDakis

    JAN 17

    The Shift Toward Acceptance: Healing Through Grief with John DeDakis

    What if healing doesn’t come from fighting your way through grief but from accepting what is, one honest step at a time? In this powerful episode of Finding Your Fierce, host Carolyn Colleen sits down with John DeDakis: award-winning novelist, writing coach, and former Senior Copy Editor for CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer to explore the quiet, courageous work of healing through loss. John shares the pivotal moments that shaped his life: facing an existential crisis as a young man during the Vietnam War draft, choosing acceptance over resistance, and discovering only in hindsight that grief had been woven through his writing for decades. What began as storytelling became an unintentional path to healing, clarity, and purpose. Together, Carolyn and John reflect on why healing is often gradual, why it’s only visible in the looking back, and how creative expression, whether through writing, art, or reflection, can help us process grief without forcing outcomes. This conversation reframes fierceness not as pushing harder, but as the strength to surrender, listen, and trust what’s unfolding. If you’re navigating grief, transition, or a season of deep uncertainty, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: acceptance can be one of the fiercest acts of healing there is. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.John on LinkedInUpcoming Retreat with John DeDakis: Writing Through the Pain of Loss Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    14 min
  3. The Question That Changed Her Path: Brianna Greenspan on Pain, Purpose, and Possibility

    JAN 9

    The Question That Changed Her Path: Brianna Greenspan on Pain, Purpose, and Possibility

    What if chronic pain isn’t just physical? In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Brianna Greenspan—inspirational author, speaker, and CEO of Brianna Greenspan International (BGI)—shares her powerful journey of overcoming debilitating symptoms and unimaginable suffering to reclaim her life. As a global leader in educational training, tools, and support, Brianna reveals the unexpected truths about fostering a growth mindset and the catalyst moments that change everything. From navigating a lifetime of medical complications to discovering the transformative power of self-resourcing, she shares how she moved from a state of being "complete" to finding her fierce. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of pain and limiting beliefs, this episode will challenge what you think you know about healing and empower you to take control of your future. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Brianna00:01:45 - Living in the Fire: Leading While Managing Complex Illness00:03:30 - Radical Authenticity: Choosing Visibility Over Hiding00:04:40 - Polished vs. Real: Letting Go of Perfection00:06:15 - A Critical Neurosurgery Appointment00:07:00 - Childhood in Crisis: Early Medical Trauma00:08:15 - Hitting the Breaking Point: Losing Basic Functions00:10:45 - A Call That Changed Everything: Losing Her Best Friend00:11:45 - From Despair to Curiosity: Asking What Else Is Possible00:12:45 - New Paths to Healing: Shortening Symptoms from Months to Minutes00:14:40 - Turning Pain into Purpose: A Global Impact Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Brianna WebsiteBrianna on Linkedin Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    17 min

  4. 03/14/2025

    Your Body, Your Story—Reclaiming Health & Power with Patricia Nesler

    What if chronic pain isn’t just physical? In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Patricia Nesler, a chronic pain specialist, shares her powerful journey of overcoming fear, trauma, and physical suffering to reclaim her life. From navigating a traumatic birth experience to discovering the mind-body connection in healing, Trish reveals the unexpected truths about pain, resilience, and the power of self-awareness. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of stress and symptoms, this episode will challenge what you think you know about healing and empower you to take control of your body and your future. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Pain Isn’t Your Enemy—It’s a Messenger00:00:45 - Welcome to Finding Your Fierce: Meet Trish Nesler00:02:22 - Trish’s Story: From Struggle to Strength00:03:36 - Healing Through Vulnerability: The Power of Alchemy00:04:10 - Breaking Free: How Trish Helps People Overcome Chronic Pain00:05:17 - Parenting, Trauma, and the Stress We Carry00:05:55 - A Birth Experience That Changed Everything00:07:13 - When the Body Breaks Down: Searching for Answers00:14:07 - Unlocking the Mind-Body Connection00:15:22 - How Repressed Emotions and Anger Manifest in Pain00:16:58 - The Hidden Impact of the Fawning Response00:18:46 - How to Recognize and Overcome Fawning00:19:54 - Why People-Pleasing Might Be Holding You Back00:21:04 - The Science of Pain: Amygdala, Fear, and Social Exclusion00:22:29 - How Your Brain Shapes Your Pain Experience00:26:07 - Somatic Healing: Moving Beyond the Pain Cycle00:35:20 - The BFF Framework: Breathe, Focus, Take Fierce Action00:40:55 - Healing, Connection, and Reclaiming Your Power Links and Resources: Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Peaceful Warrior WebsiteGreenhouse Holistic Co-op CenterTrish on...

    44 min
  5. The Nurse Who Fought the System: Advocacy, Ageism, and Healthcare Truths with Pam Dunwald

    02/04/2025

    The Nurse Who Fought the System: Advocacy, Ageism, and Healthcare Truths with Pam Dunwald

    Carolyn sits down with Pam Dunwald, a veteran nurse turned fierce advocate for aging adults. With over 40 years in healthcare, Pam has seen it all—families lost in medical jargon, patients overlooked, and a system that often forgets its most vulnerable. She shares moments from challenges she faced standing up in a broken system, and how she found her voice as a nurse advocate. From confronting ageism to fighting for better patient care, Pam’s mission is clear: no one should navigate healthcare alone. Chapters: 00:00:00 – Empathy: The Superpower We Don’t Talk About Enough00:00:39 – Kicking Off with Fierce Energy00:01:33 – From Weak Stomach to Fierce Advocate00:03:49 – A Bingo Hall, A Life-Changing Moment, and a Nursing Career Born00:06:04 – The Secret to Staying Resilient (Even When It’s Hard)00:07:42 – Why Aging Adults Deserve More—and How to Fight for It00:09:17 – The Nursing Stories That Changed Everything00:11:04 – Spit On, Cursed At, Ignored—The Truth About Being a Nurse00:14:16 – Want to Be an Advocate? Here’s What You Need to Know00:20:08 – How to Find Your Fierce in 5 Minutes at a Time00:24:43 – The Self-Assessment Trick That Changes Everything00:27:14 – The Final Word: One Fierce Mission, One Powerful Legacy Links and Resources: Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Pam on LinkedInYour Nurse Advocate Consulting, LLC Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    29 min
  6. Entrepreneurial Awakening: Choosing Purpose Over Paychecks with Jan Dégallier

    01/03/2025

    Entrepreneurial Awakening: Choosing Purpose Over Paychecks with Jan Dégallier

    Carolyn sits down with Jan Dégallier, a strategic business coach and consultant who transitioned from a long corporate finance career to entrepreneurship. Jan shares how she stepped away from a secure, traditional path to build a business centered on helping entrepreneurs and small business owners understand their numbers and make evidence-based decisions. She explains the power of tools like scorecards and weekly metrics in driving clarity and growth. Carolyn and Jan discuss resilience, faith, and the importance of staying uncomfortable to keep growing. Jan’s story is a testament to taking bold action, embracing curiosity, and building a business rooted in purpose and clarity. Chapters 00:00:00 – When Safe Isn’t Secure: The Moment Jan Stepped Off the Traditional Path00:01:02 – Behind the Numbers: Meet Jan Dégallier00:01:36 – Audit to Awakening: A 30-Year Career in Retrospect00:02:47 – Faith vs. Fear: The Decision That Changed Everything00:03:26 – Know Your Numbers, Know Your Future: Jan’s Mission for Entrepreneurs00:09:02 – The Scorecard Revolution: Measuring What Truly Matters00:15:11 – Accountability Partners Aren’t Just Buzzwords – They’re Lifelines00:16:41 – Resilience, Faith, and the Relentless Pursuit of Growth00:19:09 – The Pause Before the Leap: Wrapping Up with Jan Dégallier Links and Resources Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Jan on LinkedInCatipult Dégallier Leadership Solutions Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    20 min
  7. What Are You Running Toward? with Holly Hibbard

    12/17/2024

    What Are You Running Toward? with Holly Hibbard

    Holly Hibbard is an expert in emotional intelligence, relationships, mindfulness, and leadership, and she has a coaching and consulting practice. She is sharing her story about moving from survival mode to a forward-looking visionary mindset. Carolyn and Holly discuss how asking the right questions—not just of others but of yourself—can lead to profound breakthroughs. Holly shares her knowledge from her leadership training and life lessons, pointing out the importance of making sure you know what you’re running toward and how to trust yourself along the way. This conversation will teach you how to find strength, clarity, and connection in life’s tough moments. Chapters 00:00:00 - The Quest for Authentic Connection Begins00:00:59 - Cracking Open Fierce Conversations00:01:53 - Who is Holly Hibbard? A Catalyst for Change00:04:32 - Unlocking Life’s Hidden Answers00:07:41 - From Hardship to Hero: Discovering Fierce00:10:33 - The Pessimist’s Leap to Visionary Thinking00:14:12 - Breaking the Pessimist’s Cycle00:18:45 - Fierce Action: Moving One Yard at a Time00:23:19 - The Hidden Power of Small Wins00:27:07 - Defining Success: What Do You Want?00:30:51 - Reclaiming Self-Trust in a Doubtful World00:37:15 - The Final Word: Fueling Connection and Growth Links and Resources Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Holly on LinkedInHolly on Instagram30 Done-for-You Social Media Content IdeasThe Holly Hibbard ShowYouTubeLinkTree Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-your-fierce/id1658886336" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    39 min
  8. Regret is Louder Than Failure with Jeff Lindley

    12/03/2024

    Regret is Louder Than Failure with Jeff Lindley

    Jeff Lindley shares his remarkable journey from a 25-year career in construction to founding his own bookkeeping and CFO services business for tradespeople. Jeff opens up about the years he spent paralyzed by fear of failure, the pivotal moments that sparked his leap into entrepreneurship, and the unrelenting drive that keeps him moving forward. He delves into the power of clear processes, digital tools, and vision boards to empower small business owners. Jeff’s story is an inspiring reminder that regret often outweighs the risk of failure—and that freedom comes from taking charge of your own future. Chapters 00:00:00 - Fear’s Grip and Breaking Free00:00:23 - Welcome to Finding Your Fierce00:00:48 - A Blue Collar Visionary00:01:52 - Balancing Family and Bold Decisions00:02:31 - The Spark Behind Jeff’s Bookkeeping Business00:03:37 - Facing Challenges and Claiming Wins00:06:39 - How Processes Can Save Your Business00:10:32 - Staying Inspired in the Face of Doubt00:17:49 - Vision Boards: Mapping Dreams into Reality00:22:34 - Parting Wisdom: Living Without Regret Links and Resources Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Jeff on LinkedInJL Bookkeeping Design Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    24 min
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About

‘Finding Your FIERCE’ is the podcast for people wanting to take their life, relationships, and career to the next level. Each episode features inspiring stories of people who are living their most FIERCE life - despite facing massive obstacles and challenges. Hosted by best-selling author, acclaimed speaker, and philanthropist Carolyn Colleen; the ‘Finding Your FIERCE’ podcast will help you to overcome the adversity you’re facing in your life so you can transcend and evolve into your best self. Hit the “follow” button and get ready to unleash your most FIERCE self! Learn more at https://CarolynColleen.com

Information

  • Creator
    Carolyn Colleen
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Carolyn Colleen
  • Show Website
    Finding Your Fierce