unstuck, by Nicole

Nicole Maro
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Welcome to unstuck, by Nicole. Life, leadership, business and relationships have a way of leaving us feeling stuck. Stuck in old patterns, limiting beliefs, difficult decisions and ways of thinking that no longer serve us. Each week, executive coach and human performance strategist Nicole Maro shares practical insights, fresh perspectives and honest conversations to help you think differently, lead differently and move forward with greater clarity, confidence and purpose. Because sometimes the smallest shift in perspective can change everything.

  1. Oct 14

    When stress starts to feel normal

    You’re getting things done, managing what’s asked of you, and keeping going. But how much is it taking out of you, and have you become so used to the pressure that you no longer notice? In this episode, I explore how stress can start to feel normal, and the expectations we can place on one practice to help us feel better. I share why I’m beginning to think about supporting myself as a choreography of small moments: the decisions we make, the boundaries we set, and the practices that give us room to pause. If you’ve ever wished you had time to relax, then found yourself filling every quiet moment with something else to do, you may recognise yourself in this conversation. We look at relying on pressure to feel productive, noticing familiar patterns, and considering what needs support beyond a moment of relief. There’s no long list of things to get right. Just an invitation to notice what you’re carrying, and whether something you’ve been treating as normal deserves a little more support.

  2. Oct 8

    When you don't feel heard

    How do you get someone to understand something they don’t seem willing to hear? Feeling unheard at work, at home or in your friendships can be incredibly frustrating. You might find yourself trying harder to explain, becoming irritated, or saying less and less about what matters to you. In this episode, I share three simple communication adjustments you can try in the conversation itself: lead with your point, make it specific, and show you’ve heard them. I also explore the role of curiosity, how we listen while wanting to be listened to, and why being heard doesn’t always mean being agreed with. If you’ve ever started to play small in a relationship because you don’t feel your contribution matters, this conversation invites you to consider how you’re showing up, and whether there’s room for your perspective alongside theirs. We each have a part to play in a useful conversation. You can adjust how you communicate without making what matters to you less important.

  3. Oct 1

    The things that lift you are not optional

    Have you ever worked out exactly what is draining your energy, only to realise that none of it can easily be removed? In this episode, I explore a different way of thinking about balance. One that is less about dividing life equally and more about consciously making space for what restores you. Through a simple energy audit, we consider the people, tasks and roles that take from us, alongside the activities and relationships that give something back. I also explore why restoration is not a reward to be earned once everything else is finished. It is part of what sustains us. If you have been feeling depleted, overwhelmed or less like yourself, this conversation will help you notice where your energy is going and identify one restorative choice you can give a genuine place in your life. You may not be able to remove every demand on your energy, but you can stop treating the things that lift you as optional.

  4. Sep 23

    Before you assume it's personal

    Have you ever found someone warm and playful one day, then distant or unusually direct the next, and immediately wondered whether you had done something wrong? In this episode, I explore how Reversal Theory can help us understand these shifts through two motivational states: Focused and Playful. What we want from an interaction, and even the amount of stimulation we enjoy, can change depending on the state we are in. Through an everyday airport journey and an example from leading my global team, I look at how quickly we can move between these states, why our communication can change with them, and how naming what is happening can create greater understanding. If you have ever personalised a sudden change in someone’s energy, this episode offers another possibility to consider. Before you assume it is about you, pause and ask what they might be focused on in that moment, then become curious about your own motivational state too.

  5. Sep 16

    What we mean when we say "I'm busy"

    Do the words “I’m busy” make your day feel heavier before you have even begun? In this episode, I explore the emotional charge carried by everyday language, and how a simple reframe can reduce some of the pressure we attach to a full workload. I unpack the difference between resourceful language, fake positivity and dismissing how we really feel. We look at a practical four-part habit: recognise, pause, reframe and repeat. From “I’m busy” to “I’m in a focused state,” the aim is not to pretend there is less to do. It is to choose words that help you respond more clearly. If you have ever felt stressed by a long list before starting it, this conversation offers a small, practical shift you can use in the moment that suits you best.

  6. Sep 9

    Which mask are you wearing?

    Are you the person everyone turns to when something needs fixing? In this episode, I explore the role of the fixer and what happens when being helpful quietly becomes an expectation. I look at why being needed can feel closely connected to belonging, how to recognise the repeated heaviness and resentment that may signal a responsibility is not yours, and how to return that responsibility without apology. I also share a simple pause to use before an automatic yes, along with calm language for redirecting a request when someone else is better placed to carry it. If you have ever found yourself sorting the problem, carrying the emotion, or having the conversation nobody else wants to have, this episode invites you to ask a different question: Why is my instant response to fix? You can care, offer support, and remain connected without taking responsibility for everything.

  7. Sep 2

    How to make big life decisions with confidence

    Big decisions rarely arrive without competing loyalties, uncertainty and the fear of regret. So how do you know which choice is right for you? In this episode, I share the story of accepting an international role that required me to travel for almost 75 percent of my time, and the quiet afternoon in the Cotswolds that helped me decide. I explore why guilt does not necessarily mean a choice is wrong, how an earlier decision I regretted shaped this one, and why knowing your values can give you confidence without guaranteeing an easy outcome. I also guide you through identifying your three core values, mapping a decision against them and asking what your 80-year-old self might want you to understand. If you have ever felt torn between what matters to you and what other people need or expect from you, this conversation may help you separate their priorities from your own. You cannot know exactly how every decision will turn out. But you can know yourself, understand what matters most to you and trust yourself to make the best decision available for the life that is yours to live.

  8. Aug 26

    The BUT Flip

    How often do you place what you want before the word “but” and then allow the obstacle to have the final say? In this episode, I share the story of a rainy morning in New York when a warm hotel room, jet lag and a long to-do list nearly stopped me from finally walking the High Line. I explore how changing the order of one sentence reduced the weight I had placed on the rain, why avoidance can disguise itself as productive “doing mode,” and how I distinguish a resistant thought from a body genuinely asking for recovery. If you’ve ever heard yourself say, “I want to, but…”, this is an invitation to pause, flip the sentence and notice what changes when the obstacle no longer gets the final word. The obstacle may still be real. The question is whether it deserves to make the decision for you.

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About

Welcome to unstuck, by Nicole. Life, leadership, business and relationships have a way of leaving us feeling stuck. Stuck in old patterns, limiting beliefs, difficult decisions and ways of thinking that no longer serve us. Each week, executive coach and human performance strategist Nicole Maro shares practical insights, fresh perspectives and honest conversations to help you think differently, lead differently and move forward with greater clarity, confidence and purpose. Because sometimes the smallest shift in perspective can change everything.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole Maro
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nicole Maro
  • Show Website
    unstuck, by Nicole