STANDOUT With Darine

Darine BenAmara
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STANDOUT with Darine is the podcast where ambitious women in their late 30s and 40s come for clarity, identity evolution, and aligned success. Each episode blends thoughtful insight, emotional wellbeing, and modern leadership guidance to help you understand who you’re becoming, and how to move through life transitions with grounded confidence. Through intimate solo episodes and meaningful conversations, Darine explores the real shifts women experience as they evolve: changing ambition, new energy patterns, deeper self-awareness, burnout recovery, and the desire to lead and live with more alignment. For women redefining success and stepping into their next era: this is your space.

  1. #112 | Darine: Purpose, Power & Ease: Redefining Ambition Without the Hustle Culture

    APR 1

    #112 | Darine: Purpose, Power & Ease: Redefining Ambition Without the Hustle Culture

    Have you ever noticed how the harder you push, the less aligned your success begins to feel? For many ambitious women, hustle once worked. It built careers, created opportunities, and delivered results. But as you enter your late 30s and 40s, something shifts. The pace that once fueled your growth starts to drain your energy. The urgency that once drove your ambition begins to disconnect you from yourself.  In this episode, we explore the deeper truth behind that shift: Why hustle culture stops working for women after 35 — and how to redefine ambition through clarity, energy, and ease. This is not about doing less. It’s about doing what actually works for the woman you’re becoming. If you’ve been feeling: exhausted by constant pressure disconnected from your intuition successful, yet not fully aligned ready for a new way to lead and live This episode will help you recalibrate your ambition — without losing your edge.   Key Topics Discussed: Why hustle culture becomes unsustainable after 35 How chronic urgency impacts your nervous system and decision-making The difference between high performance and aligned performance How to shift from adrenaline-driven success to sustainable ambition   Key Takeaways: Hustle is often a survival strategy, not a sustainable identity Your body will eventually reject the pace your ego once tolerated Ease is not about doing less, it’s about removing what is misaligned Real power comes from clarity, not constant effort   Actionable Steps: Before you set your next goal, stop for one moment and ask: did I actually receive what the last one gave me? Not just — did I hit it. But — who did I become in the process? What do I now know? What do I want to leave behind? Most high-achieving women skip this completely. They close one chapter and open the next before the ink is dry. And that's how ambition becomes a treadmill instead of a path. The clarity filter isn't about slowing down. It's about making sure you are the one deciding what comes next — not momentum, not pressure, not habit.   ▶️ Listen Now Listen to the full episode and take your time with it.   Discover Your ICONIC Archetype: And if you want to understand how your ambition is evolving, 👉 take the ICONIC Archetype Quiz — it will give you a clear, personalized starting point.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: Rewriting Beauty After 35: From Anti-Aging Pressure to Pro-Radiance Living Burnout Recovery Blueprint: Rebuilding Your Energy, Identity & Leadership After Overwhelm The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s

    5 min

  2. MAR 18

    #111 | Darine with Elena Bouder: Rewriting Beauty After 35: From Anti-Aging Pressure to Pro-Radiance Living

    This episode explores how women in their late 30s and 40s are redefining their relationship with beauty — moving away from anti-aging pressure and toward a more sustainable, pro-radiance way of living. For many millennial women, beauty used to mean correction: preventing wrinkles, chasing youth, or trying to “fix” perceived flaws. But over time, priorities change. Energy shifts. Skin responds differently. And beauty becomes less about fighting age and more about supporting wellbeing. In this conversation, I’m joined by Elena, who promotes healthy aging and sustainable habits for women in their 40s. Together, we share our lived experiences of how beauty evolves over time and why, after 35, consistency becomes far more powerful than novelty when it comes to skin, health, and self-connection. We explore the connection between nervous system regulation and radiance, the habits that matter most for aging well, and how to redefine beauty in a way that feels empowering instead of stressful. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by anti-aging messages or noticed your needs changing as you move through your 30s and 40s, this episode will give you clarity and reassurance.   👉 Listen Now   Key Topics Discussed: Why many women shift from anti-aging pressure to a pro-radiance mindset after 35 How stress, nervous system health, and lifestyle habits influence skin and aging Why consistency matters more than intensity or novelty for long-term beauty Practical ways to support radiance through daily habits and self-connection   Key Takeaways: Radiance is influenced as much by nervous system regulation as by skincare. Aging well is created through habits and consistency, not products alone. After 35, recovery, sleep, and stress management become more important for skin health. Beauty can shift from correction and pressure to alignment and wellbeing.   Actionable Steps: (Listen to the episode for the full guidance) You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with supportive consistency. 1️⃣ Stabilize one daily habit (sleep, hydration, nourishment, or routine). 2️⃣ Notice how stress and pace show up in your skin and energy. 3️⃣ Focus on small rituals that support calm, recovery, and regulation.   ▶️ Listen Now Press play and explore how beauty after 35 can shift from pressure and correction to alignment, consistency, and sustainable wellbeing. 🎧 Listen on your favorite platform. If this episode resonates, share it with a woman who may need a more supportive way to think about aging and beauty.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Connect with Elena: - On Instagram Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: Who Am I Without My Title? When the Good Girl Is Exhausted Burnout Recovery Blueprint: Rebuilding Your Energy, Identity & Leadership After Overwhelm The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s

    36 min
  3. #110 | Darine: Who Am I Without My Title? When the Good Girl Is Exhausted

    MAR 4

    #110 | Darine: Who Am I Without My Title? When the Good Girl Is Exhausted

    This episode explores the identity uncertainty ambitious women experience when the roles, titles, and performance patterns that once defined them no longer feel aligned. Have you ever realized that you don’t actually know who you are outside of what you do? For many high-achieving women, competence becomes identity. Responsibility becomes self-worth. Over time, the “good girl” who performs, delivers, and carries everything quietly becomes exhausted. In this deeply personal episode, I share my story of working internationally as a global consultant for more than a decade — traveling across countries, leading programs, and building a career defined by responsibility and performance — and the moment I realized I didn’t know who I was outside of that role. We explore what happens when performance stops working, why identity transitions can feel destabilizing, and how to begin reconnecting with yourself beyond achievement. If you’ve ever felt the pull toward change but couldn’t explain it — this conversation will give you language, validation, and direction. 👉 Listen Now   Key Topics Discussed: Why high-achieving women often tie identity to performance and roles What identity expansion feels like when your career no longer defines you How to recognize when you’re outgrowing a role or version of yourself Simple ways to reconnect with yourself beyond expectations and achievement   Key Takeaways: You are not losing yourself — you are expanding beyond performance. Exhaustion is often the first signal of identity transition. Titles and roles can mask deeper needs for authenticity and alignment. Reconnecting with yourself begins with awareness, not drastic change.   Actionable Steps: Pause once a day and ask: “What do I want right now?” Replace “I should…” with: “I choose to…” or “I refuse to…” Reflect gently: “Who am I when I’m not performing?”   ▶️ Listen Now Explore the chapter where performance softens, identity expands, and you begin reconnecting with yourself beyond titles and expectations. 🎧 Listen on your favorite platform.   Discover Your ICONIC Archetype: If you’re sensing that your identity, energy, and priorities are shifting — the ICONIC Archetype Quiz can help you understand what phase you’re entering and what support will help you most. ✨ Take the quiz to receive your personalized evolution roadmap.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: Burnout Recovery Blueprint: Rebuilding Your Energy, Identity & Leadership After Overwhelm The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s 40 Is the New ICONIC: Reinvention, Resilience & Redefining Success

    8 min
  4. #109 | Darine: Burnout Recovery Blueprint: Rebuilding Your Energy, Identity & Leadership After Overwhelm

    FEB 18

    #109 | Darine: Burnout Recovery Blueprint: Rebuilding Your Energy, Identity & Leadership After Overwhelm

    Burnout isn’t a badge of honor for the high-achieving woman, it’s a biological signal that something fundamental in your life and leadership isn’t aligned. Despite outward success, many ambitious women feel: chronically drained,  emotionally disconnected,  silently overwhelmed, and unable to sustain the pace that once served them. In this episode, I share my personal journey of burning out three times while excelling in global leadership work and the deeper recovery blueprint that doesn’t start with rest, but with identity restructuring. Drawing on decades of scientific research (including the foundational work of burnout expert Christina Maslach), we deconstruct what burnout really is, why rest alone doesn’t fix it, and how to rebuild leadership that honors your body, nervous system, energy, and long-term wellbeing. If you’ve ever felt like your success came at the cost of your energy, this episode is for you. 🎧 Press play, and learn how to move from exhaustion to regulated power.   Key Topics Discussed: Why burnout often affects high-performing women, not struggling ones How burnout is linked to identity misalignment, not lack of resilience Why rest alone doesn’t heal burnout What energy-led decision-making looks like in practice   Key Takeaways: Burnout is a biological and psychological signal, not a personal flaw. High achievement does not protect against exhaustion. Recovery requires identity realignment, not just rest.   Actionable Steps: Track energy, not productivity Identify one internal rule you’ve outgrown Practice one regulating boundary this week   👉 Take the ICONIC Archetype Quiz to unlock your ICONIC Archetype and receive a personalized, inside-out roadmap for your next chapter.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: The Introverted Leader: Harnessing Quiet Power in Loud Spaces 40 Is the New ICONIC: Reinvention, Resilience & Redefining Success The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s

    8 min
  5. #108 | Darine: The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s

    FEB 4

    #108 | Darine: The Art of Elevated Simplicity: How Clarity, Space & Slow Power Transform Your 40s

    Have you noticed that the closer you get to 40, the more you crave space, in your mind, in your calendar, in your home, in your relationships? It’s not because you’re falling behind. It’s because your nervous system evolves as your identity evolves. In this episode, we explore elevated simplicity, not minimalism as an aesthetic, but simplicity as a biological, emotional, and identity-led necessity for ambitious women entering their ICONIC era. Women 38–46 often carry a cognitive load no one sees: the mental to-do list, the emotional labor at home, the relational expectations, the invisible work of being “the one who holds everything together.” By your late 30s, your brain, your hormones, and your identity begin shifting simultaneously. Research shows:  Cluttered spaces increase cortisol levels,especially in women. (UCLA, 2010)  Cognitive clutter reduces clarity, focus, and emotional regulation. (Princeton Neuroscience Institute) Women’s cognitive load peaks in mid-adulthood, even when external tasks decrease. (Women’s Brain Health Initiative)  So when your mind feels full… When your body feels tired… When your relationships feel overstimulating… When you crave slower mornings, quieter evenings, and more intentional rituals… You’re not losing your edge. You’re upgrading it. Your 40s require elevated simplicity, a life curated around clarity, nervous system safety, emotional grounding, and the luxury of slowness. Because slow is not a pause. Slow is precision. Slow is identity. Slow is power.   Key Topics Discussed: Why ambitious women entering their 40s begin craving clarity, space, and simplicity How your nervous system and hormones drive the desire for slower, more intentional living The link between cognitive clutter, emotional overwhelm, and decreased mental clarity How elevated simplicity creates more energy, presence, and identity alignment   Key Takeaways: Simplicity isn’t about owning less, it’s about holding less, mentally and emotionally. Your 40s require subtraction, not addition, space is your new strategy. Slow power becomes your competitive advantage: clarity replaces speed, intention replaces effort.   Actionable Steps: 1️⃣ The Nervous System Space Audit:  Your body feels the truth before your mind names it. This is where your 40s are asking for space, not speed.   2️⃣ The Cognitive Declutter Simplicity begins internally. This single question creates immediate clarity.   3️⃣ The Relational Reset Your standards evolve as your identity evolves. You deserve reciprocity, not depletion.   4️⃣ The Luxury of Slow Rituals Choose one ritual that signals safety and spaciousness to your nervous system: Slow is precision, power, and emotional regulation.   👉 Take the ICONIC Archetype Quiz to unlock your ICONIC Archetype and receive a personalized, inside-out roadmap for your next chapter.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: Breaking Barriers as a Woman of Color in Finance The Introverted Leader: Harnessing Quiet Power in Loud Spaces 40 Is the New ICONIC: Reinvention, Resilience & Redefining Success

    8 min
  6. #107 | Darine: 40 Is the New ICONIC: Reinvention, Resilience & Redefining Success

    FEB 3

    #107 | Darine: 40 Is the New ICONIC: Reinvention, Resilience & Redefining Success

    This episode explores the emotional and identity shift ambitious women experience as they approach 40, and how to step into your next chapter with clarity, purpose, and self-defined power. Have you ever noticed how the closer you get to the woman you’re becoming, the more the life you’ve outgrown starts to resist? Most women entering their 40s feel this subtle shift, a quiet tension between who they used to be and who they are meant to become next.  In this season-opening episode, I’m sharing the unspoken emotional and identity transition that unfolds as ambitious, purpose-driven women approach 40: the pull toward reinvention, the desire for deeper alignment, the rising standards, and the quiet refusal to keep living on autopilot. This is the beginning of your ICONIC era, the chapter where success becomes self-defined, ambition becomes softer yet stronger, and you finally stop negotiating with the outdated version of yourself. Whether you’re feeling disconnected from old goals, craving a new rhythm, or sensing that you’re evolving faster internally than your life reflects externally, this episode will help you put language to the shift.   Key Topics Discussed: Why reinventing yourself at 40 feels different—and more meaningful—than any reinvention before. The identity shifts ambitious women experience as they enter their 40s. How to recognize the early signs that you're outgrowing your past self. What alignment actually feels like when you stop performing and start embodying. How to redefine success through identity, purpose, and wellbeing—not pressure. Key Takeaways: The moment you stop negotiating with your old self, everything begins to make sense. Your 40s are not a decline, they’re an elevation into clarity, confidence, and self-defined power. Reinvention isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about returning to the most honest version of yourself. Your ambition doesn’t disappear,  it transforms. It matures. It slows down so it can go deeper. Peace becomes a priority, not a luxury. The woman you’re becoming requires a new pace, new boundaries, and new standards.   Actionable Steps: You can’t enter a new chapter if you're still living by your old rules. Do an Energy Truth Audit: Notice what drains you and what expands you this week. Your energy never lies, it reveals exactly where you’ve outgrown yourself. Redefine Success for the Woman You Are Becoming: Write down what success used to mean for you… and then define what it means now, with the life experience, wisdom, and clarity you hold today. Make One Symbolic Shift: Choose one action - a boundary, a ritual, a decision - that sends a message to yourself: “I’m no longer available for the old version of me.”   👉 Take the ICONIC Archetype Quiz to unlock your ICONIC Archetype and receive a personalized, inside-out roadmap for your next chapter.   Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn   Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT With DARINE on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle.   Other episodes you may like: How to Clear Subconscious Blocks and Unlock Your Leadership Potential Breaking Barriers as a Woman of Color in Finance The Introverted Leader: Harnessing Quiet Power in Loud Spaces

    9 min
  7. #106 | Darine with Dr. Theresa L. Smith: How to Clear Subconscious Blocks and Unlock Your Leadership Potential

    12/03/2025

    #106 | Darine with Dr. Theresa L. Smith: How to Clear Subconscious Blocks and Unlock Your Leadership Potential

    What if the biggest barrier to your next level of success isn’t external — but internal? In this transformational episode of STANDOUT From The Crowd, Dr. Theresa L. Smith joins Darine to explore how subconscious patterns, beliefs, and emotions silently shape our leadership, relationships, and results. A chiropractor turned success mentor, Dr. Theresa combines science, spirituality, and mindset mastery to teach high-achieving women how to rewire their thoughts, align their energy, and manifest results with ease. If you’ve ever felt stuck despite doing “all the right things,” this episode reveals how to get out of your own way and step fully into your power. Key Topics Discussed: The science behind subconscious patterns — how your thoughts and emotions silently shape your results Identifying and clearing inner blocks that keep ambitious women stuck or self-sabotaging The power of alignment — how to replace force and overwork with flow and intention How to use intuition and energy awareness as tools for confident, authentic leadership Creating lasting success through emotional, mental, and energetic balance Key Takeaways: The 95% Rule: Approximately 95% of your limitations and stress stem from subconscious thoughts and emotional patterns, not a lack of effort. Internal vs. External: The true barriers to the "next level" of success are often internal self-sabotage and limiting beliefs, rather than external market factors. Flow Over Force: Sustainable leadership is achieved through energetic alignment and intention, rather than burnout-inducing hustle. Intuition is Strategic: Intuition and energy awareness are not just "soft skills"; they are practical tools for making confident, authentic business decisions. Actionable Steps: Audit Your Inner Monologue: Spend one day simply observing your thoughts. Note the recurring negative scripts that arise when you face a challenge. The "Pause" Practice: When you feel resistance or "stuckness," stop forcing the work. Pause to identify the specific emotion blocking you before trying to push through. Conduct an Energy Audit: Look at your calendar for the week. Identify which tasks drain you and which energize you, then delegate or reschedule to protect your alignment. Test Your Intuition: Make one low-risk decision this week based entirely on your gut feeling to begin building trust in your internal guidance system. Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn - Visit her website Connect with Dr. Theresa L. Smith: Linkedin: @transformationdc Instagram: @drtheresasmith Facebook: @transformationdc Website: www.thesuccesszones.com Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT From The Crowd on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Subscribe to The STANDOUT Newsletter, your weekly 5-min reset designed to help you stay clear, grounded, intentional. Delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday. Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram | YouTube to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle. Other episodes you may like: Breaking Barriers as a Woman of Color in Finance The Introverted Leader: Harnessing Quiet Power in Loud Spaces How to Bend Time - Align Energy, Work & Purpose Without Burnout

    26 min
  8. #105 | Darine with Urmi Hossain: Breaking Barriers as a Woman of Color in Finance

    11/12/2025

    #105 | Darine with Urmi Hossain: Breaking Barriers as a Woman of Color in Finance

    In this empowering episode of STANDOUT From The Crowd, Darine sits down with Urmi Hossain — author, speaker, and finance professional — to explore what it means to lead authentically while navigating identity, confidence, and belonging in traditionally male-dominated spaces. From earning both the CFA and CAIA designations to building a career in finance and becoming a global voice for women’s empowerment, Urmi’s journey is one of resilience, cultural pride, and self-discovery. She opens up about overcoming self-doubt, conquering her fear of public speaking, and finding her voice as a woman of color in corporate leadership. Together, Darine and Urmi unpack how embracing one’s cultural identity — rather than hiding it — can become a powerful driver of influence, purpose, and success. Key Topics Discussed: Owning your identity: How to embrace your cultural and personal story as a source of power, not insecurity. Breaking barriers in finance: Urmi’s experience navigating a male-dominated industry and building credibility as a woman of color. From fear to confidence: How she transformed her fear of public speaking into a global platform for empowerment. The role of community: Why mentorship and representation matter for women’s growth and visibility. Redefining success: What it means to lead authentically without compromising who you are. Key Takeaway: Visibility isn’t vanity — it’s strategy. Being seen for your contributions ensures your voice and impact aren’t overlooked. Your cultural identity is a strength, not a setback. Authenticity builds credibility, trust, and differentiation in any industry. Confidence is a skill, not a trait. The more you speak, share, and lead, the more your belief in yourself grows. Representation matters. Seeing others who look like you at the table expands what you believe is possible. Redefine leadership. True influence comes not from blending in but from standing firmly in who you are. Actionable Steps: Audit your visibility: Write down three ways you’ve added value recently — and identify who needs to know about it. Reframe self-doubt: Replace “I’m not ready” with “I’m learning in public” — confidence grows through action. Champion another woman: Visibility multiplies when we lift each other; share someone else’s win this week. Connect with Darine: - On Instagram - On LinkedIn - Visit her website Connect with Urmi Hossain: Linkedin: @urmihossain Instagram: @storiesbeyondborderspodcast YouTube: @urmihossain Website: https://www.womeninleadership.ca/ Subscribe & Review: If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe to STANDOUT From The Crowd on Spotify | Apple Podcast, and leave a review! Subscribe to The STANDOUT Newsletter, your weekly 5-min reset designed to help you stay clear, grounded, intentional. Delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday. Follow us on Tiktok | Instagram | YouTube to stay updated. Check out our partner, AFROA Beauty, for wellness-focused skincare products that support a radiant, healthy lifestyle. Other episodes you may like: The Introverted Leader: Harnessing Quiet Power in Loud Spaces How to Bend Time - Align Energy, Work & Purpose Without Burnout Back to Work: Show Up Rooted, Not Rushed (3/3)

    29 min
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About

STANDOUT with Darine is the podcast where ambitious women in their late 30s and 40s come for clarity, identity evolution, and aligned success. Each episode blends thoughtful insight, emotional wellbeing, and modern leadership guidance to help you understand who you’re becoming, and how to move through life transitions with grounded confidence. Through intimate solo episodes and meaningful conversations, Darine explores the real shifts women experience as they evolve: changing ambition, new energy patterns, deeper self-awareness, burnout recovery, and the desire to lead and live with more alignment. For women redefining success and stepping into their next era: this is your space.

Information

  • Creator
    Darine BenAmara
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    126
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Smart Woman Enterprises Inc.
  • Show Website
    STANDOUT With Darine