NLP and life coaching changed my life not because I was chasing more success, but because I was burned out, disconnected, and quietly miserable in a career that no longer fit who I was becoming. In the very first episode of the Light Her Up podcast, I share the real story behind leaving a 15-year corporate career, how motherhood cracked everything open, and how this work helped me rebuild my life from the inside out.
This post expands on the episode with deeper reflection, context, and lessons for women who feel stuck in a life that looks good on paper but feels heavy behind the scenes.
Episode 1: The Leap of Faith: Why I Started Light Her Up (feat. Maya)
When “Successful” Still Feels Empty
For a long time, I believed I had no right to feel unhappy.
I had done everything I was “supposed” to do. I went to college, built a career, climbed the ladder, got married, bought a house, had kids, and landed a high-paying job with a strong title. From the outside, my life looked full.
On the inside, I felt lost. So incredibly lost…
I was uninspired, disconnected from myself, and constantly pushing through days that drained me. I kept telling myself I should be grateful, but I kept believing fulfillment would come with the next promotion or milestone. Instead, the emptiness grew louder.
This is often where women begin searching for nlp and life coaching. NLP stands for neuro linguistic programming, and while most people do not know that term when they first start looking for personal development or a better life, this is the work they are actually seeking. They are not lacking ambition or drive. They are searching because their life no longer aligns with who they are becoming, and something inside them knows it is time for change.
Motherhood, Burnout, and a Nervous System Wake-Up Call
Everything shifted when I became a mother.
I returned to work three months postpartum, which is standard in the U.S., but nothing about it felt normal to my body or my heart. I barely saw my daughter, commuted for hours, and pumped in my car because there was no dedicated space for new moms in the office.
Looking back, I was exhausted, resentful, and overwhelmed, and it is no surprise that I experienced postpartum depression. My nervous system was stuck in survival mode.
Burnout is not a personal failure. It is a physiological response to prolonged stress and misalignment. Chronic stress impacts emotional regulation, mental health, and decision-making, as outlined by the American Psychological Association.
This was the moment I realized the issue was not my work ethic, it was the way I was living.
The Question That Sparked an Identity Shift
Years later, after switching companies but still feeling unhappy, my daughter asked me a simple question that stopped me in my tracks.
“Mom, do you love your job?”
In that moment, I saw myself at five years old. I also saw my daughter grown up, sitting in an office chair, believing she had no choice. That question shattered the illusion I had been living in.
NLP and life coaching focus on identity because sustainable change does not come from forcing new habits. It comes from deciding who you are no longer willing to be.
I told her the truth. I did not love my job. Then I said something that changed everything.
“But mommy is going to change that.”
How NLP and Life Coaching Helped Me Rewire My Beliefs
Once I made that decision, I committed fully to my own transformation. I enrolled in a coaching certification program through the Quantum Coaching Academy Coaching Certification Program, where I trained in multiple modalities that work directly with the subconscious mind.
Through nlp and life coaching, I learned how deeply ingrained beliefs shape our decisions, especially those rooted in fear.
Beliefs like:
- I am not good enough
- It is too late to start over
- I cannot fail because too much depends on me
This work taught me how to identify these patterns, regulate my nervous system, and rebuild self-trust. NLP is not about fixing yourself. It is about removing what no longer belongs so your truth can lead.
For a helpful overview of how NLP works, this article from Verywell Mind explains how subconscious belief patterns influence behavior.
Leaving Corporate and Building a Life-First Business
Eventually, staying became more painful than leaving.
After taking medical leave due to stress, I finally quit my corporate career for good. For the first time in years, my body felt relief. I chose to build a business intentionally around my life, not the other way around.
Today, I support women through nlp and life coaching who feel stuck, burned out, or disconnected and are ready to reclaim their power.
If you are craving deep, personalized support, you can explore my 1:1 Private Mentorship here.
For women who want consistent guidance with more flexibility, I also offer 1:1 support through private messaging mentorship here.
Both options are designed to support identity evolution, nervous system regulation, and life-first decision-making.
What I Want You to Take From This
- Burnout is a nervous system issue, not a motivation problem
- Community accelerates growth faster than isolation ever will
- Identity shifts create sustainable momentum
- Strategy without regulation leads to exhaustion
- Life-first business design is essential for entrepreneurs and mothers
You Are Not Stuck. You Are Being Invited to Choose Again.
If there is one message I hope you take from this episode and this post, it is this:
You are never stuck. You always have a choice.
Fear does not disappear when you change paths. It simply stops being in control. NLP and life coaching gave me the tools to move forward with fear instead of letting it decide my life.
Your purpose is not something you need to find. It is something you remember when you listen to what no longer fits.
