Work it, Live it, Own it!

Hosted by SaCola Lehr

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112

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Are you tired of the constant pressure to hustle harder, to be a "Boss Babe," to rise and grind until you burn out? Do you feel like you're stuck on a treadmill, chasing a version of success that doesn't feel like your own, while your personal life, passions, and well-being take a back seat? If you're a woman who is ready to say "no more" to burnout and "yes" to a life of authentic achievement and joy, you're in the right place. Welcome to Work it, Live it, Own it!, the podcast for women who are done with sacrificing their sanity for success. This is your home for finding work-life harmony. Join your host and work-life harmony strategist, SaCola Lehr, as we dive into practical, real-world concerns and strategies to help you: Rediscover Your Priorities: Get clear on what you truly want in your career and life, not what you've been told you should want. • Truly Rejuvenate: Learn sustainable practices for restoring your energy that go far beyond bubble baths, so you can move from constantly drained to deeply renewed. • Organize Your World: Move from chaos to clarity by designing a life architecture that honors your priorities and creates space for what matters most. • Navigate Boundaries with Confidence: Master the art of saying "no" without guilt, protecting your time and energy as an act of self-respect. • Step into Your Power: Reclaim your inner authority, trust your own judgment, and take empowered action to create the life you've always wanted. It's time to stop living on autopilot and start living with intention. It's time to work it, live it, and own it. Subscribe now and start your journey from burnout to brilliance, on your own terms.

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November 9, 2026Episode 9914 min

When Everything Feels Urgent: How to Prioritize Without Carrying It All

Feeling completely burned out and overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list? When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to freeze up or spiral into unproductive busyness. In this video, I’m sharing the exact first step you need to take to break the cycle of burnout and regain control of your day. If you are struggling to manage your priorities and feeling the weight of constant pressure, this practical strategy will help you clear the mental fog, identify what actually matters, and stop the cycle of emergency-mode living. You will learn: - Why "everything is urgent" is a mindset trap. - The immediate action to take when you feel overwhelmed. - How to shift from reactive firefighting to intentional productivity. - Simple techniques to lower your stress levels and regain your focus. Stop letting urgency dictate your life. Watch this video to learn how to prioritize effectively and start recovering from burnout today. Continue the conversation • Explore the PRONE to Power™ Starter Kit for a guided version of the 50% Energy Test. • Listen to Why You Feel Resentful After Saying Yes , for the conversation that happens before a commitment is made. • Continue to Episode 06, How to Stop Being the Household Project Manager (Without Doing More), for a deeper look at recurring ownership at home. • Read Harmony Hustle for Women for SaCola Lehr’s broader work-life harmony perspective. Disclaimer This episode is for general educational and reflective purposes. It is not medical, mental-health, legal, financial, employment, or caregiving advice. If safety, health, job security, finances, or a dependent person’s care is affected, seek support appropriate to your circumstances. Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power™ Starter Kit Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

October 27, 2026Episode 9816 min

Why You Feel Resentful After Saying Yes & the Capacity Pause

Ever said yes to a request and regretted it later? In this episode of Work It, Live It, Own It, host SaCola Lehr explains why resentment often shows up after a fast yes. She also introduces the capacity pause, a short gap between a request and your answer. It helps you make room for what matters without burning out or leaving yourself behind. You'll learn: Why resentment is information, not a personality flaw Why the fast yes feels safer in the moment, and what it can cost you How to use the capacity pause, with a real-life example A one-request challenge to try in the next 24–48 hours This episode is for you if you want practical communication support for work-life harmony and work-life integration. It also helps if you want to set boundaries without saying no to everything. Timestamps 00:00 Regretting a yes you committed to 01:04 Welcome to Work It, Live It, Own It 01:25 A quick disclaimer 02:21 Why resentment shows up later 03:49 Skipping the check-in with yourself 04:14 Why the fast yes feels safer 05:53 The capacity pause: an informed answer 06:39 Example: Danielle's coordination request 07:48 Checking time, energy and trade-offs 09:22 Someone's disappointment doesn't mean you chose wrong 09:48 Your 24–48 hour micro-win 10:39 What to do after you pause 12:37 Why you feel resentful after saying yes 14:03 Seeking support, and closing thoughts Try it and share in the comments: "I'm practicing a pause before I answer." This episode is for education, reflection and practical communication support. It is not a substitute for medical, mental health, legal, employment, financial, caregiving or crisis advice. Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power™ Starter Kit Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

October 12, 2026Episode 9718 min

Why You’re So Tired: The Mental Load You Carry Without Realizing It

Why can you feel completely depleted even when your visible to-do list does not look that long? In this episode, SaCola Lehr names the invisible load: the mental, physical, and emotional work of remembering, anticipating, coordinating, caring, and following through. You will learn why capacity is information, not a character judgment, and how the O — Organize step of PRONE to Power™ can help you create shared visibility and a clearer home for one recurring responsibility. This is not an invitation to become more efficient at carrying an unequal load. It is a practical invitation to see what is real, reduce unnecessary self-blame, and take one sustainable Micro-Win. Key takeaways • The invisible load is the work before, around, and after visible tasks: noticing, planning, remembering, coordinating, and following up. • Mental, physical, and emotional work overlap; all can draw on capacity. • Being capable does not mean you are responsible for carrying everything alone. • Organization can mean shared ownership and supportive structures—not a better system for silently doing more. • The 48-hour Invisible-Load Inventory turns vague exhaustion into useful information. • One recurring responsibility with a clearer home can be a meaningful beginning. 00:00 Why am I exhausted when I am not “doing everything”? 01: 10 The invisible load includes 04:20 Why capable women become the default knower 07:25 pressure, self-blame, and capacity 09:15 Example: of a full “manageable” day 12:00 The 48-hour Invisible-Load Inventory 15:10 Shared ownership versus being the manager of everyone 17:15 One Micro-Win and next step Reflection questions What am I remembering, anticipating, or following up on that is not on my visible list? Which part of my load is mental, physical, emotional—or a combination? Where am I acting as the default knower or project manager? What is one recurring responsibility that should not live only in my head? What matters enough in this season to deserve a supportive system around it? Complete the 48-hour Invisible-Load Inventory in the PRONE to Power™ Starter Kit . Do not try to solve every responsibility this week. Notice what you are carrying, then choose one recurring item to share, schedule, simplify, delegate, delay, or release. Disclaimer This episode is educational and reflective. It is not medical, mental-health, employment, legal, financial, or caregiving advice, and it does not diagnose burnout or other conditions. Seek appropriate qualified support for persistent exhaustion, distress, safety concerns, or situation-specific decisions. Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career PRONE to Power™ Toolkit: Complete the 48-hour Invisible-Load Inventory Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

September 28, 2026Episode 9634 min

You've Set a Boundary. So Why Do You Feel So Bad?

Have you ever set a healthy boundary, said no to the extra request, protected your time, or closed your laptop, and then spent the next few hours feeling guilty anyway? In this episode of Work it, Live it, Own it!, SaCola Lehr sits down with Dr. Kim Foster, a former family physician, TEDx speaker, identity-based transformation expert, and author of Redesigning You: Change Your Inner Story, Transform Your Health. Dr. Foster shares why a boundary can be healthy and still feel emotionally difficult. The issue is not always that you need a better script, more willpower, or another routine. Sometimes the choice is colliding with an old identity story, especially the belief that you must always be the dependable one. From her own transition out of a 20-year career in family medicine to the health crisis that forced her to reconsider what she was prioritizing, Dr. Foster offers a compassionate, practical way to approach lasting change. You will hear why your past can be a foundation rather than a cage, how identity shapes behavior, and how a bridge identity can help you take one believable next step toward work-life harmony. If you have ever wondered why saying no can feel so hard, this conversation will give you language for the guilt, and a way to move forward without abandoning yourself. Top Takeaways • Guilt after setting a boundary does not automatically mean that the boundary was wrong. • Habits can support change, but behavior often returns to the identity you believe at your core. • Being “the dependable one” can be a meaningful strength, but it becomes restrictive when it leaves no room for your own needs. • You do not have to reject your past to begin a new chapter. Let it be a foundation, not a cage. • A bridge identity gives you a believable next step: “I am someone who is learning how to prioritize myself.” • Small promises kept to yourself become proof that you can create a new inner story. • When guilt appears, pause and ask: Who am I being in this moment? What identity is calling the shots here? “Your behavior is going to start to gravitate back to who you believe you are.”— Dr. Kim Foster If this episode gave you language for something you have been carrying, tap follow, leave a review, and share it with the woman in your life who is known as “the dependable one.” She may not need permission to care less. She may need permission to include herself in the care. Click here to learn more about Kim Foster, M.D. Connect with Dr. Kim Foster • Website: https://drkimfoster.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkimfoster/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KimFosterMD • Book: Redesigning You: Change Your Inner Story, Transform Your Health Episode Page and Transcript Read the complete episode reflection and transcript: https://sacolalehr.com/dr-kim-foster-identity-boundary-guilt/ Stay Connected with Work it, Live it, Own it! Ready to join the WLO community for exclusive updates and resources? https://workitliveitownit.com/ Follow SaCola on Instagram: https://instagram.com/workitliveitownit Subscribe to Work it, Live it, Own it! on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2lxB1TS Browse more podcast episodes: https://sacolalehr.com/podcast/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

September 15, 202612 min

When Asking for Help Suddenly Feels Like a Mistake

Have you ever asked for help, set a reasonable boundary, or admitted that you could not take on one more thing, and then immediately wanted to take it back? You may replay the conversation, question your tone, draft an apology, or feel compelled to prove that you can still handle everything. That uncomfortable morning-after feeling has a name: the vulnerability hangover. In this bonus episode, SaCola explores why honest self-advocacy can leave capable women feeling exposed and anxious, and how to stay with the discomfort without retreating, over-explaining, or abandoning a boundary that was right for you. In This Episode, You’ll Hear • Why asking for support can feel more threatening than continuing to carry too much. • How the “strong one” identity can make vulnerability feel unsafe. • Why discomfort after an honest conversation does not automatically mean you made the wrong decision. • How to tell the difference between repairing a real problem and escaping the discomfort of being seen. • A practical way to use the N in the PRONE to Power framework: Navigate Your Mindset. • What to do before sending the “never mind, I’ve got it” message. Key Takeaway Discomfort does not automatically mean you made a mistake. Sometimes it means you are practicing a new way of being supported. You can be capable and still need help. You can be caring without carrying everything. You can communicate honestly without retreating from yourself. Listen to the Episode Listen to “The Vulnerability Hangover” on Work it, Live it, Own it! and share it with the person who is always dependable for everyone else. From Burnout to Brilliance. Continue the Conversation • What did you say recently that you were tempted to take back? • Were you responding to new information, or trying to escape the discomfort of being seen? • Where could support become more reciprocal in your life? Sources Mentioned • According to Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability, vulnerability is not the opposite of courage; it is one way courage becomes visible. • Martha Beck discusses the discomfort that can follow vulnerability and the possibility of being hurt when we open up. • Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC, describes the questioning and exposure that can follow sharing honestly. Note This episode offers reflection and education, not medical or mental-health treatment. If vulnerability, anxiety, or relationship concerns feel overwhelming or unsafe, consider seeking support from a qualified professional. #VulnerabilityHangover #WorkLifeHarmony #WorkLifeIntegration #AskForHelp #HealthyBoundaries #FromBurnoutToBrilliance Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

August 31, 2026Episode 9510 min

Feeling Unsupported? Who Do You Rely On?

The stronger you look on the outside, the more isolated you become on the inside. When you are everyone else's rock, who is yours? True brilliance requires genuine connection. SaCola Lehr tackles a truth about leadership and high achievement that is rarely spoken out loud: the stronger you look on the outside, the more isolated you become on the inside. 00:00 The Hidden Truth About Leadership and Loneliness 02:00 Building Walls That Isolate Us 04:11 A Personal Moment of Realization 06:23 Letting Others See Your Cracks 07:58 Connecting Authentically and Overcoming Isolation 08:42 The Vulnerability Hangover and Moving Forward Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career https://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Hustle-Women-Thriving-Expanded/dp/B0GPDWJ19Q • PRONE to Power Framework https://work-it-live-it-own-it.kit.com/8b35c4156e Episode 18: Educate Others on How to Treat You Right References 1 The Loneliness of Women in Leadership: Why Success Still Feels ... - Medium (https://medium.com/@amber_/the-loneliness-of-women-in-leadership-whysuccess-still-feels-empty-at-the-top-aaa ) 2 Loneliness in Leadership | Why Leaders Often Feel Isolated - CMA (https://cmaconsult.com/blog/the-top-truly-is-lonely-for-women/ ) 3 Gender-contingent effects of leadership on loneliness. - APA PsycNet (https://psycnet.apa.org/record/-- ) 4 It doesn't have to be "lonely at the top": How women leaders can find ... - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/doesnt-have-lonely-top-how-women-leaders-can-findann-shoket ) Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

August 18, 2026Episode 9438 min

When the Show Must Go On & So Must You

SaCola Lehr sits down with Nick Strand, keynote speaker, author, and resilience expert, who spent twenty years building world-class stages for Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Stevie Wonder zero-margin environments where thousands of people are watching and there is no fallback plan. What the crowd never saw was what Nick was carrying offstage. He lost his mother to cancer, loved his wife Brianna through ten years of terminal cystic fibrosis until she passed away at 28, and later fought Bell's palsy mid-build. Professional peak performance and personal collapse running simultaneously. In the stillness that followed, Nick wrote his memoir Loving Someone Who Is Dying, launched the Choose Your Attitude® brand, and built the Build Your Stage framework, Attitude plus Action equals Impact, a system stress-tested not in a classroom, but in the hardest seasons of a real life. If you have ever kept showing up for everyone else while quietly falling apart inside, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Top Takeaways • Resilience is not about powering through it is about building a foundation that holds before life tests it. • Attitude is a decision, not a feeling. You start with what matters, and the attitude follows. • Changing the scenery of exhaustion is not rest. Real recovery looks different from what most high performers allow themselves. • The same principles that create unforgettable performances on stage are the ones that help us perform in life. • You do not need perfect circumstances to show up powerfully you need a repeatable process for when they fall apart. • "The show does not start when the lights go up. The show starts when you choose how to show up." — Nick Strand If this episode moved you, tap follow, leave a review, and share it with someone who is performing at their peak and running on empty. Connect with Nick Strand: • Website: https://www.thenickstrand.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenickstrand • Book: Loving Someone Who Is Dying — available on Amazon Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

August 3, 2026Episode 9317 min

Beyond Survival Mode: How to Pause Without Guilt

Episode Summary: In this powerful bonus episode, SaCola Lehr tackles the pervasive "Guilt of the Pause", the feeling that rest must be earned, not simply taken. She challenges the "rise and grind" mentality, revealing how it sabotages our brilliance and leads to burnout. SaCola shares a personal origin story of hitting a wall due to relentless striving and introduces her Recharge & Rise Framework, a focused application of the PRONE to Power framework. This episode empowers listeners to dismantle guilt, embrace intentional pauses, and understand that rest is a non-negotiable requirement for sustained success and well-being. Key Takeaways: • The Productivity Prison: Understanding how societal conditioning ties our worth to our output, leading to guilt when we pause. • Rest as Fuel, Not Reward: Shifting the mindset that rest is something to be earned after depletion, rather than essential for optimal function. • The Recharge & Rise Framework: A five-step process to intentionally integrate rest: Recognize Rest as Fuel, Not Reward (P - Priorities): Proactively schedule rest. Establish Non-Negotiable Pause Pockets (O - Organized): Protect scheduled times for intentional pauses. Communicate Your "Why" (N - Navigating Boundaries): Articulate the purpose and benefit of your rest. Embrace Imperfection (E - Empowerment): Recognize that perfection is an illusion; a rested you is a more effective you. Reframe "Laziness" as "Strategic Recovery" (R - Rejuvenation): View rest as an investment in long-term capacity. Harmony Hacks (Actionable Steps): Mindset Shift: Consciously challenge the belief that you must earn rest. Remind yourself: "My rest is required, not rewarded." Schedule a Micro-Pause: Identify one 15-minute non-negotiable pause in your day this week. Treat it like a critical meeting. Practice Your "Why": The next time you feel guilty about resting, articulate to yourself (or a trusted friend) why this rest is essential for your well-being and effectiveness. Quote of the Episode: "My rest is required, not rewarded. It's time to reclaim your right to pause, without the guilt." Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework • The American Institute of Stress: https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress • Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden Publishing. Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

July 15, 202612 min

When Your Body Says "Enough": Burnout Warning Signs & What to Do Next

Are you ignoring your body's warning signs in the name of "hustle"? In this bonus mini-episode of Work It, Live It, Own It!, SaCola Lehr gets incredibly honest about the dangerous reality of survival mode. Society rewards women who can "do it all," conditioning us to view exhaustion and brain fog as obstacles to push through rather than vital information. But as SaCola learned the hard way, if you do not choose to rest, your body will eventually choose it for you. Sharing the personal story that catalyzed her book, Harmony Hustle for Women, SaCola details her four-month battle with walking pneumonia and how losing her mobility forced her to fundamentally change her approach to work-life integration. This episode is a wake-up call for any woman navigating the messy middle of life and career who feels like she cannot afford to slow down. Tune in to learn how to identify your body's unique warning signs and shift from burnout to brilliance—because true success is never built on a foundation of exhaustion. In This Episode, You Will Learn: •Why we are conditioned to treat our body's warning signs as inconveniences. •The danger of treating "survival mode" as a permanent lifestyle. •SaCola's personal story of ignoring fatigue until it became a four-month physical crisis. •Why your well-being must be the core strategy for your success, not an afterthought. •How to accomplish your goals without forsaking your family, health, and peace. Resources Mentioned: • Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Conversation with Chase Friedman from In Pursuit of Purpose Podcast Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com

June 24, 2026Episode 9214 min

You Know How to Succeed, but Do You Know How to Rest?

Are you exhausted from optimizing your rest? Discover why high-achieving women struggle to truly rest and how to reclaim genuine restoration without guilt. Rest is not a reward for exhaustion. It is a requirement for brilliance. If you are treating rest like a metric to conquer, or a luxury you have to earn by completely emptying your tank first, you are not resting. You are recovering from burnout. In this episode, work-life harmony strategist SaCola Lehr breaks down the critical difference between genuine restoration and the kind of "rest" that leaves you just as depleted as when you started. If you have ever returned from a vacation feeling like you need another vacation, or if you find yourself optimizing your downtime so much that it starts to feel like work, this episode was made for you. What You Will Learn in This Episode The Problem with How High-Achieving Women Rest Women who are used to driving results, managing households, and leading teams have been conditioned to believe that every minute must be productive. So when we finally take a break, we turn rest into a project. We read self-improvement books on the beach. We listen to industry podcasts while we run. We use our weekends to meal prep, organize, and catch up on emails. Our bodies may be resting, but our minds are still running a marathon. This kind of optimized downtime does not restore us, it just changes the scenery of our exhaustion. Why We Cannot StopStillness feels dangerous when your entire identity is built on being capable and productive. If you stop moving, you might have to sit with the exhaustion you have been outrunning. Society ties our value to our output, which turns rest into a source of anxiety rather than a source of renewal. We believe that if we are not constantly moving forward, we are falling behind. The PRONE to Power Framework : Navigating Boundaries. This episode focuses on the N in the PRONE to Power framework. Navigating your boundaries is not just about saying no to other people, it is about saying no to the voice in your own head that tells you to keep working when you are supposed to be resting. It means creating a boundary around your downtime and fiercely protecting it from the infiltration of productivity. Resources Mentioned: • Grab your copy of Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career • PRONE to Power Framework Connect: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workitliveitownit/ • Website: https://SaColaLehr.com/ Email for business inquiries: info@workitliveitownit.com