Positive Thinking

Ambitious Women Natalie Luke February 24, 2025

Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Taking Charge of Your Growth

In this inspiring episode of UnCeiling You, Natalie Luke, PhD, interviews Hope Mueller—author, pharmaceutical SVP, and founder of a publishing and retreat business—about her journey from adversity to success. Hope shares actionable strategies for turning challenges into opportunities and embracing growth through imagination and ambition.

🎙️ Episode Release Date: February 24, 2025

🎧 Listen Here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/83881062-0546-49fa-8195-23d934fd9d4a/

🎧 Watch Here: https://youtu.be/4Vqq86iwWLE

The Power of Resilience: Hope’s Journey

Hope’s story began with significant challenges, including food and housing insecurity. Despite these hardships, the foundation of love and encouragement from her community instilled an unwavering belief in her abilities. This resilience became her compass for success.

Key Takeaway:

“Self-worth and belief are the first things you need to build. Everything else grows from there.”

Transformative Practices for Overcoming Adversity

Hope credits her success to two key practices:

Taking Small Steps Daily “Progress is made in the small choices you make every day. You don’t need to achieve everything at once.”
Focusing on Solutions “Understand the root cause, but pivot quickly to how you can make things better.”

These habits helped her reframe adversity as an opportunity for growth and allowed her to stay focused on her goals.

Taking Accountability in Your Career

Hope emphasizes owning your narrative, even in difficult work environments.

Her Advice:

Control What You Can: Focus on what’s within your influence and release external factors beyond your control.
Know When to Move On: “If the environment is toxic and change isn’t possible, prioritize your mental, personal, and professional well-being and find a better fit.”

Imagination and Ambition: Keys to Defining Success

A recurring theme in the episode is the power of imagination in creating ambitious goals. Hope encourages listeners to think beyond limitations by visualizing their dream state.

Dream State Exercise:

Imagine you have unlimited time, resources, and money.
Envision what your dream career or project looks like.
Use this vision to guide your next steps.

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is the fastest way to grow.”

Lessons from Hosting a Retreat

Hope shares her experience launching her first retreat—a process fraught with uncertainty and financial risk. Despite initial hurdles, the event became a stepping stone for future successes, including her upcoming leadership conference.

Key Lesson:

“Being willing to fail taught me everything I needed to grow. Each step prepared me for the next big opportunity.”

Exclusive Bonus Insight: Overcoming Toughest Moments

In a deeply personal revelation, Hope describes her life-changing decision to stop using drugs. Her method? Simplifying the choice into its most fundamental components, such as “good vs. evil,” and committing to small, daily actions toward the right decision.

What’s Next for Hope

Hope’s inspiring career continues with new ventures, including her leadership conference, Thrive in 25, launching in June 2025.

Her success story highlights the importance of finding joy in both work and personal growth.

Key Takeaways for Listeners

Build a strong foundation of self-worth and belief.
Take small, consistent steps toward your goals.
Dream big and visualize your success.
Embrace failure as part of the learning process.
Take accountability for your growth, even in challenging environments.

🎧 Listen to Episode: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
📚 Explore Hope Mueller’s Books: Click Here
📅 Learn More About Thrive in 25 Leadership Conference: www.thrive-in25.com

Call to Action

Know someone facing tough decisions or career challenges? Share this blog and inspire them to turn challenges into opportunities!

Natalie Grimes Advice for Managing Self Critic

Limiting Beliefs Natalie Luke January 27, 2025

Taming Your Inner Critic: Expert Advice from Therapist Natalie Grimes

Do you ever find yourself spiraling into self-doubt, with a little voice in your head saying, “You’re not good enough,” or “You’ll fail”? That voice is your inner critic, and while it’s a common experience, it can hold you back from reaching your potential if left unchecked.

In this episode of UnCeiling You, therapist Natalie Grimes joins me to explore the origins of the inner critic and, more importantly, how to manage it. Whether it’s affecting your confidence at work, on the tennis court, or in your daily life, Grimes’s practical strategies can help you turn self-doubt into self-empowerment.

What Is the Inner Critic?

The inner critic is the voice inside your head that magnifies your insecurities and doubts. Grimes explains that this voice often starts in childhood as a survival mechanism to protect us from perceived failures or dangers. However, it can become overly critical as adults, holding us back rather than helping us.

One powerful takeaway from this episode is the idea of naming your inner critic. For me, that voice is called Natasha. Grimes shares why naming the inner critic is a great idea.

“When we learn to label and distinguish ourselves from our negative thoughts, we gain control over them and stop identifying with them.”

Why Naming Your Inner Critic Works

Naming your inner critic is a small but powerful step toward separating negative thoughts from your identity. By doing this, you can observe those thoughts objectively and decide how to respond.

For example, during a tennis match, Natasha—the name I gave my inner critic—told me, “Don’t miss this serve.” Instead of letting her overwhelm me, I acknowledged her presence and decided to shift my focus. I imagined how my future self—Natalie 2.0—would feel and act in that moment, channeling confidence and focus to win the game. This slight mindset shift made all the difference.

How to Quiet the Inner Critic

If your inner critic often takes over, Grimes offers actionable strategies to regain control:

Label and Separate the Critic from Yourself
- Acknowledge the critic’s voice without letting it define you.
- Grimes emphasizes, “Your inner critic is not your identity. It’s a voice, and you have the power to turn down its volume.”
Practice Mindfulness
- Mindfulness helps you observe your thoughts without judgment. Ask yourself:
  - What emotions am I feeling right now?
  - How is my body reacting?
- By slowing down and identifying these patterns, you can respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
Challenge Negative Thought Patterns
- Grimes explains common thought distortions like:
  - Catastrophizing: Jumping to the worst-case scenario.
  - “Should” Statements: Unrealistic expectations like, “I should be perfect.”
- Counter these thoughts with reframes such as, “I’m learning,” or “I don’t have to be perfect to make progress.”
Visualize Your Future Self
- Imagine the best version of yourself—your own 2.0—and focus on how that person would act, think, and feel.

The Inner Critic at Work

The inner critic doesn’t just show up during personal challenges—it’s often loudest in professional settings. I shared a story with Grimes about receiving a compliment from a senior leader at work. While the compliment was positive, my inner critic latched onto a single phrase, twisting it into a negative. Grimes explained,

“The inner critic thrives on insecurity and often distracts us from the full context of a situation. By naming it and creating space, you can refocus on the positive.”

New Level, New Devil

As you grow personally and professionally, the inner critic evolves, too. From Episode 2, remember we learned, “New level, new devil.” Each growth stage brings new challenges, but with the right tools, you can continue to quiet self-doubt and embrace confidence.

Beginner Tips for Managing the Inner Critic

If you’re just starting to recognize your inner critic, Grimes suggests these steps:

Notice Patterns: Pay attention to when and why your inner critic gets loudest.
Journaling: Writing down your thoughts can help you track and evaluate recurring themes objectively.
Therapy: A professional can guide you through this process and provide personalized strategies.

Key Takeaways from Natalie Grimes

This episode is packed with practical insights to help you manage your inner critic. Here are a few of Natalie’s standout quotes:

“Naming your inner critic helps you take control over negative thoughts and emotions.”

“Mindfulness allows you to observe your thoughts without judgment, creating space to respond instead of react.”

“Shame says, ‘I’m flawed.’ Guilt says, ‘I made a mistake.’ Knowing the difference is key to self-awareness.”

Listen Now

Ready to meet your inner critic and learn how to tame it? Tune into the latest episode of UnCeiling You featuring therapist Natalie Grimes. This conversation is perfect for anyone looking to improve their mindset and unlock their potential.

🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c6c2339f-12ee-4d70-b714-a578733715e8/

🎧 Watch now and get inspired to unceiling your potential! 👉 https://youtu.be/KyBH7-E4XPY

Connect with Us

We’d love to hear from you!

What’s the name of your inner critic?
How do you manage self-doubt?

Drop a comment below or send us a message—we may feature your story in a future episode! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review UnCeiling You to help more people discover the show.

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Let’s take the first step together toward silencing your inner critic and embracing the best version of you!

Career Development Natalie Luke February 26, 2023

How Mary Dealt with Unconscious Gender Bias

Mary, a highly competent employee, had achieved great success in her position, but then she could sense a change in her corporation over time. She noticed she was being treated differently than her male colleagues, receiving less recognition for her work, getting passed over for promotions, and being given fewer essential tasks.

At first, she wasn’t sure if gender bias was happening and if it was in her imagination. She decided to pay closer attention to how she was treated and documented suspicious incidents.

Upon documenting various activities, Mary noticed a pattern and realized she was being treated differently because of her gender. Mary was not receiving the same treatment as her male counterparts. For example, she was given fewer responsibilities and opportunities. Mary was also treated with less respect. Her male colleagues were given more recognition for their work, and even when they were working on similar projects, the men were given more resources than she was. Mary also noticed folks making assumptions or comments about gender roles, for example, “You seem to be emotional about that issue.” And “Boy, you worked late last night, aren’t you the workaholic?”

What are two different forms of gender bias?

Gender bias is a form of prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s gender. It can be either overt or unconscious. Overt gender bias is when someone is openly biased against someone based on gender. This bias is usually pronounced and can be verbal or physical harassment. Unconscious gender bias is when someone is unaware they are biased against a person based on gender. This type of bias is more subtle and often occurs without the person realizing it.

Both overt and unconscious gender bias can have a negative impact on individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. Overt gender bias can lead to discrimination in the workplace, educational opportunities, and other areas of life. Unconscious gender bias can lead to a lack of diversity in decision-making and representation in leadership roles. Both types of bias can also lead to a lack of trust and respect among members of society, which can have far-reaching consequences.

What did Mary do as a result of unconscious gender bias?

Mary was worried about bringing the issue to her boss. On the one hand, Mary knew that speaking up would bring attention to the problem of gender bias and help to create change in her organization. On the other hand, she felt intimidated, what if her boss didn’t recognize the situation for what it was? Mary felt there was a risk of retaliation.

Mary decided to speak up and to do so effectively and respectfully. Mary knew that even though it was intimidating, it was also important to let those involved know that their behavior hurt the organization by shutting down creative ideas. Mary decided to speak up when she felt comfortable doing so. She wanted to feel confident that bringing attention to gender bias would not negatively affect her relationship with the person, so her comments were primarily private.

Mary started by asking questions or making statements to challenge the behaviors. For example, she asked, “Why would you assume that I can’t perform that project?” or “How do you think Sally felt when you made that comment?”

Even though it was difficult, Mary felt rewarded for saying something because, in the end, she wanted to create an environment where everyone felt respected and valued. By Mary recognizing and addressing unconscious gender bias at work, Mary did her part in creating a more equitable workplace.

What you should know…

Gender bias is an issue that has been present in the workplace for far too long. It is an issue that can be difficult to recognize and address, especially for those who are not part of the human resources department. However, it is possible for individuals not in HR to recognize and address unconscious gender bias at work.

The first step is to recognize the signs of unconscious gender bias. This can be tricky because it is not always obvious. Some signs to look out for gender-specific include language, such as referring to a group of people as “guys” or “ladies.” Additionally, look out for subtle differences in how tasks are allocated, such as tasks being assigned to men more often than women and vice versa.

Once you have identified unconscious gender bias, the next step is to address the issue. This can be done in a variety of ways. The most important thing is to be open and honest about your concerns. Speak up and let those involved know their inappropriate behavior needs to stop. Additionally, being aware of and challenging your biases when they arise is crucial.

Finally, creating an environment where everyone feels respected and valued is essential. This can be done by ensuring everyone is given equal opportunities and that the workplace is free from discrimination. Additionally, provide training and resources to ensure everyone knows the importance of diversity and inclusion.

By recognizing and addressing unconscious gender bias at work, nonhuman resource individuals can help create a more equitable workplace. By doing so, they can ensure that everyone is treated fairly and given the same opportunities to succeed.

Would you like tips and tools for feeling confident? Check out the resources page for free tools.

Positive Thinking Natalie Luke September 13, 2022

Three Simple Questions to Manage Your Inner Critic

Psychologist Martin Seligman has conducted extensive research on optimism, and we can use his questions to manage our inner critic. Seligman has developed a formula for changing negative self-talk to positive self-talk. In his book Learned Optimism, Seligman explains three different ways to perceive any event.

Is this about me? In other words, when an event happens for which your inner critic speaks up, your critic might believe that “negative things happen all the time and reflect your life in general.”
How long will this situation last? The inner critic tends to talk you into believing that the event will continue for a very long time, if not forever.
What do I have control over? Your inner critic will convince you that you have no control over the situation and that you’ll never have control.

Let’s manage the inner critic by apply the three questions to a situation…

The Situation

Imagine that you are a sales executive and are preparing to meet with a client for an important meeting. If you are counting on closing this sale to reach your yearly sales quota, this meeting will make or break your year as far as your sales quota is concerned. You have prepared yourself for the conference and are looking forward to discussing your products and services with the important person in the firm on a Monday afternoon. You organize over the weekend, and you leave early in the morning, so there is little chance of being late due to traffic. The client’s office is about two hours away from where you live.

Unfortunately, you find out when you arrive that the key person you are meeting with has fallen ill and therefore is not present. Your inner critic steps in and begins her dialog.

Some part of you may think, “I drove a long way and prepared for a meeting for nothing.” The inner critic piles on: That’s just typical. This is likely to happen to all the meetings I set up this week. I’m never going to hit my sales goals.”

The comment, “This is typical,” indicates that your inner critic anticipates that this adverse event is the nature of how things go for you and your life and is not limited to this sales meeting alone. The event will carry on in time for the rest of the week and it will define your sales career causing you to fail.

Going along with the thinking of your inner critic will drive your energy level down and limit creative thinking. Likely leaving, following the inner critic’s line of thinking will cause you to sadly climb back into the car for the lonely drive home without even trying to rescue the situation.

Option 2: Manage Your Inner Critic

You can calm your critic by counseling her. This is a time for which its a good idea to name that part of you. Explain to her that there was a set of specific circumstances that led to the event.
You’ll need to help the critic understand that the specific event is timebound. And then, when great things happen, feel free to make sure your inner critic knows the great things that happen will last a very long time.
Have an honest talk with your inner critic letting her know that you can take control to make life better. Outline ways that you can take control.

Tell your inner critic you can make lemonade out of lemons. For example, you can instruct your inner critic (again calling her by name) and tell her, “Well, this is an unusual situation that hardly ever happens to me. I was well prepared for this meeting. Since I am here, let’s see who else I can meet. Perhaps this is an unanticipated event that will permit me to meet other influential people in the organization.”

This type of self-talk allows you to not only perceive the event as rare (time-bound) but also gives you a creative solution to making something good happen in your day.

Ready to go for more? Check out my book “UnCeiling Your Career – At Any Age” for a formula outlining how to move up within your organization.

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