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Having difficult conversations at work is hard for a reason. Our communication style is shaped by our primary caregivers. That means if you grew up with a parent who shut down, became passive-aggressive, or reacted with anger when you needed something, you likely absorbed those patterns. And unless you’ve intentionally worked to change them, they don’t disappear just because you now have a big girl job. Typical situations where difficult conversations are avoided: A direct report isn’t doing what you’ve asked A cross-functional partner keeps missing the mark Someone drops the ball and you don’t know how to address it Instead of having a clear, direct conversation, you might shut down, have an emotional outburst, or default to passive-aggressive check-ins like, “Just checking to make sure everything is okay.” Unclear communication is one of the biggest things that holds capable, intelligent people back from progressing in their careers. If you want to become a more effective communicator at work, I cover this in my free Career Confidence Course. Access it here: https://lnkd.in/gEmF_McG

Every year over the holiday break, I write yearly reflections and set my next year's intentions. This year felt different because of the horrific Bondi attacks against the Jewish community and it took me weeks to break through the sorrow. I wanted to forego my yearly ritual but I did it anyway, knowing that reflecting always brings me joy and clarity for the year ahead. After completing my ritual, I was in gratitude on how transformative this past year was. I got married. I nearly doubled my business. My family welcomed my new baby niece Belle. I spent more time than ever with friends. Chris and I learned to swing dance 💃🕺. Alongside the joy, I also did a lot of extremely challenging internal work. In therapy, I explored my fears and uncertainty around having children. work in therapy about the decision to have children. I worked through long-held shame about being visible online, about using my voice publicly as part of my career, and the fear of being seen and speaking out (the irony of writing this here isn’t lost on me). Doing this exercise reminded me of the great paradox of life: both joy and suffering can exist, sometimes in the same moment.

In the latest Hannah Hotline episode, a listener writes in about how she makes great money but hates her job. She feels torn between two worlds: a life where she is financially comfortable, or a life where she could have more impact and meaning. Have you listened yet? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gRsmxD4K

If you haven't yet listened to Hannah Hotline, have you even been living?! Hannah Hotline is my new career advice podcast segment for ambitious millennial women. So far, the episodes have been:  "I hate my boss" (spicy🌶️, but unfortunately common)  "I make great money but hate my job" (also spicy, also common) If you have career woes, I want to hear them! Email [email protected] and your email could get featured on the podcast. Listen now 🌶️ https://lnkd.in/gQMi56uz

The five most common Career Sabotage Archetypes: 1. The Insecure Superstar - You're objectively amazing! (awards, job title, recognition) But you still think you're not good enough and have the pervasive thought that you're stupid. 2. The Unfulfilled Professional - Your career looks good on paper, but day to day you feel flat, disconnected, and haunted by the question, “Is this really all there is?” 3. The Capable Leader with Imposter Syndrome - You’ve stepped into leadership. Still, you're doing tasks you should delegate, avoid hard conversations with your direct reports, and try to prove to everyone that you deserve to be in this role. 4. The Self-Aware But Stuck Professional - You’ve done the therapy, read the books, and can name your attachment style. But under pressure, you freeze, people-please, or default to self-doubt. Nothing actually changes. 5. The Exhausted Achiever - You’re successful, reliable, and always “on." Rest feels uncomfortable, and you're exhausted but just said yes to a giant global project for "the exposure." If you see yourself in one (or more) of these archetypes, apply to the Life & Work Transformation. This program is the intersection of performance, psychology, and career strategy,  providing practical tools, structured accountability, and deep internal rewiring so ambitious professionals can build lasting confidence and self-esteem, leading to more successful careers, without sacrificing their well-being. We start on January 30th. Book your application call here: https://lnkd.in/gw3s-AmZ

One of the first things we did as a married couple was define our shared family values. This exercise was prompted because it's easy to compare ourselves, especially when surrounded by incredibly talented people. I didn't want to get caught in the rat race of trying to look like an impressive married person who ticks all these boxes because it's "the right thing to do next." I wanted to make sure our larger life choices were intentional and well-thought-out. First, we looked at our individual values, which we knew were quite similar, and then we decided on our top three based on the overlap. Here's what we landed on: 1. Physical & Mental Health - working out regularly, eating healthy (for me, this is no sugar/gluten), sleeping 7+ hours, and investing in regular therapy and coaching when needed 2. Growth - accepting our high levels of ambition, thirst to learn, and prioritizing curiosity 3. Fun - prioritizing adventure, swinging (swing dancing - hehe), new activities, and out-of-the-box date nights It was a grounding and fun exercise to define what matters to us and what doesn't. If you've defined your values (individually or as a couple), I'd love to hear them below ⬇️