Claim OwnershipThe Prioritizing Wellbeing for Female Leaders Podcast with Gayleen Swiggum | holistic leadership, leadership wellbeing, military leadership, leadership development, faith-based leadership
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© 2025 Gayleen Swiggum
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Do you push through exhaustion because your team needs you?
Do you wonder how to take care of yourself while taking care of everyone else?
Are you tired of feeling like you have to choose between being a good leader and protecting your wellbeing?
As a leader forged in military culture, I was taught that a leader's wellbeing was second to that of their people. After almost 10 years of leading teams around the globe in the world's greatest Air Force, I realized how untrue that teaching really is. Six months into my corporate transition from active duty service, I found myself in uncontrollable tears on the dingy carpet of my apartment floor. I thought I would finally be a part of an organization that would give me the time to take care of me because they cared about my wellbeing beyond what I could produce for them. I realized other than the title and the company, nothing had really changed. I was still working 12+ hour days, still fighting a system that put its goals before its people, and still expected to answer my boss at all hours of the night.
Then it hit me – I didn't understand how to tend to my own wellbeing. I never made the time. I didn’t know how. I didn't understand something I was expecting others to do for me. The crying stopped. I sat up, wiped the tears from my face, took a deep breath and let out a sigh of determination. I knew what I needed to do next. That's when I embarked on the toughest journey during the darkest time of my life. I had to figure out how to lead a team and heal myself at the same time – truly heal, not just the quick recovery that gets you through the next week.
It was in these two plus years of stepping back to understand myself again that I recognized how much better I became as a leader. I had a different perspective in understanding others, connecting with others, and leading more effectively. When we understand ourselves – intentionally and completely – we become the impactful leaders our world needs.
That experience gave me the skills to create an environment of trust and empowerment that I'd never been able to create before – not only for my team, but my co-workers and managers as well. I'm grateful to still experience the power of that impact almost a year after leaving the corporate arena. It was during those two years of healing and leading that I discovered two truths:
- Balance is overrated. Harmony is how we were meant to live.
- Simple is more effective than doing 'all the things,' but that doesn't mean it will be easy.
On this podcast, I share real stories and solutions from my 20+ years of leadership experience, taking care of my wellbeing the wrong way, and learning how to heal while leading an amazing team. If you're a driven female leader who struggles with perfectionism, burnout, and self-sabotage more than you'd like to admit, join me to learn simple solutions that help you prioritize your wellbeing so you can truly lead by example.
Learn more: gayleenswiggum.com
Let’s connect: howdy@lsaglobal.net
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15 Episodes
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Your relationship status affects your leadership development more than you realize. Whether you're single or partnered right now, this season is teaching you something specific about sustainable leadership that you can't learn any other way.
Do you wonder if your leadership would be stronger if you were in a relationship? Or maybe you're partnered and think about what you could accomplish with more time to yourself. Both seasons develop different leadership skills. The growth you're experiencing right now? You might not be able to achieve it in a different situation.
In this episode, I break down how to take advantage of where you are to become the leader you want to be. You'll discover what you've accomplished that would've been harder in a different season, what you genuinely enjoy about your current situation, and how this chapter is preparing you for what's next. This conversation addresses the leadership loneliness many single leaders feel and the overwhelm partnered leaders experience when stretched too thin.
For culturally-aware leaders, this conversation goes deeper. We explore how family expectations about relationships, code-switching across different contexts, and identity fragmentation add another layer to the loneliness or overwhelm you're experiencing. Your wellbeing as a leader isn't just about your relationship status—it's about showing up as your whole self.
Your leadership development doesn't depend on your relationship status. But the season you’re in does affect how you lead yourself. Let's explore how to stop feeling incomplete and start recognizing the leadership growth opportunities available to you right now.
Ready to work on your leadership wellbeing? 🎧 Subscribe to the Prioritizing Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast and 📅 book a complimentary 25-minute session with me at https://bit.ly/4h36Lxj to discuss your leadership goals.
Sharing your vision with someone you trust only to have them tear it down? You're not alone. Many leaders struggle with knowing when to protect their dreams and when to defend them.
In this episode, discover the practical questions to ask yourself before defending your vision. Learn how to reclaim your dreams from people who don't understand where you're headed. You'll walk away knowing exactly when someone deserves access to your vision and when protecting it is the wiser choice.
This isn't about making perfect decisions. It's about owning your vision with confidence and making choices you're proud of, regardless of the outcome.
You'll learn:
✓ Who deserves to hear your vision in the first place
✓ The difference between protecting and defending your dreams
✓ How to defend your vision without damaging relationships
✓ What to do when people you love can't see what you see
If you're ready to stop giving everyone access to your dreams and start leading with clarity, this episode is for you.
Ready to take your leadership to the next level?
🔔 Subscribe to the Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast,
⭐ Leave us a review, and
📅 Book a complimentary session with me here to discuss your vision and goals.
⬇️ Download your gift 🎁 here
Feeling paralyzed when someone asks about your five-year plan? You're managing back-to-back meetings, family logistics, and career decisions — but clarity on your vision and purpose feels impossible to find.
In this episode, we're talking about seeking clarity on your vision and purpose as a female leader. You'll discover how to develop skills that help you know the difference between divine direction and distraction, plus what to do when you don't have all the answers yet.
You don't need to see the whole staircase to take the first step. Learn how to pick apart your existing vision, incorporate what matters most to you, create a life-stress test for your goals, and choose the right people to guide you. This episode gives you permission to not have all the answers while still moving forward with purpose and clarity.
Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Subscribe to the Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast, leave us a review, and book a complimentary 15-minute session here to discuss your leadership goals.
Preparing for difficult conversations doesn't have to leave you feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
Whether you're talking to your spouse about money, addressing a struggling team member, or making a big investment decision, you can walk into these moments feeling prepared instead of panicked.
In this episode, I share the exact 6-step framework I used when I had to talk to my husband about investing family money into my business after giving up my six-figure salary. This conversation terrified me, but the preparation process changed everything.
You'll discover:
✓ The 6-P Framework for preparing emotionally and strategically before tough conversations
✓ How to manage your reactions when conversations get emotional
✓ Why practice matters (and how much is too much)
✓ The power of visualization, belief, and faith in building confidence
✓ What to do after the conversation to keep improving
This framework has helped me navigate challenging decisions without the regret and shame that often follows when things don't go as planned.
Ready to stop dreading difficult conversations and start approaching them with confidence?
🎧 Subscribe to The Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast so you never miss an episode.
⭐ If this episode added value to your day, leave us a review right now. Your recommendation could change another leader's journey.
📞 Want to apply this framework to your specific situation? Schedule a complimentary discovery call with me at https://bit.ly/4h36Lxj to discuss the direction that makes sense for where you are right now.
Remember: Prioritizing your wellbeing is leading by example. You're not just changing your own life—you're modeling what's possible for everyone watching you.
Think fun should be spontaneous? Think again.
Research shows that planning your enjoyable experiences actually makes them more memorable and helps you feel like you have more time.
In this episode, discover why "effortful fun" is the key to creating lasting memories and feeling less overwhelmed. Learn the four strategic steps that helped one military leader plan a life-changing Bali vacation while working 12-hour days, and how you can apply these principles to design experiences that refresh and restore you.
Perfect for busy female leaders who struggle to prioritize enjoyment in their packed schedules.
Ready to create more memorable experiences in your life?
Subscribe to Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders, leave us a review, and book a complimentary 15-minute discovery session at the link below to discuss your personalized wellbeing strategy.
Book Discovery Call!
What separates wishy-washy leaders from those who earn genuine respect and trust? In this episode, I share two fundamental characteristics every leader needs: tenacity and resilience. You'll discover why some leaders seem to brush off opposition effortlessly while others crumble under pressure.
Drawing from my military experience, I break down a pivotal moment when I had to choose between following orders and standing up for what I believed was right. This decision taught me valuable lessons about leadership that extend far beyond the military.
You'll learn five practical steps to develop tenacity and resilience in your own leadership journey, including how to trust yourself sooner, embrace the possibility of failure, and make decisions with 80% confidence rather than waiting for perfect certainty.
Ready to strengthen your leadership foundation? Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review to help other leaders find these insights, and if you're ready for personalized guidance on developing your leadership tenacity, book a complimentary discovery call using the link below.
Book Discovery Call!
Struggling to know when to trust your gut versus seek advice on important leadership decisions?
You're not alone.
Many female leaders wrestle with self-doubt, worry about straining relationships if they don't follow advice, and question whether they should trust their instincts.
In this episode, discover a practical 3-step framework for confident decision making:
Knowing when to seek guidance,Choosing the right advisors, andWhat to do with advice once you receive it.
Learn how to make decisions you're proud of regardless of the outcome, while maintaining strong professional relationships. Perfect for leaders who want to stop second-guessing themselves and start leading with confidence.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
When 50 service members couldn't get home to their families because of my leadership failure, I faced a choice: blame others or own my mistake. In this episode, I share the 5-step framework I used to transform my biggest leadership disaster into a reputation-building moment. You'll learn how to own failure without guilt, accept what you control, release what you don't, practice forgiveness, and create systems that prevent future failures. Whether you're a new leader or experienced executive, this episode gives you practical tools to turn any leadership setback into sustainable growth for yourself and your team.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Discover how to master holistic leadership for women while maintaining your sanity and wellbeing. This episode reveals proven strategies for work-life balance that high-achieving female leaders use to build exceptional teams without sacrificing themselves. Learn why emotional intelligence starts with self-care, how to have difficult conversations without losing sleep, and the game-changing mindset shift that transforms exhausted managers into sustainable leaders. Perfect for overwhelmed female executives ready to lead with intention rather than depletion.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Discover how to prioritize your wellbeing as a female leader without losing yourself in the process. In this powerful conversation with my friend, Navy veteran Rachelle Besaw, we explore the hidden challenges of leadership burnout and the transformative power of authentic self-care.
Rachelle shares her journey from leading international military operations to navigating cultural identity while building sustainable leadership practices. You'll learn practical strategies for setting healthy boundaries, recognizing burnout signals, and creating wellbeing systems that actually work for busy female leaders.
Key topics include how to lead by example with your wellbeing, navigate major life transitions with grace, and integrate all aspects of your identity into your leadership style.
Ready to design simple wellbeing solutions you can implement today? Schedule a coaching call with me using the link in the show notes.
Get 20+ years of leadership experience in your corner, helping you create sustainable success without the burnout.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
What happens when you go from leading soldiers 24/7 to learning how to lead yourself again? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with fellow veteran Caroline Boutelant to explore the unique challenges female veterans face during military transition.
Caroline shares her journey from French-born military spouse to Army intelligence officer, revealing the hidden emotional toll of empathetic leadership and the unexpected difficulties of civilian transition. Together, they unpack why compartmentalization—while necessary for military survival—can create long-term challenges when processing years of suppressed experiences.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why military leadership requires different emotional skills than corporate leadershipHow empathy can become both a superpower and a burden for female leadersThe surprising ways military transition affects your mental and emotional wellbeingWhy losing your military community feels like losing essential lifelinesPractical strategies for learning to listen to your body again after years of "pushing through"How vulnerability actually strengthens relationships rather than burdening othersWarning signs that you're riding the burnout rollercoaster (and how to get off)
Caroline's honest insights about building trust with her team, handling the overwhelming responsibility of caring for soldiers' entire lives, and navigating the grief of leaving military service offer invaluable lessons for any woman learning to prioritize her wellbeing while carrying the leadership mantle..
Whether you're a veteran struggling with transition, a leader dealing with empathy overwhelm, or someone who's forgotten how to put yourself first, this conversation provides both validation and practical solutions.
Remember, prioritizing your wellbeing isn't selfish—it's essential for sustainable leadership.
Connect with Caroline: www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-boutelant
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Ever feel stuck in a "player coach" role where you're expected to lead your team while also juggling your own project load? They said it was only temporary, right?
You're not alone.
In this episode, I talk with my friend, Jamie McSwain, and she gets real about the challenges female leaders face when they're not fully empowered in their roles. She shares her journey from feeling overwhelmed and unsupported to finding her voice by leveraging a leadership example from someone who actually knew how to develop leaders.
What You'll Learn:
How to lead effectively when you lack formal authorityWays to protect your wellbeing while navigating workplace politicsThe mindset shifts that helped Jamie move from burnout to breakthrough
Whether you're struggling with a difficult boss, feeling overwhelmed by competing demands, or wondering how to step into your leadership power, this conversation offers practical strategies you can use right away.
Connect with Jamie: http://linkedin.com/in/jamiemcswain
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Perfect for: Female leaders, aspiring leaders, anyone navigating workplace challenges
Balancing Leadership and Wellbeing with Sara Hustis | Neurodiversity & Burnout Prevention
In this episode of 'Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders,' host Gayleen Swiggum welcomes her friend Sara Hustis, an experienced banking professional and leader. The conversation delves into neurodiversity in the workplace and how to stop burnout in female leaders, sharing Sara's career journey from a young teller to a leader managing people, programs, and systems. Sara discusses the significance of leadership wellbeing and effective time management strategies. They explore the challenges and strategies of effective leadership, handling performance issues, and avoiding burnout, all while staying true to oneself. Sara provides actionable advice for leaders and those seeking leadership, emphasizing the value of understanding individual working styles and fostering a supportive environment. Join them for an engaging discussion on how to maintain balance and prioritize wellbeing in leadership roles.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:38 Sara's Early Career and Leadership Journey04:57 Compartmentalization and Wellbeing13:35 Challenges and Strategies in Leadership20:26 Neurodiversity in the Workplace32:29 Rapid Authenticity Questions43:01 Conclusion and Call to Action
Let’s create your plan to heal and lead!
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-huestis/
In this episode of the Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast, host Gayleen shares insights on how leaders can guide their teams through unexpected delays, drawing from her personal experience in the military. She emphasizes the importance of processing delays with empathy, clarifying goals, and encouraging team members to independently plan next steps. Gayleen also invites leaders to an empowerment call for further guidance and support in becoming more effective and influential in their roles.
If you have difficulty getting on the same page as your team when it comes to the goal and clarifying the goal and understanding what the underlying intent of that goal is, where is it taking you? Or if you have issues with planning the next steps, and you more often than not, find yourself giving the solution versus guiding your team to a solution or empowering them to come up with a solution on their own.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Apply for the Bespoke Experience: https://offer.lsaglobal.net/work-with-me482710
In this episode of the Prioritize Wellbeing for Female Leaders podcast, host Gayleen discusses how leaders can effectively manage unexpected delays in projects. She shares personal experiences, including challenges faced while launching the podcast, and emphasizes the importance of processing emotions, clarifying goals, and planning next steps. This episode aims to help leaders navigate disruptions smoothly, ensuring their ambition fuels their wellbeing rather than draining it.
📅 Schedule your call here!
🌐 Let's connect: gayleenswiggum.com
Apply for the Bespoke Experience: https://offer.lsaglobal.net/work-with-me482710
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