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Prioritizing self-care and work/life balance can feel impossible in the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "embrace the suck" military culture. It's time to change the narrative - together! The Leading With Heart podcast is your go-to resource for how to find happiness, peace, and true success amidst the high demands of military life. With research-based tools and expert interviews, these episodes will change your life. Join host Christina Mattison as she teaches you the skills and mindset needed to take excellent care of yourself, so you can prevent burnout, take excellent care of your people, and shift the culture around self-care and well-being in the military.
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For many women in the military community, service becomes more than a career, it becomes an identity. The rank, the mission, the structure, and the pride of wearing the uniform can shape who we believe we are. But what happens when that role changes… or ends? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Leading With Heart, I’m exploring the concept of identity beyond the uniform, how to rediscover who you are at your core, separate from your career, your rank, or your accomplishments. Whet...
Have you ever felt stuck, unfulfilled, or on the edge of burnout, wondering if this is really what life is supposed to look like? I’ve been there. And the turning point for me came when I sat in my car with my first life coach and did a simple core values exercise that completely changed the trajectory of my life. In this episode of Leading With Heart, I’m pulling back the curtain on how uncovering my values helped me walk away from a job that was draining the life out of me, build a business...
What really drives you? What lights you up and makes you feel aligned, and what leaves you drained and disconnected? In this week’s episode of Leading With Heart, I’m diving into one of the most powerful tools for self-awareness and leadership: anchoring into your core values. I share my own story of the first time I did a values exercise, and how it was a complete wake-up call. I realized that so much of my life was out of alignment with what truly mattered to me, and no wonder I felt unhapp...
For the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside women in the military community, helping them prioritize self-care, strengthen resilience, and become powerful advocates for themselves. What started as an online yoga community during the pandemic has since blossomed into retreats, workshops, challenges, and the Strong and Resilient Women Facebook community. But I’ve always dreamed of something more, something consistent, accessible, and designed as a true one-stop shop for...
Some journeys change us so deeply that we can hardly recognize the person we used to be. That’s the story of today’s guest, Audra Carpenter. Audra first joined me on the podcast two years ago, at a time when she was simply trying to survive. Since then, she’s walked through the fire of inner work, healing, and transformation, and has emerged stronger, braver, and more herself than ever before. In this conversation, Audra opens up about her journey from survival mode to thriving. She shares ho...
If you’re waiting to feel like the woman you’re becoming before you act like her… you’re doing it backwards. Welcome to the final episode in our 4-part “Interrupt the Pattern” series, where we close the loop on what it really takes to shift your habits, beliefs, and identity, for good. This week, we’re talking about identity-based change and why it’s the key to lasting transformation. We’ve spent the last few weeks recognizing the patterns that no longer serve us, learning how to pause and in...
We’ve named the pattern. We’ve practiced the pause. Now it’s time to rewire. In this episode, I’m sharing the real-life next step in our “Interrupt the Pattern” series, and it’s the part where true change begins. Because awareness is powerful, but action is what rewires the brain. I get a little personal in this one and open up about a pattern I’ve been working on in my own life, how it shows up, what I’ve learned from it, and what I’m choosing to do instead. (Spoiler: It’s not always e...
Ever find yourself stuck in the same frustrating loops, overcommitting, spiraling into self-doubt, or working yourself to the edge of burnout, and wonder why you keep doing it? It’s not because you’re broken. It’s because you’re wired that way. But here’s the good news: your wiring can change. In this powerful kickoff to our July series, I’m talking about the habit loops and mental patterns that run our lives on autopilot, often without us even realizing it. Drawing from habit science and rea...
Ever find yourself stuck in the same frustrating loops, overcommitting, spiraling into self-doubt, or working yourself to the edge of burnout, and wonder why you keep doing it? It’s not because you’re broken. It’s because you’re wired that way. But here’s the good news: your wiring can change. In this powerful kickoff to our July series, I’m talking about the habit loops and mental patterns that run our lives on autopilot, often without us even realizing it. Drawing from habit science and rea...
If the idea of rest makes you feel guilty, unproductive, or just plain uncomfortable… this episode is for you. In this eye-opening conversation, Christina flips the script on everything you thought you knew about rest, and explains why it's not just a luxury, but a leadership essential. Too often, we wait for burnout to force us to rest. But what if rest could be strategic? What if it could actually increase your performance, creativity, and presence, in your work and your life? In this episo...
We’ve been sold a version of leadership that’s breaking us. In this fiery, unfiltered episode, I’m calling out the leadership lies that are burning brilliant women out, especially in the military world. From the glorification of hustle to the pressure to be everything to everyone, we’re unpacking the toxic systems that were never built for women like us… and talking about how to lead differently. This isn’t just a vent session, it’s a wake-up call and a personal invitation to stop performing ...
Welcome to the final episode of our 4-part mini-series on energy management! If you’ve been with me from the beginning, then you’ve already learned how energy influences your leadership, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We’ve talked about energy zones, how to restore what’s been depleted, and what to do when burnout looms. In this powerful closing episode, we’re bringing it all together. You’ll learn how to build your personalized energy system, a repeatable rhythm that sup...
You don’t have to have all the answers to be a powerful leader, but you do need to create space for better answers to emerge. In this inspiring continuation of our conversation, Brooke Brzozowske and I go deeper into the internal experience of leadership, the fear of not knowing, the pressure to perform, and the courage it takes to stay grounded in presence rather than perfection. Brooke shares how reflection, vulnerability, and emotional self-awareness can radically shift the way we lead our...
What if the most effective leadership isn’t about always having the answers… but about being bold enough to create space for the real problems to surface? In part 1 of this 2 part powerful conversation, I sit down with leadership communication coach Brooke Brzozowske, founder of Up Until Now Coaching and a seasoned federal leader with decades of experience navigating complex organizational change. Together, we discuss a common leadership mindset that many of us have heard (and maybe even said...
Getting organized isn't just about being efficient, it's one of the most powerful self-care and leadership moves you can make. In this conversation, leadership expert and founder of This Little Consulting Firm, Kelsey Sumner, shares how reclaiming control over your time, energy, and chaos can completely change the way you lead and live. After facing burnout during her time on active duty, Kelsey discovered that true leadership begins when you stop reacting to fires and start creating intentio...
Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the “right” things eating well, sleeping, exercising and still running on empty? You're not broken. You're likely just overlooking the hidden energy leaks that most of us never learned how to manage. In part 3 of this powerful 4-part series on energy management, I’m taking us beyond the physical and diving deep into the emotional and mental realms of our wellbeing, the ones we rarely talk about, but desperately need to. You’ll learn: How emotion...
Welcome back to Leading With Heart! In Part 2 of our 4-part mini-series on energy management, we're diving into one of the most essential, and often overlooked pieces of the puzzle: your physical energy. In this episode, I’m walking you through the practical shifts that can help you build, manage, and protect your physical energy, so you can operate in your performance zone more often, and steer clear of survival and burnout. Because let’s be honest… when your body is depleted, it...
In this episode of Leading With Heart, I’m sitting down with Isabel Churchill, a military spouse, former senior project manager, and now a master Reiki teacher and global mentor with over 3,000 active students. Her journey from clinical psychotherapy and government leadership in Canada to running her own holistic healing business is full of insight, wisdom, and radical transformation. We’re chatting about what it means to lead with feminine energy, not as a gendered concept, but as a powerful...
In the high-demand, always-on lifestyle of the military, burnout can feel inevitable. But what if there was another way to approach it? In this first episode of a powerful 4-part mini series, I’m talking about energy management, a smarter, more sustainable way to navigate stress, prevent burnout, and take better care of your mental and physical well-being. Drawing from my recent experience speaking to the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron at Hurlburt Field, I’m introducing the idea that it’s not about...
What happens when you find something you love, something that lights you up, and you decide to build it into something bigger, something meaningful? Whether you're active duty, a veteran, or figuring out life beyond service, passion projects can be a powerful way to create impact, fulfillment, and opportunity. In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jason Anderson, our first ever male guest on Leading with Heart, to talk about how finding and building a passion project can transform your caree...
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