In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Nicole Havelka—burnout recovery coach, ordained pastor, and founder of Defy the Trend—about the journey from institutional frustration in religious administration to finding wholeness at the intersection of spiritual practice and organizational change. Nicole opens up about the realities of working in faith-based organizations, facing resistance as an innovator, navigating personal burnout, and how yoga, meditation, and a spirit of “both/and” led to her latest chapter as a coach and podcaster.

About the Guest:

Nicole Havelka believes you are inherently worthy of rest — no productivity required. She’s a burnout coach, mindfulness teacher and founder of the Defy the Trend coaching community, which supports helpers, healers, activists and artists in reclaiming rest as a radical act. With more than 20 years of experience in spiritual leadership and wellness, Nicole will soon launch Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals: Just Rest for world changers who are tired but not giving up, a podcast for those resisting grind culture one deep breath at a time. 

Main Topics Covered:

• Nicole’s career journey: from journalist to minister, then to burnout recovery coach
• The inside story of church administration, institutional resistance, and advocating for organizational change
• How burnout showed up—and why yoga became a lifeline and “both/and” practice
• The importance of spiritual practice for navigating tough decisions and personal pivots
• Reclaiming faith and belonging: Nicole’s journey through disillusionment, leaving and returning to faith, and finding community again
• Practical discussions on salaries, money, and sustainability in religious work
• How integrating yoga, meditation, and rest into leadership can support more humane organizations
• The launch of Nicole’s new podcast: Just Rest—Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals

Quote from the Episode: "What if it’s not either/or, but both/and?" — Nicole Havelka

Timestamps: [00:00:05 ] Introductions and where Nicole calls home

[00:01:22 ] Recent acts of kindness and everyday grace

[00:03:11 ] Frustrations and burnout in faith-based administrative work

[00:09:50 ] How Nicole became a denominational leader and the reality of church job searches

[00:15:06 ] Evolving passions: from youth work to organizational change

[00:20:07 ] Faith, the church, and leaving/returning to community

[00:29:13 ] When journalism isn’t enough: becoming a participant, not just an observer

[00:33:09 ] Returning to church and finding a new kind of home

[00:34:43 ] Money talk: salaries and living as a faith worker

[00:37:34 ] The parallel path of yoga: teacher training and integration with ministry

[00:44:54 ] The both/and moment: when leaving doesn’t have to mean abandoning

[00:47:26 ] Advice for those facing black-and-white decisions

[00:49:54 ] Nicole’s current work, podcast, and where to connect

[00:53:41 ] Fun wrap-up questions: coffee cake vs donut, favorite summer drink, friendship & support

Special Offer from the Guest:

Read more about her radical rest quest on her Substack newsletter, Just Rest, where you'll be the first to hear about the podcast launch and how to support it. www.defythetrend.substack.com.

Note from the show: Guest offers are often limited-time and limited quantity. If you have an issue redeeming the guest offer, please reach out to the guest or vendor directly.

Join the conversation on social. Find the Art of Imperfect Adulting on Instagram @theartof_imperfect_adulting YouTube @imperfectadulting and TikTok @imperfectadulting

If you love the show and you'd like to support it directly you can tip the host here https://imperfect-adulting.captivate.fm/support

Never Miss a Moment of Imperfect Adulting

We invite you to join our email community and let us bring the podcast directly to you! As a subscriber, you'll receive notifications about new episodes, exclusive offers from our amazing guests, and easier access to any of the important links mentioned on the show—no more scrambling to write down websites or remember special codes.

Why subscribe?

• Stay up-to-date without checking your podcast app
• Get guest offers delivered straight to your inbox
• Access all important links in one convenient place
• Catch the highlights even when you don't have time to listen

Are you ready? Join us at https://www.imperfectadulting.com

If you have a story to share and you'd like to be a guest on The Art of Imperfect Adulting, here are the steps for how you can make that happen. Click here and pitch yourself.

Here are a few resources that Amy uses to make all this great content. These are affiliate links :-)

Podcast hosting and distribution: Captivate FM

Website hosting with Siteground

How to create/launch your own podcast.

Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic

For Email I use Kit f/k/a Convertkit

Online Shopping Cart: ThriveCart

Networking and support with Entreprenista League

Connection with Polka Dot Powerhouse

Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org

Grab a $20 coupon for Nutrafol here