April 4, 2025 • 50 mins
Your voice might be trying to tell you something—and it’s not just about being hoarse or tired after a long day. In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, Nikita reconnects with vocal vitality coach Brienne Hennessy to explore the surprising signs your voice could be sending you about your energy, alignment, and burnout levels.
If you’ve ever lost your voice before a big launch, felt drained after a short client call, or brushed off vocal changes as “just allergies” or a “normal side effect” of your chronic illness—this one’s for you.
Together, we dive into:
- How voice issues can be an early red flag for burnout (before you even realize it)
- What it looks like to trust your intuition—even when it’s inconvenient
- The subtle difference between pushing your voice vs. tuning into it
- Visibility, resistance, and why showing up doesn’t always mean being “louder”
- Letting go of “business as usual” and creating a more sustainable rhythm
Brianne shares how our voice is both a tool and a mirror—and when we listen closely, it can guide us toward better health, alignment, and confidence in business.
🎧 Listen now to catch the signs early and protect your most underrated business asset: your voice.
🛠️ Resources Mentioned:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
We've all been there.
(00:01):
We've cleared our throat, we'vecoughed, we've in the mic, we
have said, you know.
My voice is a little itchy rightnow.
I think I have just someallergies going on.
I think, I've just been doing alot of speaking and that is why,
(00:21):
I, I'm a little raspy today,right?
We've all been there.
We've all at some point feltlike, or actually have lost our
voice right before somethingreally important for our
business.
Before a client call, before alive video, before a live
presentation, a launch, a publictelevision opportunity to speak
(00:43):
and share about our expertise,and it happens a few times,
usually in smaller settings,right?
It happens when you might be onthat Instagram live.
It happens when you are on thephone with your girlfriend or
your mom or someone, and we tellour ourself it's just stress or
it's just, you know, I'mexhausted, or, it's allergies or
(01:06):
it's a side effect from somemedication, which it could
actually be a lot of thosethings, but what if your voice
was trying to tell you somethingeven more?
And in today's episode, we'repulling back the curtain on a
hidden connection between ourvoice and burnout, and
especially for those of usliving with chronic illness, how
(01:29):
your voice can reveal the.
Earliest signs of burnout andhow tuning in could save your
energy, your visibility, andeven your business.
And of course, I had to bringback my amazing voice coach that
I've had on the show before.
And so of course, I had to haveBrienne Hennessy back on the
(01:49):
show.
She is an amazing, voice coach.
A vocal empowerment guide, aspeaker trainer, a speech voice
pathologist and voiceoverartist, She has worked with so
many amazing seven figurebusinesses.
and I am super excited to haveher back on the show.
(02:11):
And we're gonna talk a lot moreabout how you voice can be a
barometer for how burned out youmight actually be.
How it could give you signsbefore you know, and we're gonna
talk about how you can figurethat out.
So stay tuned.
Nikita's voice (02:31):
Welcome to Business with Chronic Illness,
the Globally Ranked podcast forwomen living with chronic
illness who want to start andgrow a business online.
I'm your host, Nikita Williamsand I went from living a normal
life to all of a sudden being inconstant pain with no answers to
being diagnosed with multiplechronic illnesses.
And trying to make a livableincome.
I faced the challenge ofadapting traditional business
(02:55):
advice to fit my uniquecircumstances with chronic
illness, feeling frustrated andmore burned out than I already
was while managing my chronicillness to becoming an
award-winning coach for theflexible, sustainable online
coaching business.
I found the surprisingly simplesteps to starting and growing a
profitable business withoutcompromising my health or my
(03:15):
peace.
Since then, I've helped dozensof women just like you learn how
to do the same.
If you're ready to create athriving business that aligns
with your lifestyle andwellbeing, you're in the right
place.
Together, we're shifting thenarrative of what's possible for
women with chronic illness andhow we make a living.
This is business with chronicillness.
(03:43):
Well, I am excited to haveBrienne back on the show.
The last time we had you onBrienne was when we were talking
a lot more about like my journeyand the journey of voice and how
that's so important.
Today we're gonna talk about ita little differently about how
important it is to acknowledgeyour voice, not dismiss it, how
it can help you in yourbusiness, how it can help you in
(04:05):
your life, and just some thingsto keep in mind.
But first, tell us what's newwith you.
Brienne, tell us where you are,how's things been?
Brienne (04:15):
Yeah.
Nikita, it is a delight to beback.
I was so tickled when youinvited me and we had such a
good time before.
And yes, even with our journeyof working together, I just
always appreciate watching yourevolution as you put your
figurative voice out there.
Mm-hmm.
So thank you.
And these, this season is reallya season of this year, honestly
(04:37):
is really a year of.
Reducing shiny object syndrome.
Mm-hmm.
For those of you who arefamiliar, shout out and also,
uh, focusing on a couple things,some courses that I've created
and am creating as well asbuilding out my paid speaking
engagements side of thebusiness.
And when I say side of thebusiness, turns out that is a.
That is its own unique businessmodel.
(04:59):
So going from, you know, B2C toB2B and what that all means, you
know, still in the, in the, inthe sticky middle of that and
really focused on my networks.
I have a, a couple networks thatI am actively a part of that I'm
really enjoying.
And, uh, Nikita and I, for thoseof you who listed our last
episode, we, we met in a, in agroup that, at that time was as
(05:20):
a good fit for both of us.
And so it's just always beenlovely to see.
Those ebbs and flows and stayconnected to the people who mean
the most to me like you.
Yeah.
So that's kind of where I'm atthis season, really staying in
my lane and trusting thatsimplicity can thrive.
I.
Nikita (05:38):
Oh, I love that.
You know, I love that.
That should be like on at-shirt.
There
Both Speakers (05:43):
we go.
Writing idea that too, y'all, wewere thinking of so
Nikita (05:46):
many ideas before we pressed two before today.
We're like, man, we're justcoming up with thoughts and
ideas.
But I love that.
Seriously, that is so importantfor us to remember.
And I think if we go back tokind of like just thinking about
the voice and business, I mean,they're so connected, right?
Like.
Our businesses and our voice areso connected on like the
(06:10):
metaphorical place.
Mm-hmm.
The very physical, tangibleplace.
And for those of us living withchronic illness.
There's a very, like all ofthose things.
Then on top of the other thingswe might be putting in our
bodies that we have to, thataffects our voice and also our
ability to advocate forourselves physically,
(06:31):
emotionally, mentally,spiritually, all of those ways.
So for you, when you think aboutthe voice and in business Yes.
How has the way you treat yourvoice been a.
Barometer for how your businesshas grown.
Brienne (06:50):
Hmm.
We're just gonna dive right in.
So interestingly, as I wasreflecting on and preparing for
today, the first thing a lot ofpeople think of and is become
more prominent for especiallythat metaphoric physical or
figurative side, excuse me, isvisibility, right?
We all talk about visibility.
What does that mean?
(07:11):
With your voice, yes, physicallyyou need to use it to show up
and, and speak and network andyou know, talk with prospects,
whatever that looks like foryour visibility and be out
there, even for those of you whomaybe don't wanna be on camera
or whatever that may look likethere's some capacity that you
still are using your voice torun your business, but then also
being able to feel comfortablegetting your message out there.
(07:33):
So what I find, you know, hasbeen a thread since, since this
journey began, even before Iformally started my business,
was we all desire to be heard.
Both Speakers (07:42):
Mm-hmm.
We
Brienne (07:42):
all desire to be seen.
What do most of us learn on thisself-growth journey is the
things that we are the best at.
We also usually need our ownmedicine.
Both Speakers (07:51):
Mm-hmm.
More
Brienne (07:52):
often than not.
So the visibility piece for me,quite vulnerably has been one of
the most challenging pieces.
Mm-hmm.
And yet.
I am awesome at activating thatin others.
Mm-hmm.
Like, you give me a person, I'llbe like, I will cheerlead you
and work with you all the waythrough to that end.
So that continual doesn't evenfeel like a paradox, just a
(08:14):
lesson.
Both Speakers (08:15):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (08:16):
In that has been really interesting because I, I can
uplift and guide others through,through how they.
Tune into their most naturalvoice through how that can show
up.
And while, yes, I am one whopractices what she preaches with
the physical voice and do my,I'm not immune, so I do my
exercises and I do the things Ineed to do to keep it healthy.
(08:37):
The speaking up for theourselves, the speaking out, all
of that still has gone through asignificant.
Dark night of the soul layerjourney.
Both Speakers (08:45):
Mm.
Brienne (08:45):
Feeling safe and comfortable and whole to show up
in that way.
So that's one of the reasons Ibelieve that very, the, one of
the very first times that Ireally tuned in, and I don't
know that I would've called itat this time, but for those of
you who have, have heard mespeak on this before, are
intuition is powerful.
Mm-hmm.
The tagline for my business isyou and your voice are worthy.
(09:07):
Mm-hmm.
I believe everyone can findtheir self worth again through
their voice.
I needed it the most.
Both Speakers (09:12):
Hmm.
Brienne (09:13):
So that has really impacted how my business has
frankly stalled and grown andstalled and grown and stalled
again, because I feel likethere's these, you know, we're
never going backwards.
Mm-hmm.
We're not going back to whatwas.
But there are going to be these,you know, peaks and valleys and
just, just when you think you'vekind of broken through one and
(09:34):
the next lesson shows up.
And so that is something where
Both Speakers (09:38):
that's so true.
I
Nikita (09:39):
had,
Brienne (09:40):
yes, I had a woman the other day and it was so, and I
love this, see this, this, andthis is why.
Having these kind ofconversations is so important
too.
She's like, I want to see youout there more now here I'm
thinking like, this is my bestseason yet.
Like, I'm posting more, I'mdoing, I'm doing things that do
feel stretchier to me in thisway.
Mm-hmm.
And she's like, you just need toget over yourself.
(10:01):
And I was like, ain't that thetruth?
Because, because she didn't meanit in a harsh way.
Right.
But she's just like, there's,she could sense that there was
something.
So even though when you, whenyou see yourself making these
strides.
And I do celebrate it so much'cause I feel a lightness to
myself that I haven't felt in along time after We can talk
about this.
Burnout of 2023 was chronic andYeah, chronically, ridiculously
(10:28):
uncomfortable.
And it doesn't even feel likeshe was saying it from a, an ego
place.
More from a.
This is, this comes easy to you,so just show up so that people
can witness that.
So that's what, that's whatcomes to mind with, with how
that piece has impacted businessand how I can continually be the
(10:48):
student and the teacher at thesame time.
I.
Nikita (10:51):
I love that because we all beat ourselves up so much.
I hear this from my clients allof the time.
Mm-hmm.
How can I help my clients dothis, but it's so hard for me to
help myself do this.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Like, it's always that it's, I,I often hear that.
I'm like, you think you'realone?
Like you are not alone.
I'm sitting over here talking toa coach, a therapist, and saying
(11:13):
the same exact thing.
Like, you are not alone in thatfeeling of like, I.
I excel at this aspect ofsomething that feels like a gift
to you towards others, but whenit comes to yourself, there's
that inner critic of you.
There's that self-doubt of you.
There's all of these otherthings that are involved when
(11:34):
you're looking at yourself inthat mirror that.
You know you're capable of, butit feels like it's more worthy
to give it to someone else.
That's what I have found.
Right?
Yeah.
It feels so much more easier togive those gifts.
Brienne (11:46):
Yeah.
Nikita (11:46):
To others.
Brienne (11:47):
That's why I was struggled with the phrase, well,
if she can do it, so can you.
Mm.
Yeah.
One just never set sits rightwith me.
You see it, it all over theinternet from all sorts of types
of folks, business coaches, etcetera, like, well, if they can
do it, so can you.
Maybe it depends on where you'reat with all of this.
Yeah, yeah.
And exactly like you said,there's not gonna be, there's
(12:07):
gonna be certain layers of it.
Like the inner critic I have,thankfully she and I are
friends.
We became friends years ago, andI have, I have quieted her, but
this is the new level.
This is the, is it, is it safeto show up and not constantly?
Second guess, which isinterestingly just as draining
mm as the inner critic was yearsand years ago, which led to that
time, anxiety and depression.
Now.
(12:28):
Burnout of that.
I think that was one of thefactors of burnout.
So yes, all of these things thatit's gonna look a little
different in a different season,but I think that phrase also
goes back to one of the mostdangerous things too, which is
comparisonitis.
Nikita (12:41):
Yes.
And you know, I, and I'm notgonna sit up here and act like I
haven't said.
Probably a couple of times, wellif I can do this, you can do
this.
'cause to me it's hard, right?
Yeah.
Like living with chronic illnessand growing a business, it's
definitely hard.
Yeah.
I think for a lot of the ways wesee that is that, I know when I
have said it, I definitely meanand lean into like if I can
(13:03):
figure it out.
You can figure it out from thecontext of if you allow yourself
to figure it out, give yourselfpermission to figure it out.
Give yourself permission.
Yes.
Because oftentimes we don't, welook at someone or look at a
situation and say, I could neverdo that.
That's right.
Because we've put up all thesethings that makes it feel like
(13:24):
it isn't possible.
Right, right.
But kind of going back to likewhat you were saying about the
barometer and visibility and ourvoice being connected to that.
Burnout being one of thesignature signs y'all for real
burnout.
What are some other visiblesigns that maybe your voice
literally, or not evenliterally, just your inner voice
(13:48):
and your actual voice giving yousigns that you aren't listening
to?
The fact that.
You either need more time, weneed more space.
You need in order for you toshow up in this visibility that
you're looking to create inyour, in yourself, or in your
business.
Brienne (14:04):
Yeah, we, I might come at this in two angles.
Yeah.
Partially because it is stillthe two sides of the coin with
the, the physical symptoms.
And I'll touch on a few ofthose, but then also that
intuitive inner voice and whathappens when you're out of
alignment with that.
So one thing that that comes upphysically and, and actually
two, two women have just brokenthrough their barrier with this,
(14:29):
is the stamina it takes to run abusiness.
Mm.
And I, and, and I know each andevery one of you listening and,
and Nik and I have had theseconversations about her journey.
It's a different playing field.
It's so different.
It's not even, I mean, that'swhere, that's where, to your
point, yes, you can of coursesay if, if, if I can do it, you
can.
(14:49):
But you're also not saying inthat, do it the same way I am.
Both Speakers (14:53):
Mm-hmm.
Do it
Brienne (14:53):
because our circumstances are identical.
We know that's not true.
Both Speakers (14:57):
Mm-hmm.
So
Brienne (14:57):
that's, so that's a big consideration.
So what's interesting is to runa business, yes, it takes
stamina to do as much talkingand get your mission out there
and be visible, takes vocalstamina.
Mm-hmm.
Both Speakers (15:09):
And
Brienne (15:09):
so one of the, the most common signs or signals that
comes up is when people say tome, I.
I, I had a client, her name'sEmmy.
She's a holistic health coach.
Both Speakers (15:19):
Hmm.
Brienne (15:20):
So y'all, no one, no one is immune.
Right.
Don't, don't look at the gifts.
Right.
She is excellent at helpingwomen continue to connect to
their overall health.
And meanwhile, she can't evenget through her 20 minute lives
because she is struggling withher stamina and her voice is
fading.
Both Speakers (15:35):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (15:36):
So in that way, she didn't look at it as impossible.
Right.
And be like, well, I guess Ijust can't do that.
She stayed curious.
She stayed compassionate toherself.
She was like, I know I need towork with you because this is
something I, I know is going toincrease in frequency.
Like I want to get on on morestages.
And livestream is currently howshe connects with her audience.
(15:56):
Mm-hmm.
And so when she's connectingwith them and 20 minutes isn't
that long, I.
But if your voice is alreadyfading and you're losing out on
people and things of thatnature, it's gonna catch up with
you over time.
You can't keep pushing throughthat.
So that can show up as, asaudibly, the voice starts to
fade physically.
You can just feel drained afterit.
And different than like, I.
Being online all day and andthat kind of thing.
(16:18):
Right.
And within the first two monthsof our six months together, she
had not only achieved her 20minute benchmark and she was
doing lives more frequently inthe week, but then by, so that
was by March, then by April shehad a booked out month.
I.
Why?
Because she's able to thenactually connect and then to
take that the next level.
She's connecting with a morenatural sounding voice for her.
(16:41):
So this is where we get into thenuance of the energy of it too.
It's one thing to say, okay,thank goodness I not only can
can do that, I can talk longer.
My voice is, is more reliable.
It has the stamina, but also thephysical sound, the vibrations,
and the energy with which you'respeaking it.
He's going to connect or notwith your audience.
Both Speakers (17:02):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (17:03):
So that's the biggest one that comes up, I would say,
from a physical sign.
And then when we lookintuitively, so I love this.
Thank you Divine.
So lovely that you brought thisquestion to,'cause just this
morning I.
I was telling Nikita before westarted today that I actually
woke up feeling lighter aftervery full three days, physically
taxing three days, and I had, Ihad done some of my practices to
(17:24):
make sure that I felt lighter.
I love Epsom salt baths.
Those are never going away on asoaking tub.
Someday, hi.
I do some medications, I do somevocalizing, et cetera.
Okay.
Interestingly though, soSaturday night I had also taken
an Epsom salt bath and normallylike, you know, I don't, I'm not
doing those every night, maybelike once a week, depending.
But my intuition had told meagain on Sunday night, you know,
(17:46):
you're gonna do this.
And so in this trusting journeyof building and deepening my
inner voice and that, thatintuitive knowing and, and
following that, which again, Ibelieve is connected to divine
God universe consciousness.
I followed through with that.
It immediately occurred to methis morning as I was like, oh,
I feel lighter, la la, la.
(18:06):
This is great.
That even something small liketaking an Epsom salt bath versus
just going to bed energized meversus draining me.
Now some of you might be like,that's'cause you took the salt
bath.
Maybe I taken one the nightbefore and I didn't feel
energized on Sunday morning thesame way I did this morning.
It's because you're notquestioning and second guessing,
(18:27):
which is draining because you'regetting more and more distant
from yourself.
So I don't care how big or smalla decision is that you get that
nudge, that urge, that impulse,that intuitive knowing, however
that comes through.
That is a sign that somethingis, is the chasm of disconnect
is widening and that takesunnecessary energy.
Nikita (18:50):
Oh,
Brienne (18:50):
that's
Nikita (18:51):
like, I'm trying to figure out how to say this again
and like somebody's listening tois like, okay y'all, that sounds
real good, but it's like wayover my head right now.
Like I, yep.
Right.
Yes.
What I have found is that we areafraid of the stillness.
Amen.
We are afraid of the change.
(19:12):
And the fear is from thisfeeling of not trusting that you
need the stillness, it's nottrusting that you need the
change.
So you have this resistance andthat energy is so much more
heavy than just deciding, I'mgoing to give into the stillness
I'm going to give in to needingthis space for me or trying to
(19:36):
do this change.
Yeah.
It's so much more energy oftrying to avoid this thing.
And I think what you're sayingis you could have said to
yourself like, I just took one.
I should have to give myselfanother one to feel like that.
Right.
Stories.
Yep.
Yeah, versus I just, I just, I'mjust gonna take another stop
bath.
Yeah.
(19:56):
And Wow, that felt good.
Like, yeah.
I think in business we do a lotof that logical thinking.
Brienne (20:02):
We do because we're smart women.
Mm-hmm.
And, and we're smartentrepreneurs and we're doing
the best we can with what weknow.
But we also have pastconditioning and stories that
weigh us down, that we, that wepaint everything through, and to
truly surrender.
To that unknown and that voidand that trust within, and the
trusting of that, that innervoice, however that comes
(20:25):
through.
Ugh.
It just, it, the heaviness isthe word.
It just lifts it all away.
Nikita (20:31):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that brings to me to mind.
This trusting of your bodyliving with chronic illness.
Both Speakers (20:39):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (20:40):
We've all been, I know I personally, and part of the
reason why I even startedworking with Brene back in the
day was because I got a newdiagnosis.
I was having new medication andI was like, something's going on
with my voice.
And I never, ever like paidattention to it like that until.
Side effects, medications, sideeffects of this condition, and
(21:02):
for a while there, just likethis is my normal, this is
something I've been talkingabout a lot, Brienne with people
in general.
It's like we all live in a lotof what we think is normal.
That is not normal.
We think, oh, it's theallergies.
Oh, it's just, you know, I'msupposed to have bad periods
because doctors say women aresupposed to suffer.
Like there's all of these thingsthat we have just been
(21:24):
conditioned to believe arenormal until you learn that it
doesn't have to be that way.
Brienne (21:32):
And our body's always listening to those normal norms
that we're telling ourself aswell.
Both Speakers (21:37):
Yeah.
Brienne (21:38):
Yeah.
The warning signs.
You know, when you were, youwere mentioning earlier like
what are some of the otherthings that show up, for
example, it is not normal tothroat clear all the time, for
example.
So the fact that you bring upallergies is really key right
now.
Both Speakers (21:52):
Mm.
Brienne (21:52):
So many people still having pretty protracted allergy
seasons this year around, seemsaround the country.
It is not normal to always haveto.
I get it.
You're probably like, but I, butI've always done that, but it's
allergy, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah, blah.
Fill in the blank.
But again, not normal.
You don't have to just toleratethat and so you can decide is
there a different way?
Is there something different?
(22:13):
Yes there is.
It's not normal for the voice todrop and pitch and then lose
some of its inflection, losesome of its high range singer or
not.
And you know, meanwhile, whetherit's hyper hypothyroidism,
whether it's chronic fatiguesyndrome, whether it's reflux
allergies, that's not normal forthe voice to menopause
(22:36):
perimenopause.
That's not normal for the voiceto just completely shift and
then lose a lot of itsdynamicism.
So it doesn't have to beattached to these.
Well, I guess it's just the wayit is.
I guess this is just aging, Iguess.
I guess that's, I think puts usall in a lot of limited space.
Like you were saying.
It makes us stop believing inwhat's possible and then we look
(22:59):
at things like, I mean there'sother more neurologic based
disorders, but then we even lookat things like Aler stand low
syndrome.
That is a tough chronic.
Disease as well.
Both Speakers (23:11):
Mm-hmm.
And that,
Brienne (23:12):
interestingly, the folks I used to work with, with
Aler, TLOs, you know, betweenthe hypermobility and, and, and
depending on the severity painwith talking is not normal.
Both Speakers (23:21):
Mm.
Now
Brienne (23:21):
does it come along often with this presentation of
this disorder?
Yes.
But it doesn't mean there's notsome sort of way through and
tools similarly to, for those ofyou who've been noticing in the
news, Celin speaking out moreabout her.
Oh, yes.
Her disorder now it's calledstiff, stiff person syndrome,
but essentially it's, it'sspasticity of the muscles,
right?
Like a hypertenicity orspasticity of the muscles and
(23:44):
you know, those kind of things.
Whether it's used to be aspecialist in spasmodic,
dysphonia, a tremor of thevoice, shakiness, Parkinson, all
these different things, there'sgoing to be different things
that either fatigue the, thesystem even more like chronic
fatigue syndrome, and we have tobe mindful of how much we're
overdoing.
But also when it's.
Hyperplastic and, and reallystruggling in, in this choking,
(24:05):
constricted space.
No, of course it's not normal,and yes, it can be part of this
present disease presentation,but again, there's still a way
through.
There's still a way for it tonot define you, and I believe
the voice can be both thebarometer in that way and part
of the healing in that way.
Both Speakers (24:24):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (24:27):
I'm a huge Celine Dion fan, just if anybody doesn't
know this.
So when I saw her, I don't thinkthe it actually came, comes out
today.
The whole documentary comes outtoday, the day we're recording
June 24th, but there was someclips of it and.
I was just thinking, this iswhat I was thinking as people
living with chronic illness whodon't have millions of dollars,
(24:49):
like Celine Dion mm-hmm.
Who for years, she says in thisdocumentary for years, she went
to an ENT doctor.
Mm-hmm.
Talking about this symptom thatdidn't feel quite right.
Mm-hmm.
Right To the point that she waslike, she would go to the
doctor's office and just belike, no, you better find
(25:09):
something.
There's a clip, which is like,you better find something.
We've all experienced that,especially if you're living with
chronic illness.
How many times have we been toldthat something is, Nope.
Labs are normal.
Everything's normal.
Right?
This woman who uses her voice insuch a powerful way.
Yeah.
It it is, it is her business.
It is her literal business to bethe sewing Dion.
(25:32):
Right.
Like it is her voice.
The reason why we know her isbecause it's her voice.
Exactly.
That like, right.
Yeah.
Having, I mean, massive amountof teens and I'm sure millions
of dollars she's thrown attrying to figure this out.
Hmm.
And she has all the trainingthere is to have on how to take
(25:54):
care of your voice.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
So for us who have businesseswho literally are using our
voice to.
Speak or to share our story orto show up in whatever container
that is going to look like justin our business.
We're not talking about therelationships with our spouses
or our partners, our friends, oryou know, all of these different
(26:18):
kind of things in ourbusinesses.
Like we're not talking about thewhole life that our voice is
literally going through everysingle day.
Right?
It is.
It is a valuable tool that wecan't discount and just, I feel
like we can't just, what's theword I'm looking for?
Be resigned.
That what we're experiencing isnormal.
Brienne (26:38):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So almost in that vein of takingit for granted or brushing it
off, maybe something of thatnature.
Nikita (26:45):
Yeah,
Brienne (26:46):
exactly.
Yeah.
And it's interesting becausewhen, when, if you say to
someone, well, what would youdefine as an asset?
I.
My house, my car, my stocks, mybonds, my business.
Hopefully, you know all, allthings going well.
And if you have never thought ofyour voice as an asset, what
becomes possible when you lookat it that way too?
What would you do for your workif you couldn't use your voice?
(27:09):
The degree that you need to, tothe power that you need to, to
build your business even more?
Your teams a, a client that I'm,she's in her.
We're about six months in now.
One of the reasons that sheinitially came to me more
proactively is because she said,speaking is my life, and she's a
(27:29):
seven figure business owner.
Now building out her team andclient base even more, knowing
that she wants to continue.
Looking at, at what are all thefacets of her business that she
uses, including her speaking,including her voice.
She didn't overlook that, justsaying, well, it's here.
It's fine.
It's doing okay.
What was, what was interestingas we got to talking when we
(27:52):
first met is that she does loveto show up.
She's on stories and lives allthe time because that's again,
just how she connects with withher folks.
But at the same time, shenoticed she had started to push
her voice, like think of it asif.
She believed in order to beheard, she had to talk more.
Both Speakers (28:11):
Mm,
Brienne (28:12):
but the talking more was a catch 22.
Both Speakers (28:17):
It
Brienne (28:17):
wasn't, it wasn't adding to kind of the message
she'd gotten her message across.
It was certainly adding to hervocal load or how much she was
having to talk.
And then she started relayingthese instances many times over
the past few years that before abig event, whether it be a
retreat she was gonna lead or abig stage event, she said there
(28:37):
was even like a million dollarspeaking event that she had in
three to four days before that,like clockwork, she lost her
voice.
Both Speakers (28:44):
Hmm.
Brienne (28:45):
And she said, I know it's, it's emotional and
psychological, and I know thereare these other underlying
facets that are coming throughin my both expectation that,
well, this is probably what'sgonna happen consciously or not
whether she realized it.
But that kind of chronic threadfor her too was something that
should be really honest withherself.
(29:06):
Mm-hmm.
In what it was she was.
Aligning to, she wanted to, yes,build her business, but she also
didn't actually wanna show up asmuch as she thought she did or
needed to.
And so when we look at thesethings of, yes, if you notice
something, I am, I can't say itenough.
Yes, we have to advocate forourselves always.
(29:26):
And in healthcare system, Imean, that's a whole nother
episode, but there has to be.
You being the forefront of your,of your own advocacy, no matter
what they say.
So yes, get second opinions.
Yes, I do free voice screeningsfor that reason.
Mm-hmm.
Because people are like, Iwasn't told what's going on.
And at the same time, how can wealso look at whatever past
experiences and narratives arefeeding this mindset that that's
(29:49):
going to happen though,
Both Speakers (29:51):
you know?
Brienne (29:51):
So we wanna be really, I think, deliberate and
discerning for, okay, I feelsomething's different.
My voice is changing in quality.
Maybe it's getting raspier.
Maybe there's a littlediscomfort.
Maybe I, I feel like breathlesswhen I talk.
Both Speakers (30:07):
Mm.
Brienne (30:07):
Those kind of things are real.
Mm-hmm.
And the things that arecontributing to them are very
likely multifactorial.
Both Speakers (30:16):
Mm.
So
Brienne (30:16):
we can have that, take that power back and say, this is
not happening to me.
This is something that isshowing me what's potential to
kind of unearth to work through.
So even in, in her physicalcase.
Two months ago, she led herretreat, first retreat for this
year in Arizona of all placeswhere it's dry as all get out,
teaching all day for three daysin a row.
(30:38):
She had no problem, not at all.
She didn't have a problemleading up to it.
She didn't have a problem duringit.
And yes, some of that is thework that she's been, she's been
focused on in our work together.
And at the same time, totallyreleasing that story that there
has to be something to triggerit.
Yeah.
It's, it's one of those moresubtle things, and this is where
(31:00):
I also love how you reframethings too, Nikita, because we
can't always put these thingsinto words.
Mm-hmm.
But if you know something's off,okay, get it checked out.
Talk with someone, let letsomeone know and tune into your
own body's wisdom.
Say, what do you need from menow?
Both Speakers (31:19):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (31:19):
What can I do?
Is there a space or somethingI'm not seeing?
Is there a way I can love youeven better?
Those are the kind ofconversations internally that I
think absolutely can shift ouroverall wellbeing too.
Nikita (31:34):
That's such a important thing.
You just said that last thing ofwhat do you need more of?
Hmm.
Right.
I think often when we're livingwith chronic illness, we think
that we don't, it is what it is.
I used to say that all the time.
It is what it is.
(31:54):
It's, it is what it is.
Brienne (31:56):
Interesting.
Nikita (31:56):
It is what it is.
I can't like this.
This is the, this is thereality.
There is.
This is what it is.
And I, I, I always tell myclients now like, yeah, that
used to be what it was becauseyou didn't know any better.
That's right.
You didn't know any, no one'stold you.
Like there was no one in myfamily or even in my circle who
understood any of what I wasgoing through or even knew of
(32:18):
the things that weren't unquotenormal.
Yeah.
But when we think about, andthis is why I think business is
one of the best, best healingtools when you're living with
chronic illness.
'cause it.
Puts you in spaces where youlearn about things like voice
work and how that affectsthings.
And Yeah.
Even though that is a sideeffect from a pill, it doesn't
(32:40):
mean that you can't have somecontrol over it.
Like there's so many differentthings that we don't give
ourselves.
We just resign.
And I think, I think we saidthat already, but I just think
it's so important to rememberthat if it causes you pain, if
it causes you concern.
Brienne (32:56):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (32:58):
Sometimes it's not pain, it just is like.
This is annoying.
Brienne (33:01):
A little nagging.
It's a little annoying.
Yeah,
Nikita (33:03):
exactly.
A little annoying.
Every time I show up, I wanna dothis, and then my voice is doing
this or Yep.
Whatever.
Yeah.
It's something to be morecurious about versus judging or
versus being resigned to like,oh, well this is on the label.
It's a, it's a side effect, so Ijust gotta deal with it.
No, you don't have to.
Brienne (33:22):
No.
Power suggestion is real.
Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Nikita (33:29):
Don't get me sorry on that.
My husband.
And I'm like, I think, I think,I think, yeah.
But yeah, and I, and I bringthis to like kind of more of a
full circle of the conversationaround business with chronic
illness, that running a businessrequires you to be visible.
Brienne (33:45):
Yeah.
Nikita (33:46):
Even if you don't wanna be visible like Oprah, you wanna
be like, you know, Celine Dionhas a, until recently had a
pretty.
She was very private about herpersonal life.
You did not hear much about herpersonal life often, right?
But there she's still veryvisible in what she is creating
in the world, and whatever youare creating in the world,
(34:08):
whether it's a blog, whetherit's a YouTube channel, or
whether it's a.
Podcast, whether it's helpingyour local community, there is
an aspect of visibility and thatvisibility can be affected by
how you are treating your voice,how your voice is treating you.
Yeah, and I think it's reallyimportant that we don't succumb
(34:28):
to the This is normal.
Brienne (34:30):
Yes, absolutely.
Because that again, goes back tolimiting us, and we are in so
many ways.
Bigger creators than that, youknow, and, and so we don't need
to box ourselves in.
And I think the moment you findyourself running the same
narrative is a moment to just beaware and check yourself and go,
(34:51):
do I still believe that?
Right.
There are things now that wetalked about two years ago that
neither of us still believeanymore.
For your, for ourselves.
Great.
Yeah.
Thank goodness.
You know, like, thank goodnesswe're evolving beyond that as
well.
And, and even that whereveryou're, you're holding back
wherever you are again, thatsecond guessing, that doubting,
that criticizing yourself, thatis all siphoning energy away
(35:16):
from where you could be pouringit into yourself and into
others.
And particularly when it comesto asking, what is it you need
from me?
Sometimes it might just besilence, rest, salt back.
You don't have to question it.
Yeah, because that's, that'sthe, the piece that then is
(35:39):
without you even probablyknowing that we'll then let some
visibility event later thatweek.
Give you that much more energy,be able to show up more
powerfully.
I had, I had a talk I gave to anetworking group that I'm part
of.
Uh, it's a hybrid networkinggroup, but we have an in-person
meeting and no less than likethree people.
(36:02):
After, after I got done, threepeople came up to me, oh, I just
really appreciate your grounded,calming presence.
I said, oh, thank you.
That's, that's lovely.
You know, I'm just doing, mebeing in the zone and I.
They were both appreciative, butalso one woman said, well, that
was very needed.
(36:23):
I didn't know that.
I didn't, I didn't know thatthe, the room had been jovial
all night and we'd been doingall sorts of sharing and
activity things beforehand.
So this is where trustingyourself even more for how
you're meant to show up.
You don't have to show up likeme if that's, if it's, you know,
in this grounded, peacefulspace.
And that's sometimes me, there'sother versions of me too, but
you don't know.
(36:45):
How that's meant to actually beheard and seen by others.
Both Speakers (36:49):
Yeah.
Brienne (36:49):
So the more in your visibility that you can, can
trust, and then truly, I heardthis from one of my, my mentors
about a year ago.
Decisive energy is powerful, buthonoring and obedience to
yourself and in this case,again, I believe in divine God
and, and source in that way is.
(37:10):
Everything, you can't say, yes,I'm going to follow through with
that and then constantly bechecking on it.
Both Speakers (37:16):
Hmm.
Yeah.
Brienne (37:17):
You can't say, yes, you, you told me to, to go
through with this and then, andthen come back and say, well,
are you sure?
Is that what you really meant?
Like that's, yeah, that's sotaxing in and of itself.
And I think that's where I had ahard, you know, learn about that
too, because in, in the year ofburnout.
(37:38):
It hits you when you leastexpect it.
You think you see some of thesigns?
I know people who are experts inhelping people avoid burnout.
Haha, didn't matter.
Yeah, clearly that was still,still meant to come in.
And so when you get into thatpoint of recognizing, oh, I had
not been listening to what washappening within, and I can
(38:01):
detach from the outcome.
Which is hard in business'causewe do want to control the
outcome.
We do all want to succeed.
Again, it goes back to giving usmore energy and that's what each
and every one of us, especiallythose of you thriving through,
whatever your body is bringingyou that day deserves the energy
(38:25):
of you.
The energy that you don't evenknow is you, that people are
perceiving and viewing andsoaking up.
That's what we need.
Both Speakers (38:35):
Hmm.
Nikita (38:37):
Yeah.
And if it's interesting that youlearn those different versions
of yourself mm-hmm.
When you put yourself in a spaceto not succumb to the normal and
look for other answers.
Right.
I have found that when it comesto specifically business with
(38:59):
chronic illness,
Both Speakers (39:00):
yeah.
There's
Nikita (39:00):
a lot of.
Noise.
And this is kind of what I wassaying, like I'm having these
big epiphanies recently aroundgrowing your business in the
traditional, what everyone saysis supposed to be doing
whatever.
Ah.
Mm-hmm.
And when you're in that world,right?
When you're in the world ofseeing that and doing that,
(39:21):
that's something you can't, youalmost.
In the Bible, it says, you know,association is can affect you,
right?
Yes.
And so we're sponges, right?
And so you don't realize howmuch of a sponge you've pulled
in all these other bullies orthese other thoughts or these
other ways of being and abusiness without realizing,
well, the very reason why you'redoing what you're doing was to
(39:42):
combat this thing.
Yeah.
That you're seeing in the world,right?
Yeah.
And so this year, and this ispart of the reason why we kind
of pivoted the show to be for myown.
Clarity, clarity and wellbeing,right around like, this isn't
just about business andbusiness, like just getting
business done.
This literally is how do wefunction live, growing a
(40:05):
business while living withchronic illness?
'cause it is so different.
Brienne (40:09):
Diff Exactly.
So different.
Exactly.
And so what have you, what havethe epiphanies been that have
been most?
Oh, there's so many.
Nikita (40:17):
I think the biggest one I realized earlier this year,
which is.
One, I'm much older than Irealize when it comes to people
in this industry of onlinebusiness, like legit, like I.
Have been shocked.
I'm like, oh, I'm that mucholder than you.
Oh my gosh.
Like, like my brain literallyjust never saw that.
(40:37):
Right.
And then on top of that, oflike, oh, you may have talked
about having chronic illness,like it happened while or
during, like you already have aseven figure business.
You already, like you had all ofthese systems and all of this
support and all of these tools,and then you got this chronic
illness.
Illness, which if you ask me,that has a lot to do more with.
The way you got to that six orseven figures, the building of
Brienne (40:58):
had seven figures.
But
Nikita (40:59):
anyway, but anyway, I have realized that some of the
ways that I have been mentoredor I've tapped into had that
kind of business as usual esquenest to it and realizing, oh,
this doesn't work.
This doesn't work for the personI'm serving.
(41:19):
This didn't work for me.
This is why I did it this way.
Right.
And I had to really have like amoment of being like, the
resistance to this is because itis going to be uncomfortable.
It is going to be uncomfortableto be in a room where I'm
saying, yeah, I know that's howyou all did it.
Yeah.
But also I have found that waydoes not serve Yes.
(41:44):
The longevity of someone livingwith any kind of invisible
disability.
Yeah.
And that is going to take a lotdifferent of approach.
Yeah.
And to be brave and courageousenough to say that in a room
where everyone's like, no,everything's the same.
You just gotta follow this thingand da da da da.
But I got chronic illness.
And it's like, yeah, but it's
Brienne (42:05):
different.
Yep.
It's totally different.
So kudos for a speaking up.
'cause that goes, that's aperfect example of what we were
touching on earlier.
Had you not said that, you know,imaginary or real room.
Either way, that's going todisconnect you from yourself and
the struggle, the resistance,all of that will become heavier
(42:28):
and heavier.
And at the same time, thatspeaks to their own biases.
In how businesses need to berun, what it can possibly look
like.
And for as much as people sayanything is possible, clearly
they don't think it becausethat, that only certain ways are
the, are the right way or thesuccessful way.
(42:50):
And I don't think we need to buyinto it anymore either.
So way to go friend, like keepsaying that because the
successes within that are gonnalook different as well.
There's, we all define successdifferently.
Yes.
Both Speakers (43:03):
Okay.
Nikita (43:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So if someone were listening nowand they are like, yeah, I'm a
person who has a business.
Hmm.
I'm living with chronic illness.
I do at times, am concernedabout my voice.
I am concerned about how itshows up and how I show up with
(43:26):
this voice.
Both Speakers (43:27):
Yeah.
Nikita (43:28):
Where should they start to.
Be more curious,
Brienne (43:32):
allowing themselves to first listen and set or create
an intention.
Intentions are powerful, and ifthey can, if you can take that
moment, that that brief pause tocreate an intention for yourself
around your voice, around howyou wanna show up and
(43:54):
communicate and be seen andheard, things will start to
shift.
From, from how you story tell tosell from the way that you have
different kind of conversations,personally, professionally, and
if the voice itself physicallyis giving you trouble.
I would say one distinguishingfactor I make is very acute
(44:17):
issue.
So I've had people in my dmsrecently had an attorney
recently, she was off to teach athree day, eight hour a day
workshop.
Only her, and she was alreadyhaving.
Quality change.
We're talking like, do you havelary?
No, she didn't have laryngitis,but her voice sounded like she
had laryngitis.
And so one of the things Icreated just a couple months ago
is a voice emergency kit.
(44:37):
So I I, I, I couch it within anacute phase.
Okay.
And this voice emergency kit isfor more the acute phase.
Like, oh, this is not, this isnot my voice.
This is not where I'm supposedto, to be talking right now.
I need to do something, but Ican't just rest, but maybe I
should rest.
It gives you, it's your ownself-led.
Protocol of what to do, and thenlonger term conditioning, longer
(45:01):
term confidence and trust.
Building that trust in yourselfand your voice and your body.
I think really being okay withembracing all who you are right
now and also allowing again forthat curiosity and possibility
that you are evolving as is yourvoice.
(45:23):
So if you don't lock yourselfin.
If you don't hold fast to, youknow, I've always done it this
way, or certain identity thisway, that opens up so much
potential as well.
Both Speakers (45:35):
I love
Nikita (45:35):
that.
Both Speakers (45:36):
Yeah, that's what I would say.
Nikita (45:38):
I love that.
While you were saying that, thething I also wanted to say or
add to that was if you areliving with a chronic illness,
you are on medications, you areon things that affect your
voice.
Both Speakers (45:51):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (45:52):
I can share just from.
I mean, that's how I came toBrienne was realizing, oh yes,
that's what it says on thelabel.
And that's what the doctor toldme is there's no real way to
deal with this thing.
Mm-hmm.
It's not always true what theysay.
And it's not always true what'son those labels.
It's not always true what's onGoogle.
Yeah.
(46:12):
Right.
And so be curious and openenough to ask more questions.
That's, I think that's one ofthe.
Biggest tools we have asbusiness owners is to be open to
asking for the answers to thingsyou don't either agree with.
Both Speakers (46:31):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (46:32):
Or to the things you feel like it should be
different.
Brienne (46:36):
Yeah.
Nikita (46:36):
Because you might find the The answers
Brienne (46:39):
yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
And, and that I think is alwaysgoing to lead to more options
and choice.
Nikita (46:47):
Mm.
So many more.
Oh my gosh.
Brienne (46:50):
Yeah.
Yeah.
One of the, and this might, Iknow we're, we're close to
closing, this might be anotherepisode just, just this weekend.
I watched the documentary slashYeah.
Documentary as they'representing the latest research
from Dr.
Joe Dispenza's work on mind bodyconnection.
Mm-hmm.
L one can kind of look at whatthe body is able to create and
(47:12):
cultivate and what that can meanfrom more, more than just
mindset work.
Both Speakers (47:16):
Mm-hmm.
And it
Brienne (47:17):
was just really fascinating to.
Again, watch all of the, all ofthese people participating both
in the research and in theretreats.
'cause they're not always, noteverybody does the research
projects as well with him.
All of them have that space ofcuriosity.
What if something could bedifferent?
Both Speakers (47:36):
Mm-hmm.
But
Brienne (47:36):
if there is a different way, what if there is some
additional wisdom that my body'strying to tell me?
That's the intention part,right?
Mm-hmm.
And then you get to surrenderthat and say, show me.
Show me what I'm meant to know,what I'm meant to hear and meant
to see, because that, that isalso giving that humility and
(47:58):
trust to something greater thanus, the faith and love that it
deserves.
Yes.
I love that.
Nikita (48:07):
Yeah.
Well, how can everyone connectwith you if they wanna learn
more about you and anythingexciting they should look up?
Brienne (48:16):
Let's see.
I would say the couple easy waysare you can find me on LinkedIn
at Brienne Hennessy.
You can find me on Facebook atyour Vocal Vitality.
I am happy to, I can send Nikitaand if she wants to, to put it
in the show notes, I'll send thelink for that voice emergency
kit for those of you who arelike, I need something.
And then for those of you whowant to share your goals, be
(48:38):
heard.
Notice have, have me see ifthere's anything to notice about
things that are changing in yourvoice right now.
That's where those, thosescreenings come in and we can
just have a call and be able tokind of say, where are you at?
Where do you wanna be?
So the easiest way to do that isjust to book a call with me and
I can drop.
Link as well for this episode.
(48:58):
But I always love any and allquestions to, to Nikita's point.
She did not hold back on askingall the things that she thought
might be affecting it.
And if you listen to some of ourfun that we had during her
testimonial video, she was doingthings in addition to her voice
that she was also like, how isPilates affecting my voice?
What's going on here?
Mm-hmm.
Like, she did not hold back onour questions.
(49:20):
And I think that's what makesyou.
Such a, a powerful leader inyour space and also being able
to say, okay, what else isthere?
What else could be possible?
So no question is a sillyquestion when it comes to voice
in your health.
No question is, is out of boundsbecause it is all connected to
(49:40):
the mind, the body, the emotion,the soul of who you are and that
matters.
Nikita (49:45):
Love that.
Well, we'll have all of.
The links and things like thatin the show notes.
And if you're on my email list,you'll get the extra goodies
that we'll have for you there.
That's easy to grab.
So I'm excited.
Thank you so much.
Brienne (49:59):
Thank you.
Oh, I loved it so much.
And yeah, your presence isalways a joy and a light, you
know?
That's a Thank you.
Both Speakers (50:06):
Thank you.
Nikita (50:10):
That's a wrap for this episode of Business with Chronic
Illness.
If you would like to start andgrow an online coaching business
with me.
Head to the show notes to clicka link to book a sales call and
learn how to make money withchronic illness.
You can also check out ourwebsite at ww dot crafted to
thrive.com.
For this episode's, show notesand join our email list to get
exclusive content where I coachyou on how to chronically grow a
(50:33):
profitable business while livingwith chronic illness.
Until next time, remember, yes,you are crafted to thrive.
We've all been there.
(00:01):
We've cleared our throat, we'vecoughed, we've in the mic, we
have said, you know.
My voice is a little itchy rightnow.
I think I have just someallergies going on.
I think, I've just been doing alot of speaking and that is why,
(00:21):
I, I'm a little raspy today,right?
We've all been there.
We've all at some point feltlike, or actually have lost our
voice right before somethingreally important for our
business.
Before a client call, before alive video, before a live
presentation, a launch, a publictelevision opportunity to speak
(00:43):
and share about our expertise,and it happens a few times,
usually in smaller settings,right?
It happens when you might be onthat Instagram live.
It happens when you are on thephone with your girlfriend or
your mom or someone, and we tellour ourself it's just stress or
it's just, you know, I'mexhausted, or, it's allergies or
(01:06):
it's a side effect from somemedication, which it could
actually be a lot of thosethings, but what if your voice
was trying to tell you somethingeven more?
And in today's episode, we'repulling back the curtain on a
hidden connection between ourvoice and burnout, and
especially for those of usliving with chronic illness, how
(01:29):
your voice can reveal the.
Earliest signs of burnout andhow tuning in could save your
energy, your visibility, andeven your business.
And of course, I had to bringback my amazing voice coach that
I've had on the show before.
And so of course, I had to haveBrienne Hennessy back on the
(01:49):
show.
She is an amazing, voice coach.
A vocal empowerment guide, aspeaker trainer, a speech voice
pathologist and voiceoverartist, She has worked with so
many amazing seven figurebusinesses.
and I am super excited to haveher back on the show.
(02:11):
And we're gonna talk a lot moreabout how you voice can be a
barometer for how burned out youmight actually be.
How it could give you signsbefore you know, and we're gonna
talk about how you can figurethat out.
So stay tuned.
Nikita's voice (02:31):
Welcome to Business with Chronic Illness,
the Globally Ranked podcast forwomen living with chronic
illness who want to start andgrow a business online.
I'm your host, Nikita Williamsand I went from living a normal
life to all of a sudden being inconstant pain with no answers to
being diagnosed with multiplechronic illnesses.
And trying to make a livableincome.
I faced the challenge ofadapting traditional business
(02:55):
advice to fit my uniquecircumstances with chronic
illness, feeling frustrated andmore burned out than I already
was while managing my chronicillness to becoming an
award-winning coach for theflexible, sustainable online
coaching business.
I found the surprisingly simplesteps to starting and growing a
profitable business withoutcompromising my health or my
(03:15):
peace.
Since then, I've helped dozensof women just like you learn how
to do the same.
If you're ready to create athriving business that aligns
with your lifestyle andwellbeing, you're in the right
place.
Together, we're shifting thenarrative of what's possible for
women with chronic illness andhow we make a living.
This is business with chronicillness.
(03:43):
Well, I am excited to haveBrienne back on the show.
The last time we had you onBrienne was when we were talking
a lot more about like my journeyand the journey of voice and how
that's so important.
Today we're gonna talk about ita little differently about how
important it is to acknowledgeyour voice, not dismiss it, how
it can help you in yourbusiness, how it can help you in
(04:05):
your life, and just some thingsto keep in mind.
But first, tell us what's newwith you.
Brienne, tell us where you are,how's things been?
Brienne (04:15):
Yeah.
Nikita, it is a delight to beback.
I was so tickled when youinvited me and we had such a
good time before.
And yes, even with our journeyof working together, I just
always appreciate watching yourevolution as you put your
figurative voice out there.
Mm-hmm.
So thank you.
And these, this season is reallya season of this year, honestly
(04:37):
is really a year of.
Reducing shiny object syndrome.
Mm-hmm.
For those of you who arefamiliar, shout out and also,
uh, focusing on a couple things,some courses that I've created
and am creating as well asbuilding out my paid speaking
engagements side of thebusiness.
And when I say side of thebusiness, turns out that is a.
That is its own unique businessmodel.
(04:59):
So going from, you know, B2C toB2B and what that all means, you
know, still in the, in the, inthe sticky middle of that and
really focused on my networks.
I have a, a couple networks thatI am actively a part of that I'm
really enjoying.
And, uh, Nikita and I, for thoseof you who listed our last
episode, we, we met in a, in agroup that, at that time was as
(05:20):
a good fit for both of us.
And so it's just always beenlovely to see.
Those ebbs and flows and stayconnected to the people who mean
the most to me like you.
Yeah.
So that's kind of where I'm atthis season, really staying in
my lane and trusting thatsimplicity can thrive.
I.
Nikita (05:38):
Oh, I love that.
You know, I love that.
That should be like on at-shirt.
There
Both Speakers (05:43):
we go.
Writing idea that too, y'all, wewere thinking of so
Nikita (05:46):
many ideas before we pressed two before today.
We're like, man, we're justcoming up with thoughts and
ideas.
But I love that.
Seriously, that is so importantfor us to remember.
And I think if we go back tokind of like just thinking about
the voice and business, I mean,they're so connected, right?
Like.
Our businesses and our voice areso connected on like the
(06:10):
metaphorical place.
Mm-hmm.
The very physical, tangibleplace.
And for those of us living withchronic illness.
There's a very, like all ofthose things.
Then on top of the other thingswe might be putting in our
bodies that we have to, thataffects our voice and also our
ability to advocate forourselves physically,
(06:31):
emotionally, mentally,spiritually, all of those ways.
So for you, when you think aboutthe voice and in business Yes.
How has the way you treat yourvoice been a.
Barometer for how your businesshas grown.
Brienne (06:50):
Hmm.
We're just gonna dive right in.
So interestingly, as I wasreflecting on and preparing for
today, the first thing a lot ofpeople think of and is become
more prominent for especiallythat metaphoric physical or
figurative side, excuse me, isvisibility, right?
We all talk about visibility.
What does that mean?
(07:11):
With your voice, yes, physicallyyou need to use it to show up
and, and speak and network andyou know, talk with prospects,
whatever that looks like foryour visibility and be out
there, even for those of you whomaybe don't wanna be on camera
or whatever that may look likethere's some capacity that you
still are using your voice torun your business, but then also
being able to feel comfortablegetting your message out there.
(07:33):
So what I find, you know, hasbeen a thread since, since this
journey began, even before Iformally started my business,
was we all desire to be heard.
Both Speakers (07:42):
Mm-hmm.
We
Brienne (07:42):
all desire to be seen.
What do most of us learn on thisself-growth journey is the
things that we are the best at.
We also usually need our ownmedicine.
Both Speakers (07:51):
Mm-hmm.
More
Brienne (07:52):
often than not.
So the visibility piece for me,quite vulnerably has been one of
the most challenging pieces.
Mm-hmm.
And yet.
I am awesome at activating thatin others.
Mm-hmm.
Like, you give me a person, I'llbe like, I will cheerlead you
and work with you all the waythrough to that end.
So that continual doesn't evenfeel like a paradox, just a
(08:14):
lesson.
Both Speakers (08:15):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (08:16):
In that has been really interesting because I, I can
uplift and guide others through,through how they.
Tune into their most naturalvoice through how that can show
up.
And while, yes, I am one whopractices what she preaches with
the physical voice and do my,I'm not immune, so I do my
exercises and I do the things Ineed to do to keep it healthy.
(08:37):
The speaking up for theourselves, the speaking out, all
of that still has gone through asignificant.
Dark night of the soul layerjourney.
Both Speakers (08:45):
Mm.
Brienne (08:45):
Feeling safe and comfortable and whole to show up
in that way.
So that's one of the reasons Ibelieve that very, the, one of
the very first times that Ireally tuned in, and I don't
know that I would've called itat this time, but for those of
you who have, have heard mespeak on this before, are
intuition is powerful.
Mm-hmm.
The tagline for my business isyou and your voice are worthy.
(09:07):
Mm-hmm.
I believe everyone can findtheir self worth again through
their voice.
I needed it the most.
Both Speakers (09:12):
Hmm.
Brienne (09:13):
So that has really impacted how my business has
frankly stalled and grown andstalled and grown and stalled
again, because I feel likethere's these, you know, we're
never going backwards.
Mm-hmm.
We're not going back to whatwas.
But there are going to be these,you know, peaks and valleys and
just, just when you think you'vekind of broken through one and
(09:34):
the next lesson shows up.
And so that is something where
Both Speakers (09:38):
that's so true.
I
Nikita (09:39):
had,
Brienne (09:40):
yes, I had a woman the other day and it was so, and I
love this, see this, this, andthis is why.
Having these kind ofconversations is so important
too.
She's like, I want to see youout there more now here I'm
thinking like, this is my bestseason yet.
Like, I'm posting more, I'mdoing, I'm doing things that do
feel stretchier to me in thisway.
Mm-hmm.
And she's like, you just need toget over yourself.
(10:01):
And I was like, ain't that thetruth?
Because, because she didn't meanit in a harsh way.
Right.
But she's just like, there's,she could sense that there was
something.
So even though when you, whenyou see yourself making these
strides.
And I do celebrate it so much'cause I feel a lightness to
myself that I haven't felt in along time after We can talk
about this.
Burnout of 2023 was chronic andYeah, chronically, ridiculously
(10:28):
uncomfortable.
And it doesn't even feel likeshe was saying it from a, an ego
place.
More from a.
This is, this comes easy to you,so just show up so that people
can witness that.
So that's what, that's whatcomes to mind with, with how
that piece has impacted businessand how I can continually be the
(10:48):
student and the teacher at thesame time.
I.
Nikita (10:51):
I love that because we all beat ourselves up so much.
I hear this from my clients allof the time.
Mm-hmm.
How can I help my clients dothis, but it's so hard for me to
help myself do this.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Like, it's always that it's, I,I often hear that.
I'm like, you think you'realone?
Like you are not alone.
I'm sitting over here talking toa coach, a therapist, and saying
(11:13):
the same exact thing.
Like, you are not alone in thatfeeling of like, I.
I excel at this aspect ofsomething that feels like a gift
to you towards others, but whenit comes to yourself, there's
that inner critic of you.
There's that self-doubt of you.
There's all of these otherthings that are involved when
(11:34):
you're looking at yourself inthat mirror that.
You know you're capable of, butit feels like it's more worthy
to give it to someone else.
That's what I have found.
Right?
Yeah.
It feels so much more easier togive those gifts.
Brienne (11:46):
Yeah.
Nikita (11:46):
To others.
Brienne (11:47):
That's why I was struggled with the phrase, well,
if she can do it, so can you.
Mm.
Yeah.
One just never set sits rightwith me.
You see it, it all over theinternet from all sorts of types
of folks, business coaches, etcetera, like, well, if they can
do it, so can you.
Maybe it depends on where you'reat with all of this.
Yeah, yeah.
And exactly like you said,there's not gonna be, there's
(12:07):
gonna be certain layers of it.
Like the inner critic I have,thankfully she and I are
friends.
We became friends years ago, andI have, I have quieted her, but
this is the new level.
This is the, is it, is it safeto show up and not constantly?
Second guess, which isinterestingly just as draining
mm as the inner critic was yearsand years ago, which led to that
time, anxiety and depression.
Now.
(12:28):
Burnout of that.
I think that was one of thefactors of burnout.
So yes, all of these things thatit's gonna look a little
different in a different season,but I think that phrase also
goes back to one of the mostdangerous things too, which is
comparisonitis.
Nikita (12:41):
Yes.
And you know, I, and I'm notgonna sit up here and act like I
haven't said.
Probably a couple of times, wellif I can do this, you can do
this.
'cause to me it's hard, right?
Yeah.
Like living with chronic illnessand growing a business, it's
definitely hard.
Yeah.
I think for a lot of the ways wesee that is that, I know when I
have said it, I definitely meanand lean into like if I can
(13:03):
figure it out.
You can figure it out from thecontext of if you allow yourself
to figure it out, give yourselfpermission to figure it out.
Give yourself permission.
Yes.
Because oftentimes we don't, welook at someone or look at a
situation and say, I could neverdo that.
That's right.
Because we've put up all thesethings that makes it feel like
(13:24):
it isn't possible.
Right, right.
But kind of going back to likewhat you were saying about the
barometer and visibility and ourvoice being connected to that.
Burnout being one of thesignature signs y'all for real
burnout.
What are some other visiblesigns that maybe your voice
literally, or not evenliterally, just your inner voice
(13:48):
and your actual voice giving yousigns that you aren't listening
to?
The fact that.
You either need more time, weneed more space.
You need in order for you toshow up in this visibility that
you're looking to create inyour, in yourself, or in your
business.
Brienne (14:04):
Yeah, we, I might come at this in two angles.
Yeah.
Partially because it is stillthe two sides of the coin with
the, the physical symptoms.
And I'll touch on a few ofthose, but then also that
intuitive inner voice and whathappens when you're out of
alignment with that.
So one thing that that comes upphysically and, and actually
two, two women have just brokenthrough their barrier with this,
(14:29):
is the stamina it takes to run abusiness.
Mm.
And I, and, and I know each andevery one of you listening and,
and Nik and I have had theseconversations about her journey.
It's a different playing field.
It's so different.
It's not even, I mean, that'swhere, that's where, to your
point, yes, you can of coursesay if, if, if I can do it, you
can.
(14:49):
But you're also not saying inthat, do it the same way I am.
Both Speakers (14:53):
Mm-hmm.
Do it
Brienne (14:53):
because our circumstances are identical.
We know that's not true.
Both Speakers (14:57):
Mm-hmm.
So
Brienne (14:57):
that's, so that's a big consideration.
So what's interesting is to runa business, yes, it takes
stamina to do as much talkingand get your mission out there
and be visible, takes vocalstamina.
Mm-hmm.
Both Speakers (15:09):
And
Brienne (15:09):
so one of the, the most common signs or signals that
comes up is when people say tome, I.
I, I had a client, her name'sEmmy.
She's a holistic health coach.
Both Speakers (15:19):
Hmm.
Brienne (15:20):
So y'all, no one, no one is immune.
Right.
Don't, don't look at the gifts.
Right.
She is excellent at helpingwomen continue to connect to
their overall health.
And meanwhile, she can't evenget through her 20 minute lives
because she is struggling withher stamina and her voice is
fading.
Both Speakers (15:35):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (15:36):
So in that way, she didn't look at it as impossible.
Right.
And be like, well, I guess Ijust can't do that.
She stayed curious.
She stayed compassionate toherself.
She was like, I know I need towork with you because this is
something I, I know is going toincrease in frequency.
Like I want to get on on morestages.
And livestream is currently howshe connects with her audience.
(15:56):
Mm-hmm.
And so when she's connectingwith them and 20 minutes isn't
that long, I.
But if your voice is alreadyfading and you're losing out on
people and things of thatnature, it's gonna catch up with
you over time.
You can't keep pushing throughthat.
So that can show up as, asaudibly, the voice starts to
fade physically.
You can just feel drained afterit.
And different than like, I.
Being online all day and andthat kind of thing.
(16:18):
Right.
And within the first two monthsof our six months together, she
had not only achieved her 20minute benchmark and she was
doing lives more frequently inthe week, but then by, so that
was by March, then by April shehad a booked out month.
I.
Why?
Because she's able to thenactually connect and then to
take that the next level.
She's connecting with a morenatural sounding voice for her.
(16:41):
So this is where we get into thenuance of the energy of it too.
It's one thing to say, okay,thank goodness I not only can
can do that, I can talk longer.
My voice is, is more reliable.
It has the stamina, but also thephysical sound, the vibrations,
and the energy with which you'respeaking it.
He's going to connect or notwith your audience.
Both Speakers (17:02):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (17:03):
So that's the biggest one that comes up, I would say,
from a physical sign.
And then when we lookintuitively, so I love this.
Thank you Divine.
So lovely that you brought thisquestion to,'cause just this
morning I.
I was telling Nikita before westarted today that I actually
woke up feeling lighter aftervery full three days, physically
taxing three days, and I had, Ihad done some of my practices to
(17:24):
make sure that I felt lighter.
I love Epsom salt baths.
Those are never going away on asoaking tub.
Someday, hi.
I do some medications, I do somevocalizing, et cetera.
Okay.
Interestingly though, soSaturday night I had also taken
an Epsom salt bath and normallylike, you know, I don't, I'm not
doing those every night, maybelike once a week, depending.
But my intuition had told meagain on Sunday night, you know,
(17:46):
you're gonna do this.
And so in this trusting journeyof building and deepening my
inner voice and that, thatintuitive knowing and, and
following that, which again, Ibelieve is connected to divine
God universe consciousness.
I followed through with that.
It immediately occurred to methis morning as I was like, oh,
I feel lighter, la la, la.
(18:06):
This is great.
That even something small liketaking an Epsom salt bath versus
just going to bed energized meversus draining me.
Now some of you might be like,that's'cause you took the salt
bath.
Maybe I taken one the nightbefore and I didn't feel
energized on Sunday morning thesame way I did this morning.
It's because you're notquestioning and second guessing,
(18:27):
which is draining because you'regetting more and more distant
from yourself.
So I don't care how big or smalla decision is that you get that
nudge, that urge, that impulse,that intuitive knowing, however
that comes through.
That is a sign that somethingis, is the chasm of disconnect
is widening and that takesunnecessary energy.
Nikita (18:50):
Oh,
Brienne (18:50):
that's
Nikita (18:51):
like, I'm trying to figure out how to say this again
and like somebody's listening tois like, okay y'all, that sounds
real good, but it's like wayover my head right now.
Like I, yep.
Right.
Yes.
What I have found is that we areafraid of the stillness.
Amen.
We are afraid of the change.
(19:12):
And the fear is from thisfeeling of not trusting that you
need the stillness, it's nottrusting that you need the
change.
So you have this resistance andthat energy is so much more
heavy than just deciding, I'mgoing to give into the stillness
I'm going to give in to needingthis space for me or trying to
(19:36):
do this change.
Yeah.
It's so much more energy oftrying to avoid this thing.
And I think what you're sayingis you could have said to
yourself like, I just took one.
I should have to give myselfanother one to feel like that.
Right.
Stories.
Yep.
Yeah, versus I just, I just, I'mjust gonna take another stop
bath.
Yeah.
(19:56):
And Wow, that felt good.
Like, yeah.
I think in business we do a lotof that logical thinking.
Brienne (20:02):
We do because we're smart women.
Mm-hmm.
And, and we're smartentrepreneurs and we're doing
the best we can with what weknow.
But we also have pastconditioning and stories that
weigh us down, that we, that wepaint everything through, and to
truly surrender.
To that unknown and that voidand that trust within, and the
trusting of that, that innervoice, however that comes
(20:25):
through.
Ugh.
It just, it, the heaviness isthe word.
It just lifts it all away.
Nikita (20:31):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that brings to me to mind.
This trusting of your bodyliving with chronic illness.
Both Speakers (20:39):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (20:40):
We've all been, I know I personally, and part of the
reason why I even startedworking with Brene back in the
day was because I got a newdiagnosis.
I was having new medication andI was like, something's going on
with my voice.
And I never, ever like paidattention to it like that until.
Side effects, medications, sideeffects of this condition, and
(21:02):
for a while there, just likethis is my normal, this is
something I've been talkingabout a lot, Brienne with people
in general.
It's like we all live in a lotof what we think is normal.
That is not normal.
We think, oh, it's theallergies.
Oh, it's just, you know, I'msupposed to have bad periods
because doctors say women aresupposed to suffer.
Like there's all of these thingsthat we have just been
(21:24):
conditioned to believe arenormal until you learn that it
doesn't have to be that way.
Brienne (21:32):
And our body's always listening to those normal norms
that we're telling ourself aswell.
Both Speakers (21:37):
Yeah.
Brienne (21:38):
Yeah.
The warning signs.
You know, when you were, youwere mentioning earlier like
what are some of the otherthings that show up, for
example, it is not normal tothroat clear all the time, for
example.
So the fact that you bring upallergies is really key right
now.
Both Speakers (21:52):
Mm.
Brienne (21:52):
So many people still having pretty protracted allergy
seasons this year around, seemsaround the country.
It is not normal to always haveto.
I get it.
You're probably like, but I, butI've always done that, but it's
allergy, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah, blah.
Fill in the blank.
But again, not normal.
You don't have to just toleratethat and so you can decide is
there a different way?
Is there something different?
(22:13):
Yes there is.
It's not normal for the voice todrop and pitch and then lose
some of its inflection, losesome of its high range singer or
not.
And you know, meanwhile, whetherit's hyper hypothyroidism,
whether it's chronic fatiguesyndrome, whether it's reflux
allergies, that's not normal forthe voice to menopause
(22:36):
perimenopause.
That's not normal for the voiceto just completely shift and
then lose a lot of itsdynamicism.
So it doesn't have to beattached to these.
Well, I guess it's just the wayit is.
I guess this is just aging, Iguess.
I guess that's, I think puts usall in a lot of limited space.
Like you were saying.
It makes us stop believing inwhat's possible and then we look
(22:59):
at things like, I mean there'sother more neurologic based
disorders, but then we even lookat things like Aler stand low
syndrome.
That is a tough chronic.
Disease as well.
Both Speakers (23:11):
Mm-hmm.
And that,
Brienne (23:12):
interestingly, the folks I used to work with, with
Aler, TLOs, you know, betweenthe hypermobility and, and, and
depending on the severity painwith talking is not normal.
Both Speakers (23:21):
Mm.
Now
Brienne (23:21):
does it come along often with this presentation of
this disorder?
Yes.
But it doesn't mean there's notsome sort of way through and
tools similarly to, for those ofyou who've been noticing in the
news, Celin speaking out moreabout her.
Oh, yes.
Her disorder now it's calledstiff, stiff person syndrome,
but essentially it's, it'sspasticity of the muscles,
right?
Like a hypertenicity orspasticity of the muscles and
(23:44):
you know, those kind of things.
Whether it's used to be aspecialist in spasmodic,
dysphonia, a tremor of thevoice, shakiness, Parkinson, all
these different things, there'sgoing to be different things
that either fatigue the, thesystem even more like chronic
fatigue syndrome, and we have tobe mindful of how much we're
overdoing.
But also when it's.
Hyperplastic and, and reallystruggling in, in this choking,
(24:05):
constricted space.
No, of course it's not normal,and yes, it can be part of this
present disease presentation,but again, there's still a way
through.
There's still a way for it tonot define you, and I believe
the voice can be both thebarometer in that way and part
of the healing in that way.
Both Speakers (24:24):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (24:27):
I'm a huge Celine Dion fan, just if anybody doesn't
know this.
So when I saw her, I don't thinkthe it actually came, comes out
today.
The whole documentary comes outtoday, the day we're recording
June 24th, but there was someclips of it and.
I was just thinking, this iswhat I was thinking as people
living with chronic illness whodon't have millions of dollars,
(24:49):
like Celine Dion mm-hmm.
Who for years, she says in thisdocumentary for years, she went
to an ENT doctor.
Mm-hmm.
Talking about this symptom thatdidn't feel quite right.
Mm-hmm.
Right To the point that she waslike, she would go to the
doctor's office and just belike, no, you better find
(25:09):
something.
There's a clip, which is like,you better find something.
We've all experienced that,especially if you're living with
chronic illness.
How many times have we been toldthat something is, Nope.
Labs are normal.
Everything's normal.
Right?
This woman who uses her voice insuch a powerful way.
Yeah.
It it is, it is her business.
It is her literal business to bethe sewing Dion.
(25:32):
Right.
Like it is her voice.
The reason why we know her isbecause it's her voice.
Exactly.
That like, right.
Yeah.
Having, I mean, massive amountof teens and I'm sure millions
of dollars she's thrown attrying to figure this out.
Hmm.
And she has all the trainingthere is to have on how to take
(25:54):
care of your voice.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
So for us who have businesseswho literally are using our
voice to.
Speak or to share our story orto show up in whatever container
that is going to look like justin our business.
We're not talking about therelationships with our spouses
or our partners, our friends, oryou know, all of these different
(26:18):
kind of things in ourbusinesses.
Like we're not talking about thewhole life that our voice is
literally going through everysingle day.
Right?
It is.
It is a valuable tool that wecan't discount and just, I feel
like we can't just, what's theword I'm looking for?
Be resigned.
That what we're experiencing isnormal.
Brienne (26:38):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So almost in that vein of takingit for granted or brushing it
off, maybe something of thatnature.
Nikita (26:45):
Yeah,
Brienne (26:46):
exactly.
Yeah.
And it's interesting becausewhen, when, if you say to
someone, well, what would youdefine as an asset?
I.
My house, my car, my stocks, mybonds, my business.
Hopefully, you know all, allthings going well.
And if you have never thought ofyour voice as an asset, what
becomes possible when you lookat it that way too?
What would you do for your workif you couldn't use your voice?
(27:09):
The degree that you need to, tothe power that you need to, to
build your business even more?
Your teams a, a client that I'm,she's in her.
We're about six months in now.
One of the reasons that sheinitially came to me more
proactively is because she said,speaking is my life, and she's a
(27:29):
seven figure business owner.
Now building out her team andclient base even more, knowing
that she wants to continue.
Looking at, at what are all thefacets of her business that she
uses, including her speaking,including her voice.
She didn't overlook that, justsaying, well, it's here.
It's fine.
It's doing okay.
What was, what was interestingas we got to talking when we
(27:52):
first met is that she does loveto show up.
She's on stories and lives allthe time because that's again,
just how she connects with withher folks.
But at the same time, shenoticed she had started to push
her voice, like think of it asif.
She believed in order to beheard, she had to talk more.
Both Speakers (28:11):
Mm,
Brienne (28:12):
but the talking more was a catch 22.
Both Speakers (28:17):
It
Brienne (28:17):
wasn't, it wasn't adding to kind of the message
she'd gotten her message across.
It was certainly adding to hervocal load or how much she was
having to talk.
And then she started relayingthese instances many times over
the past few years that before abig event, whether it be a
retreat she was gonna lead or abig stage event, she said there
(28:37):
was even like a million dollarspeaking event that she had in
three to four days before that,like clockwork, she lost her
voice.
Both Speakers (28:44):
Hmm.
Brienne (28:45):
And she said, I know it's, it's emotional and
psychological, and I know thereare these other underlying
facets that are coming throughin my both expectation that,
well, this is probably what'sgonna happen consciously or not
whether she realized it.
But that kind of chronic threadfor her too was something that
should be really honest withherself.
(29:06):
Mm-hmm.
In what it was she was.
Aligning to, she wanted to, yes,build her business, but she also
didn't actually wanna show up asmuch as she thought she did or
needed to.
And so when we look at thesethings of, yes, if you notice
something, I am, I can't say itenough.
Yes, we have to advocate forourselves always.
(29:26):
And in healthcare system, Imean, that's a whole nother
episode, but there has to be.
You being the forefront of your,of your own advocacy, no matter
what they say.
So yes, get second opinions.
Yes, I do free voice screeningsfor that reason.
Mm-hmm.
Because people are like, Iwasn't told what's going on.
And at the same time, how can wealso look at whatever past
experiences and narratives arefeeding this mindset that that's
(29:49):
going to happen though,
Both Speakers (29:51):
you know?
Brienne (29:51):
So we wanna be really, I think, deliberate and
discerning for, okay, I feelsomething's different.
My voice is changing in quality.
Maybe it's getting raspier.
Maybe there's a littlediscomfort.
Maybe I, I feel like breathlesswhen I talk.
Both Speakers (30:07):
Mm.
Brienne (30:07):
Those kind of things are real.
Mm-hmm.
And the things that arecontributing to them are very
likely multifactorial.
Both Speakers (30:16):
Mm.
So
Brienne (30:16):
we can have that, take that power back and say, this is
not happening to me.
This is something that isshowing me what's potential to
kind of unearth to work through.
So even in, in her physicalcase.
Two months ago, she led herretreat, first retreat for this
year in Arizona of all placeswhere it's dry as all get out,
teaching all day for three daysin a row.
(30:38):
She had no problem, not at all.
She didn't have a problemleading up to it.
She didn't have a problem duringit.
And yes, some of that is thework that she's been, she's been
focused on in our work together.
And at the same time, totallyreleasing that story that there
has to be something to triggerit.
Yeah.
It's, it's one of those moresubtle things, and this is where
(31:00):
I also love how you reframethings too, Nikita, because we
can't always put these thingsinto words.
Mm-hmm.
But if you know something's off,okay, get it checked out.
Talk with someone, let letsomeone know and tune into your
own body's wisdom.
Say, what do you need from menow?
Both Speakers (31:19):
Mm-hmm.
Brienne (31:19):
What can I do?
Is there a space or somethingI'm not seeing?
Is there a way I can love youeven better?
Those are the kind ofconversations internally that I
think absolutely can shift ouroverall wellbeing too.
Nikita (31:34):
That's such a important thing.
You just said that last thing ofwhat do you need more of?
Hmm.
Right.
I think often when we're livingwith chronic illness, we think
that we don't, it is what it is.
I used to say that all the time.
It is what it is.
(31:54):
It's, it is what it is.
Brienne (31:56):
Interesting.
Nikita (31:56):
It is what it is.
I can't like this.
This is the, this is thereality.
There is.
This is what it is.
And I, I, I always tell myclients now like, yeah, that
used to be what it was becauseyou didn't know any better.
That's right.
You didn't know any, no one'stold you.
Like there was no one in myfamily or even in my circle who
understood any of what I wasgoing through or even knew of
(32:18):
the things that weren't unquotenormal.
Yeah.
But when we think about, andthis is why I think business is
one of the best, best healingtools when you're living with
chronic illness.
'cause it.
Puts you in spaces where youlearn about things like voice
work and how that affectsthings.
And Yeah.
Even though that is a sideeffect from a pill, it doesn't
(32:40):
mean that you can't have somecontrol over it.
Like there's so many differentthings that we don't give
ourselves.
We just resign.
And I think, I think we saidthat already, but I just think
it's so important to rememberthat if it causes you pain, if
it causes you concern.
Brienne (32:56):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (32:58):
Sometimes it's not pain, it just is like.
This is annoying.
Brienne (33:01):
A little nagging.
It's a little annoying.
Yeah,
Nikita (33:03):
exactly.
A little annoying.
Every time I show up, I wanna dothis, and then my voice is doing
this or Yep.
Whatever.
Yeah.
It's something to be morecurious about versus judging or
versus being resigned to like,oh, well this is on the label.
It's a, it's a side effect, so Ijust gotta deal with it.
No, you don't have to.
Brienne (33:22):
No.
Power suggestion is real.
Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Nikita (33:29):
Don't get me sorry on that.
My husband.
And I'm like, I think, I think,I think, yeah.
But yeah, and I, and I bringthis to like kind of more of a
full circle of the conversationaround business with chronic
illness, that running a businessrequires you to be visible.
Brienne (33:45):
Yeah.
Nikita (33:46):
Even if you don't wanna be visible like Oprah, you wanna
be like, you know, Celine Dionhas a, until recently had a
pretty.
She was very private about herpersonal life.
You did not hear much about herpersonal life often, right?
But there she's still veryvisible in what she is creating
in the world, and whatever youare creating in the world,
(34:08):
whether it's a blog, whetherit's a YouTube channel, or
whether it's a.
Podcast, whether it's helpingyour local community, there is
an aspect of visibility and thatvisibility can be affected by
how you are treating your voice,how your voice is treating you.
Yeah, and I think it's reallyimportant that we don't succumb
(34:28):
to the This is normal.
Brienne (34:30):
Yes, absolutely.
Because that again, goes back tolimiting us, and we are in so
many ways.
Bigger creators than that, youknow, and, and so we don't need
to box ourselves in.
And I think the moment you findyourself running the same
narrative is a moment to just beaware and check yourself and go,
(34:51):
do I still believe that?
Right.
There are things now that wetalked about two years ago that
neither of us still believeanymore.
For your, for ourselves.
Great.
Yeah.
Thank goodness.
You know, like, thank goodnesswe're evolving beyond that as
well.
And, and even that whereveryou're, you're holding back
wherever you are again, thatsecond guessing, that doubting,
that criticizing yourself, thatis all siphoning energy away
(35:16):
from where you could be pouringit into yourself and into
others.
And particularly when it comesto asking, what is it you need
from me?
Sometimes it might just besilence, rest, salt back.
You don't have to question it.
Yeah, because that's, that'sthe, the piece that then is
(35:39):
without you even probablyknowing that we'll then let some
visibility event later thatweek.
Give you that much more energy,be able to show up more
powerfully.
I had, I had a talk I gave to anetworking group that I'm part
of.
Uh, it's a hybrid networkinggroup, but we have an in-person
meeting and no less than likethree people.
(36:02):
After, after I got done, threepeople came up to me, oh, I just
really appreciate your grounded,calming presence.
I said, oh, thank you.
That's, that's lovely.
You know, I'm just doing, mebeing in the zone and I.
They were both appreciative, butalso one woman said, well, that
was very needed.
(36:23):
I didn't know that.
I didn't, I didn't know thatthe, the room had been jovial
all night and we'd been doingall sorts of sharing and
activity things beforehand.
So this is where trustingyourself even more for how
you're meant to show up.
You don't have to show up likeme if that's, if it's, you know,
in this grounded, peacefulspace.
And that's sometimes me, there'sother versions of me too, but
you don't know.
(36:45):
How that's meant to actually beheard and seen by others.
Both Speakers (36:49):
Yeah.
Brienne (36:49):
So the more in your visibility that you can, can
trust, and then truly, I heardthis from one of my, my mentors
about a year ago.
Decisive energy is powerful, buthonoring and obedience to
yourself and in this case,again, I believe in divine God
and, and source in that way is.
(37:10):
Everything, you can't say, yes,I'm going to follow through with
that and then constantly bechecking on it.
Both Speakers (37:16):
Hmm.
Yeah.
Brienne (37:17):
You can't say, yes, you, you told me to, to go
through with this and then, andthen come back and say, well,
are you sure?
Is that what you really meant?
Like that's, yeah, that's sotaxing in and of itself.
And I think that's where I had ahard, you know, learn about that
too, because in, in the year ofburnout.
(37:38):
It hits you when you leastexpect it.
You think you see some of thesigns?
I know people who are experts inhelping people avoid burnout.
Haha, didn't matter.
Yeah, clearly that was still,still meant to come in.
And so when you get into thatpoint of recognizing, oh, I had
not been listening to what washappening within, and I can
(38:01):
detach from the outcome.
Which is hard in business'causewe do want to control the
outcome.
We do all want to succeed.
Again, it goes back to giving usmore energy and that's what each
and every one of us, especiallythose of you thriving through,
whatever your body is bringingyou that day deserves the energy
(38:25):
of you.
The energy that you don't evenknow is you, that people are
perceiving and viewing andsoaking up.
That's what we need.
Both Speakers (38:35):
Hmm.
Nikita (38:37):
Yeah.
And if it's interesting that youlearn those different versions
of yourself mm-hmm.
When you put yourself in a spaceto not succumb to the normal and
look for other answers.
Right.
I have found that when it comesto specifically business with
(38:59):
chronic illness,
Both Speakers (39:00):
yeah.
There's
Nikita (39:00):
a lot of.
Noise.
And this is kind of what I wassaying, like I'm having these
big epiphanies recently aroundgrowing your business in the
traditional, what everyone saysis supposed to be doing
whatever.
Ah.
Mm-hmm.
And when you're in that world,right?
When you're in the world ofseeing that and doing that,
(39:21):
that's something you can't, youalmost.
In the Bible, it says, you know,association is can affect you,
right?
Yes.
And so we're sponges, right?
And so you don't realize howmuch of a sponge you've pulled
in all these other bullies orthese other thoughts or these
other ways of being and abusiness without realizing,
well, the very reason why you'redoing what you're doing was to
(39:42):
combat this thing.
Yeah.
That you're seeing in the world,right?
Yeah.
And so this year, and this ispart of the reason why we kind
of pivoted the show to be for myown.
Clarity, clarity and wellbeing,right around like, this isn't
just about business andbusiness, like just getting
business done.
This literally is how do wefunction live, growing a
(40:05):
business while living withchronic illness?
'cause it is so different.
Brienne (40:09):
Diff Exactly.
So different.
Exactly.
And so what have you, what havethe epiphanies been that have
been most?
Oh, there's so many.
Nikita (40:17):
I think the biggest one I realized earlier this year,
which is.
One, I'm much older than Irealize when it comes to people
in this industry of onlinebusiness, like legit, like I.
Have been shocked.
I'm like, oh, I'm that mucholder than you.
Oh my gosh.
Like, like my brain literallyjust never saw that.
(40:37):
Right.
And then on top of that, oflike, oh, you may have talked
about having chronic illness,like it happened while or
during, like you already have aseven figure business.
You already, like you had all ofthese systems and all of this
support and all of these tools,and then you got this chronic
illness.
Illness, which if you ask me,that has a lot to do more with.
The way you got to that six orseven figures, the building of
Brienne (40:58):
had seven figures.
But
Nikita (40:59):
anyway, but anyway, I have realized that some of the
ways that I have been mentoredor I've tapped into had that
kind of business as usual esquenest to it and realizing, oh,
this doesn't work.
This doesn't work for the personI'm serving.
(41:19):
This didn't work for me.
This is why I did it this way.
Right.
And I had to really have like amoment of being like, the
resistance to this is because itis going to be uncomfortable.
It is going to be uncomfortableto be in a room where I'm
saying, yeah, I know that's howyou all did it.
Yeah.
But also I have found that waydoes not serve Yes.
(41:44):
The longevity of someone livingwith any kind of invisible
disability.
Yeah.
And that is going to take a lotdifferent of approach.
Yeah.
And to be brave and courageousenough to say that in a room
where everyone's like, no,everything's the same.
You just gotta follow this thingand da da da da.
But I got chronic illness.
And it's like, yeah, but it's
Brienne (42:05):
different.
Yep.
It's totally different.
So kudos for a speaking up.
'cause that goes, that's aperfect example of what we were
touching on earlier.
Had you not said that, you know,imaginary or real room.
Either way, that's going todisconnect you from yourself and
the struggle, the resistance,all of that will become heavier
(42:28):
and heavier.
And at the same time, thatspeaks to their own biases.
In how businesses need to berun, what it can possibly look
like.
And for as much as people sayanything is possible, clearly
they don't think it becausethat, that only certain ways are
the, are the right way or thesuccessful way.
(42:50):
And I don't think we need to buyinto it anymore either.
So way to go friend, like keepsaying that because the
successes within that are gonnalook different as well.
There's, we all define successdifferently.
Yes.
Both Speakers (43:03):
Okay.
Nikita (43:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So if someone were listening nowand they are like, yeah, I'm a
person who has a business.
Hmm.
I'm living with chronic illness.
I do at times, am concernedabout my voice.
I am concerned about how itshows up and how I show up with
(43:26):
this voice.
Both Speakers (43:27):
Yeah.
Nikita (43:28):
Where should they start to.
Be more curious,
Brienne (43:32):
allowing themselves to first listen and set or create
an intention.
Intentions are powerful, and ifthey can, if you can take that
moment, that that brief pause tocreate an intention for yourself
around your voice, around howyou wanna show up and
(43:54):
communicate and be seen andheard, things will start to
shift.
From, from how you story tell tosell from the way that you have
different kind of conversations,personally, professionally, and
if the voice itself physicallyis giving you trouble.
I would say one distinguishingfactor I make is very acute
(44:17):
issue.
So I've had people in my dmsrecently had an attorney
recently, she was off to teach athree day, eight hour a day
workshop.
Only her, and she was alreadyhaving.
Quality change.
We're talking like, do you havelary?
No, she didn't have laryngitis,but her voice sounded like she
had laryngitis.
And so one of the things Icreated just a couple months ago
is a voice emergency kit.
(44:37):
So I I, I, I couch it within anacute phase.
Okay.
And this voice emergency kit isfor more the acute phase.
Like, oh, this is not, this isnot my voice.
This is not where I'm supposedto, to be talking right now.
I need to do something, but Ican't just rest, but maybe I
should rest.
It gives you, it's your ownself-led.
Protocol of what to do, and thenlonger term conditioning, longer
(45:01):
term confidence and trust.
Building that trust in yourselfand your voice and your body.
I think really being okay withembracing all who you are right
now and also allowing again forthat curiosity and possibility
that you are evolving as is yourvoice.
(45:23):
So if you don't lock yourselfin.
If you don't hold fast to, youknow, I've always done it this
way, or certain identity thisway, that opens up so much
potential as well.
Both Speakers (45:35):
I love
Nikita (45:35):
that.
Both Speakers (45:36):
Yeah, that's what I would say.
Nikita (45:38):
I love that.
While you were saying that, thething I also wanted to say or
add to that was if you areliving with a chronic illness,
you are on medications, you areon things that affect your
voice.
Both Speakers (45:51):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (45:52):
I can share just from.
I mean, that's how I came toBrienne was realizing, oh yes,
that's what it says on thelabel.
And that's what the doctor toldme is there's no real way to
deal with this thing.
Mm-hmm.
It's not always true what theysay.
And it's not always true what'son those labels.
It's not always true what's onGoogle.
Yeah.
(46:12):
Right.
And so be curious and openenough to ask more questions.
That's, I think that's one ofthe.
Biggest tools we have asbusiness owners is to be open to
asking for the answers to thingsyou don't either agree with.
Both Speakers (46:31):
Mm-hmm.
Nikita (46:32):
Or to the things you feel like it should be
different.
Brienne (46:36):
Yeah.
Nikita (46:36):
Because you might find the The answers
Brienne (46:39):
yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
And, and that I think is alwaysgoing to lead to more options
and choice.
Nikita (46:47):
Mm.
So many more.
Oh my gosh.
Brienne (46:50):
Yeah.
Yeah.
One of the, and this might, Iknow we're, we're close to
closing, this might be anotherepisode just, just this weekend.
I watched the documentary slashYeah.
Documentary as they'representing the latest research
from Dr.
Joe Dispenza's work on mind bodyconnection.
Mm-hmm.
L one can kind of look at whatthe body is able to create and
(47:12):
cultivate and what that can meanfrom more, more than just
mindset work.
Both Speakers (47:16):
Mm-hmm.
And it
Brienne (47:17):
was just really fascinating to.
Again, watch all of the, all ofthese people participating both
in the research and in theretreats.
'cause they're not always, noteverybody does the research
projects as well with him.
All of them have that space ofcuriosity.
What if something could bedifferent?
Both Speakers (47:36):
Mm-hmm.
But
Brienne (47:36):
if there is a different way, what if there is some
additional wisdom that my body'strying to tell me?
That's the intention part,right?
Mm-hmm.
And then you get to surrenderthat and say, show me.
Show me what I'm meant to know,what I'm meant to hear and meant
to see, because that, that isalso giving that humility and
(47:58):
trust to something greater thanus, the faith and love that it
deserves.
Yes.
I love that.
Nikita (48:07):
Yeah.
Well, how can everyone connectwith you if they wanna learn
more about you and anythingexciting they should look up?
Brienne (48:16):
Let's see.
I would say the couple easy waysare you can find me on LinkedIn
at Brienne Hennessy.
You can find me on Facebook atyour Vocal Vitality.
I am happy to, I can send Nikitaand if she wants to, to put it
in the show notes, I'll send thelink for that voice emergency
kit for those of you who arelike, I need something.
And then for those of you whowant to share your goals, be
(48:38):
heard.
Notice have, have me see ifthere's anything to notice about
things that are changing in yourvoice right now.
That's where those, thosescreenings come in and we can
just have a call and be able tokind of say, where are you at?
Where do you wanna be?
So the easiest way to do that isjust to book a call with me and
I can drop.
Link as well for this episode.
(48:58):
But I always love any and allquestions to, to Nikita's point.
She did not hold back on askingall the things that she thought
might be affecting it.
And if you listen to some of ourfun that we had during her
testimonial video, she was doingthings in addition to her voice
that she was also like, how isPilates affecting my voice?
What's going on here?
Mm-hmm.
Like, she did not hold back onour questions.
(49:20):
And I think that's what makesyou.
Such a, a powerful leader inyour space and also being able
to say, okay, what else isthere?
What else could be possible?
So no question is a sillyquestion when it comes to voice
in your health.
No question is, is out of boundsbecause it is all connected to
(49:40):
the mind, the body, the emotion,the soul of who you are and that
matters.
Nikita (49:45):
Love that.
Well, we'll have all of.
The links and things like thatin the show notes.
And if you're on my email list,you'll get the extra goodies
that we'll have for you there.
That's easy to grab.
So I'm excited.
Thank you so much.
Brienne (49:59):
Thank you.
Oh, I loved it so much.
And yeah, your presence isalways a joy and a light, you
know?
That's a Thank you.
Both Speakers (50:06):
Thank you.
Nikita (50:10):
That's a wrap for this episode of Business with Chronic
Illness.
If you would like to start andgrow an online coaching business
with me.
Head to the show notes to clicka link to book a sales call and
learn how to make money withchronic illness.
You can also check out ourwebsite at ww dot crafted to
thrive.com.
For this episode's, show notesand join our email list to get
exclusive content where I coachyou on how to chronically grow a
(50:33):
profitable business while livingwith chronic illness.
Until next time, remember, yes,you are crafted to thrive.
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