In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with burnout recovery coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and ordained pastor Nicole Havelka to explore why slowing down feels so radical in a culture obsessed with doing.
Together, we dive into:
- How burnout shows up differently for each of us, and why it’s not just an individual problem but a collective one
- The pressure to constantly prove our worth through productivity and “being the best”
- Why the word can’t disempowers us, and how to reclaim choice in our lives and work
- The surprising overlaps between burnout, perimenopause, and values misalignment
- Practical ways to create compassionate workplaces, embrace rest, and focus on impact instead of output
If you’ve ever felt buried under the weight of doing it all, this conversation will remind you that rest is not only possible, it’s essential, powerful, and deeply radical.
Key Moments
0:00 – Welcomes and introductions
03:57 – Doing vs. planning: the trap of over-strategy
08:25 – Replacing “proving” energy with body awareness
11:12 – Duality of busyness and rest
13:56 – Redefining “being the best”
22:05 – Pebbles, rocks, and ripple effects
23:28 – Burnout is a collective issue, not individual
26:51 – The exhaustion of being a change agent
32:25 – Awareness as the first step to choice
34:30 – Reclaiming choice instead of saying “can’t”
37:48 – Bodies, yoga, and honoring differences
39:45 – Rethinking work culture and flexibility
41:46 – Final reflections and takeaways
Connect with Nicole Havelka
Nicole started her business, Defy the Trend, in 2018 to support change agents and values-aligned organizations while they embrace a more rested life and create compassionate workplaces through mindful time management, transformative coaching and restorative yoga and meditation. When she’s not working, she is nurturing herself by doing experimental cooking, watching/reading apocalyptic literature and television, traveling to new places and spending time outdoors. Learn more about her at defythetrend.com or subscribe to her Substack, Just Rest.
https://defythetrend.substack.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-havelka-35762022/
https://www.facebook.com/NicoleHavelkaConsulting
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkq_yGnNi_JFnTIIzJytNA
https://www.pinterest.com/defythetrend
Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.
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