The Power of Pit Stops: Suzanne Culberg on Boundaries, Burnout & Saying “No” with Confidence

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode, we welcome the irreverent, insightful, and wildly entertaining Suzanne Culberg, also known as The Nope Coach. With her signature blend of humor, empathy, and radical honesty, Suzanne takes us on a journey of self-awareness, boundary-setting, and learning how to say “no” without guilt.

💡 Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• The importance of self-care before burnout hits

• How racing pit stops teach us about sustainable energy and performance

• Why boundaries don’t require over-explaining

• Giving yourself permission to start small

• Building emotional resilience through repetition and grace

Suzanne shares relatable, real-world metaphors to help listeners rethink the way we approach self-care. One standout moment? Her comparison of human burnout to race car maintenance—reminding us that even the fastest, most advanced machines must take pit stops to refuel and reset, or they’ll crash before the finish line. The same principle applies to our mental health and emotional energy.

🏋️‍♀️ She also breaks down the myth of “starting big” by comparing personal growth to strength training—you don’t walk into a gym and deadlift 100 pounds on day one. Pacing yourself isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

🛑 One of Suzanne’s strongest messages: You don’t need a long-winded explanation every time you say no. In fact, the more direct and honest you are, the more respectful and efficient the communication becomes for everyone involved.

✨ Listener Takeaway:
If you’ve been putting yourself last, this episode is the wake-up call you need. Learn how to honor your own needs, establish clear boundaries, and embrace the “pit stops” that keep you in the race of life—not just surviving, but thriving.

Blog Excerpt: Suzanne shares that being up front with people can be simple, though that takes a bit of practice. We tend to over explain ourselves when we first start setting boundaries and telling people no, but we’re just creating a lot more work for ourselves in the long run.

Ways to Engage: Next time someone requests something from you, such as a time-consuming favor, take time to think about it before agreeing. Is this something you have the capacity for mentally or physically? Are you only saying yes out of obligation or is it something you really want to do/help out with? There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to make a decision, and an honest decision is one well made.

Timestamps:

Prioritizing Self Care - ( 3:21 )

Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 17:09 )

Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 36:48 )

Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 42:37 )

Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 52:58 )

Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 59:51 )

Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 1:05:19 )

Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 1:11:35 )

5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 1:16:47 )

5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 1:17:32 )

Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis

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