Congruent with Lisa Carpenter | The truth beneath success. Why it never feels like enough.

What does it actually cost you to hide yourself in the rooms where it matters most? Not the obvious things. Not the opportunities you can point to or the relationships you can name. The subtler cost. The version of yourself that never quite got to show up at grad school, in the boardroom, at the table where it counted. The years of spending your best mental energy managing how you were perceived instead of actually being there. That’s the cost most high-capacity leaders don’t talk about, and it’s exactly what Julie Averill is willing to put on the table. Who is Julie Averill? Julie Averill is a technology executive, leadership advisor, and the author of Chief Impact Officer, a book about why psychological safety, influence, and culture matter more than authority and control. She served as global CIO of lululemon, where she helped scale the company from two to over ten billion dollars, and has led technology at some of the most recognized brands in the world. She works with companies navigating the intersection of human leadership and the AI era through her advisory practice, Goldthread. Her book, Chief Impact Officer, launches June 16th, 2025. There’s a version of leadership that looks like strength from the outside and costs everything on the inside. It’s the version built on walls, on carefully managed perception, on channeling every ounce of capability toward the work while keeping the person doing the work just out of view. It works. For a long time, for most people, it works. What Julie’s story makes clear is that the cost of that way of operating doesn’t always announce itself. It accumulates quietly, in the relationships that stayed surface-level, in the rooms you were only partially present for, in the version of yourself that kept getting left at the door. And at some point the gap between what you’re projecting and what you’re actually carrying becomes its own kind of exhaustion. The shift Julie describes isn’t about becoming more vulnerable or softer or less ambitious. It’s about understanding that real leadership presence, the kind that actually moves people, actually creates safety, actually earns trust, requires you to be a person first. Not a role. Not a result. A person. That’s the work this conversation points toward. And it’s the same question underneath everything I work on with my clients: not how do you achieve more, but what are the patterns you’re running to maintain what you’ve already built, and what are those patterns costing you? Ready to understand what’s running underneath your success? If this conversation landed for you, a useful place to start is understanding which pattern is most active in how you lead and achieve. The Success Paradox Quiz takes about five minutes and identifies the specific archetype shaping how you succeed, what it’s costing you, and what becomes possible when you start leading from a more intentional place. Take the quiz at lisacarpenter.ca/quiz. And if you haven’t already, grab Julie’s book. Chief Impact Officer is out June 16th and available wherever books are sold, including Amazon. Chief Impact Officer https://goldthreadllc.com/book Connect with Julie Averill: goldthreadllc.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_averill_/ Connect with Lisa Instagram: @lisacarpenterinc Leave a Review: 1. Scroll down past the episodes to Ratings & Reviews. 2. Tap Write a Review (it’s easy to miss — purple text on a black screen). 3. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted. 4. Select your star rating, add a title and your review, then tap Send.

Why does crushing a workout feel easier than taking a nap? Why does pushing through exhaustion feel more natural than slowing down? If you’re a high achiever who’s built an identity around being the one who can handle more than most people, you’ve probably made hard things your comfort zone. But what if the things you call hard are actually easy for you, and the things most people consider easy are the things that would actually change your life? You think you’re doing hard things, but here’s the truth: hard things are your comfort zone. You don’t flinch at pressure. You don’t back down from a challenge. You’ve built an identity around being capable, productive, and able to endure more than most. But if running a marathon feels easier than resting, if crushing goals feels easier than sitting with yourself, if staying busy feels easier than slowing down, then hard has become your safe zone. This episode is about why high achievers make rest hard and burnout easy, and what it actually costs you to keep running from the work that would truly transform you. If this episode is hitting home, I’ve created a free resource to help you identify where you’re making hard things easy and easy things hard in your own life. Download: ”Hard Things, Easy Things: Understanding Your Patterns”: lisacarpenter.ca/bonus And if you’re ready to go deeper into this work specific to you and what it’s going to take for you to finally feel as good on the inside as you look on the outside, book a free Congruency Audit: lisacarpenter.ca/audit Leave a review: 1. Scroll down past the episodes to Ratings & Reviews. 2. Tap Write a Review (it’s easy to miss — purple text on a black screen). 3. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted. 4. Select your star rating, add a title and your review, then tap Send.

Jamie Carlson is a business growth consultant and former corporate leader who spent her career in communications, brand, and strategic response roles at companies like Meta and PayPal. She’s the person executives turned to during their messiest transitions, the calm in the storm who could hold anything. While supporting these organizations through massive change and navigating motherhood at the same time, she experienced firsthand the personal cost that comes with that version of success. Today, Jamie runs Curical Consulting, where her work is grounded in a different definition of success, helping small business owners create growth that builds capacity instead of pressure. Her perspective is shaped not just by what she’s accomplished, but by what she’s had to unlearn along the way. Here’s what Jamie’s story reveals: the strategies that got you here, the over-functioning, the constant motion, the ability to handle anything, are the very things keeping you from what you actually want. You spent your life becoming the strong one, the capable one, the person who doesn’t need help. And now that identity is a cage. You can’t stop moving because stillness feels like death. You can’t ask for help because being needed is how you know you matter. You can’t feel joy because your nervous system is still wired for the next crisis. The cost isn’t just the chronic pain or the exhaustion or the numbness, though those are real. The cost is that you built the safe, stable, beautiful life you always wanted, and you can’t let yourself have it. Get your free Bonus for this episode, The Safety Paradox Assessment, at lisacarpenter.ca/bonus Ready to stop over-functioning and start actually feeling safe? If Jamie’s story hit close to home, if you’re the person everyone leans on while you’re running on fumes, if you’ve achieved everything you thought would make you feel secure but you’re still waiting for the other shoe to drop, this is your pattern. The Congruency Audit is where we look at the gap between the success you’ve built on the outside and what you’re actually feeling on the inside. We’ll identify the exact patterns keeping you stuck in over-functioning mode, the wounds driving your need to always be the strong one, and what it’s going to take for you to finally stop proving and start being present in the life you’ve already created. Because you didn’t build all of this just to keep white-knuckling your way through it. Book your free Congruency Audit: lisacarpenter.ca/audit Connect with Jamie Carlson LinkedIn: Jamie Carlson Company: Curical Consulting It’s not either/or. It’s both/and. You can honor your drive and ambition AND stop choosing chaos. You can be the capable one AND let yourself be supported. You can create safety AND actually feel it. This isn’t about optimizing the version of yourself you built to survive. It’s about creating congruence so the life you’ve built doesn’t just look good, it finally feels right. Leave a Review: 1. Scroll down past the episodes to Ratings & Reviews. 2. Tap Write a Review (it’s easy to miss — purple text on a black screen). 3. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted. 4. Select your star rating, add a title and your review, then tap Send.

What happens when you remove all the noise from your life and just walk? You’re good at solving problems. You’re the one people call when things need to get done. But when was the last time you created space to just be with yourself without an agenda, without your phone, without the constant mental list of what needs to happen next? Sara Intonato and I have walked the Camino de Santiago together twice. 100 kilometers (about 72 miles) each time. And in September 2026, we’re doing it again, but this time we’re taking 16 people with us. This episode is Sara and me sitting down to share what actually happens on the Camino. Not the Instagram version. The real experience of what it’s like to walk 15-20 kilometers a day, what comes up when you remove all the distractions, and why we keep coming back to this ancient pilgrimage route. Why Sara and I Keep Walking the Camino Sara has been on the podcast before (just before Christmas), and if you listened to that episode, you know she’s someone who gets the deeper work. We’ve walked the Camino together twice, and each time something different reveals itself. Each time we’re navigating different things in our lives, and the Camino gives us the space to be with them. We both had things we were processing. Real things. And the Camino gave us the space to be with them without all the usual noise and distraction. No phones constantly buzzing. No meetings. No performance. Just walking, processing, feeling, and being honest with ourselves and each other. That’s why we’re co-hosting this retreat. Because we both know what becomes possible when you create that kind of space for yourself. And after walking it together twice, we’re ready to hold that space for others. We’re not trying to sell you a fantasy about the Camino. Sara and I are just sharing what it’s been like for us across two walks, and why we’re both committed to doing it a third time with a group. The challenging parts, the beautiful parts, the moments that shifted something in us each time, and what we’re creating for the people joining us. If you’ve been feeling the pull toward something like this, if you know you need space to get quiet and process what’s going on in your life, or if you’re just curious about what happens when you remove all the noise and walk for days, this conversation will give you the real picture. Walk the Camino with Sara and me in September 2026 We’re co-hosting our third Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in September 2026, and this time we’re taking 16 people with us. We’re walking the Portuguese Coastal Route, the first path that’s transformed both of our lives. The route that showed me what was possible when I got out of my own way, what I was holding onto, and how to let it go so I could create the life I’m living today. This isn’t a vacation. It’s a walking pilgrimage where you’ll cover 15-20 kilometers (about 9-12 miles) every day. You’ll have time alone with your thoughts, deep conversations with the group, and coaching support from both Sara and me to help you integrate what comes up. Registration is open now, and we’re taking 16 people max. 7 spaces have already been claimed. If something inside you keeps coming back to this, there’s a reason. For retreat details and registration: lisacarpenter.ca/camino And if you’re recognizing that you need support in creating the kind of internal space the Camino offers but aren’t ready for a pilgrimage, let’s talk. Book your free Congruency Audit: lisacarpenter.ca/audit Connect with Sara Intonato: Website: https://www.saraintonato.com/ Instagram: @sara.intonato Leave a Review: 1. Scroll down past the episodes to Ratings & Reviews. 2. Tap Write a Review (it’s easy to miss — purple text on a black screen). 3. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted. 4. Select your star rating, add a title and your review, then tap Send.

Why do I feel responsible for everything and everyone? You’re successful. You’ve built something impressive. But you’re also exhausted, overcommitted, and quietly resentful of all the responsibility you carry. On the outside, you look like you have it all together. On the inside, you’re running on fumes and wondering how much longer you can keep this up. You tell yourself this is just who you are. The responsible one. The dependable one. The one everyone turns to. But what if the weight you’re carrying isn’t actually yours? What if you’ve been taking on everyone else’s problems, emotions, and responsibilities because you never learned to discern what’s truly yours to hold? Who is Ichel Francis? Ichel Francis is a master coach and founder of The Moon Circle Movement who blends spiritual depth with business strategy in a way that’s both grounded and transformative. She works through private coaching, in-person intensives, retreats, and masterminds with visionary leaders and business owners who refuse to choose between inner work and outer results. Ichel runs two successful businesses and has spent years unraveling the patterns of over-functioning, perfectionism, and unworthiness that kept her exhausted despite her success. Ichel’s Story: When Success Costs Everything Ichel grew up in a home where her father chased material success after growing up poor, while her mother carried religious beliefs that wealth made you a bad person. Her mother worked herself to the bone, never allowing herself to enjoy what they’d built, always waiting to be worthy of receiving. When her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she had less than eight weeks to live. In those final weeks, she finally bought herself a designer purse, something she’d always wanted but never allowed herself to have. That purse sat beside her at home as she got sicker. She never used it. She’d spent her entire life waiting to be worthy, and by the time she gave herself permission, there was no time left. That loss shattered every illusion Ichel had about working hard now to enjoy life later. It became the catalyst for completely redefining what success meant. Not material achievement. Not relentless productivity. But space, expansion, and freedom. The ability to enjoy what you’re building now, not someday when you’ve finally done enough to deserve it. For years after, Ichel still found herself running the same patterns. Over-functioning. Taking on everyone else’s problems. Using ”I don’t have the bandwidth for this right now” as a get-out-of-jail-free card to avoid discomfort. Until she finally called herself out and asked: when will you have the bandwidth? At what point will you know you have enough? And she realized the answer was never, unless she chose differently. If you recognized yourself in Ichel’s story, you’re not alone. So many ambitious, capable women are drowning in responsibility they think is theirs, exhausting themselves trying to fix everyone, and quietly wondering when they’ll finally get to rest. The truth is, you’re not going to rest by doing more. You’re not going to feel successful by accomplishing more. And you’re not going to feel worthy by working harder to prove your value. You’ll feel it when you finally stop carrying what isn’t yours. When you discern between what’s actually your responsibility and what you’ve taken on because you think being helpful means saving everyone. When you stop trying to eat for other people and let them feed themselves. Ready to stop carrying everyone else’s weight? Book your free Congruency Audit: lisacarpenter.ca/audit Connect with Ichel Francis Website: ichelfrancis.com Instagram: @ichelfrancis Podcast: The Aligned Alchemy Podcast

Why do successful people feel so exhausted? You’ve built something that matters. You’ve proven yourself over and over. But no matter how much you achieve, it never feels like enough. You’re running on fumes, your mind won’t stop racing, and you’re quietly wondering how much longer you can keep this up. If that sounds familiar, this episode is your roadmap into 2026. This is the final episode of 2025, and instead of a typical conversation, Lisa Carpenter reflects on the year of transition that brought Full Frontal Living into its new identity: Congruent. She shares her gratitude for 338 episodes, the evolution of her work, and what’s ahead in 2026. But more importantly, she’s curated five of the most powerful episodes from this year to help you close out 2025 and step into the new year differently. These aren’t just ”best of” picks. They’re the episodes that hit hardest for ambitious, Type A professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs who are tired of success that feels hollow. The ones who are overcommitted, overwhelmed, and ready to stop abandoning themselves in the name of achievement. The 5 Episodes Lisa Wants You to Revisit (Or Discover) for 2026 Episode 322: The 3 Biggest Mistakes People Make Trying to Protect Their Energy Most people think they’re protecting their energy when they’re actually just avoiding the real work. This episode reveals what’s actually draining you and why your current strategy of saying no to everything isn’t solving the problem. You’ll learn the difference between energy protection and energy reclamation, and why boundaries without self-awareness just create new problems. Episode 310: Why You Might Be Addicted to Achievement (And How to Let Peace In Without Slowing Down) This episode is for everyone terrified that slowing down means giving up. Lisa breaks down the difference between healthy ambition and achievement addiction, why ”never enough” keeps you stuck, and how to let peace in without losing your drive. Because rest isn’t the opposite of ambition. It’s what makes sustainable success possible. Episode 282: How to Love and Accept Your Body While Still Wanting to Change It Hating yourself into transformation doesn’t work. This episode teaches you how to hold both compassion for where you are and desire for change at the same time. Lisa walks you through the both/and of body acceptance, why shame keeps you stuck, and how self-compassion is actually the fastest path to sustainable change. Episode 280: The Top Reasons You Fail to Achieve Your Goals This isn’t another goal-setting framework. This episode exposes the hidden patterns sabotaging you before you even start. Lisa reveals why knowing better doesn’t translate to doing better, the role of nervous system regulation in follow-through, and what actually needs to shift for you to stop self-sabotaging. Episode 248: The Key to Freedom: Using Your Power of Choice in Everyday Life Freedom isn’t something that happens when you finally achieve enough. It’s available to you right now. This episode breaks down how to reclaim your power of choice in everyday moments, why you keep giving your power away, and what it takes to start living from agency instead of obligation. Connect with Lisa Website: lisacarpenter.ca Congruency Audit: lisacarpenter.ca/audit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacarpenterinc/ LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lisacarpenterinc Leave a Review 1. Scroll down past the episodes to Ratings & Reviews. 2. Tap Write a Review (it’s easy to miss — purple text on a black screen). 3. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted. 4. Select your star rating, add a title and your review, then tap Send.