Ignite Your Extraordinary

10/15/2026

How to break the cycle of perfectionism before passing it to your daughters 💔✨

So many of us carry a silent narrative that we have to be completely flawless and never show a single mistake.

We secretly fear that if we reveal our errors, we'll be rejected or seen as less lovable.

Here is what happens when we look closely at where that pressure comes from:

🤍 It starts with ubiquitous childhood messaging that tells us mistakes aren't safe.

🚫 It creates an internal rule that we must never show flaws or errors.

💔 If left unchecked, we inadvertently pass that same generational trauma down to our daughters.

✨ True freedom begins when we stop carrying the need to be flawless. 

On The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast with Rita Ernst—your go-to personal growth podcast and self-development podcast—we dig into how to dismantle these internal stories before they get passed on.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by the need to be flawless, this episode reveals what it really takes to break free.

Head to the link in bio to stream on Spotify, Apple, Audible, or YouTube 🎧

Share to your story if this resonates! Be sure to check the episode description to grab the complimentary episode activation guide and reset your imposter syndrome narrative.

10/13/2026

Overcoming the Invisible Stigma: How Teacher Yvette Leal Turned a Bipolar Diagnosis Into Her Greatest Strength

After ten years in the classroom, Yvette received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Fearing she would lose her job, her house, and custody of her child, she battled deep depression and imposter syndrome while searching online for a single story of an educator who made it through. When she found none, Yvette chose to become the beacon of hope she needed.

Yvette shares how she silenced her internal self-limiting beliefs, earned her Master's degree, and transformed a daunting diagnosis into a powerful gift of strength.

Learn how to overcome imposter syndrome, dismantle self-limiting beliefs, and reclaim your professional purpose after a life crisis.

Share your support, insights, and personal stories with fellow attendees in the live comment stream and connect with a network of professional women and advocates passionate about mental health awareness in leadership.

� New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! �

10/12/2026

How to find the hidden opportunity in your hardest seasons 🕊️✨

On the latest episode of The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast with Rita Ernst, my guest Bubba shared how changing his internal story transformed his entire future.

Here is the perspective shift every woman needs when facing a hard chapter:

💡 Stop viewing hard seasons as mere punishment and start looking for the hidden opportunity hiding inside.

🛠️ True personal transformation comes from making consistent daily choices to use whatever tools are in front of you.

✨  When you change your narrative, even your darkest season can lead you to your trade, your purpose, and your future happiness. 

If you’re searching for a personal growth podcast or self-improvement podcast that brings real depth and inspiration to your feed, you'll love this episode 🎧.

Click the link in bio to listen now on Spotify, Apple, Audible, or YouTube! Share to your story if this resonates 📲.

Be sure to check the episode description to grab the complimentary episode activation guide if you are ready to stop fleeing and claim the life you want.

10/09/2026

10/06/2026

Are you running from a challenge that feels too monumental to face?

We live so much of our lives inside our own heads, dictated by an invisible, ongoing internal monologue. Too often, when the pressure mounts, our default, automatic coping mechanism is to flee—whether we physically run, emotionally check out, or abandon our own futures.

Join host Rita Ernst for an unfiltered, live-recorded episode of The Story I'm Telling Myself, featuring digital broadcaster, Bubba Startz.

At 28, Bubba was living a high-stakes double life that eventually forced him to flee across the border. He found himself living on dirt floors in Mexico, evading prosecution, and facing a downward spiral of substance abuse and local police shake-ups. But his ultimate turning point didn't happen behind prison bars; it happened in a single, instantaneous moment in front of a mirror.

In this live session, Bubba reveals the exact mindset shift required to stop running, face the consequences, and give yourself radical permission to build a completely new life. This is a raw story of survival, prison redemption, and the courage it takes to break toxic family cycles for the next generation.

Join the Live recording

� New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! �

10/02/2026

People-pleasing isn’t a choice, it’s a fear response.🚩

It’s so easy to slip into default people-pleasing when we are afraid of what others might think.

We put on a brave face, put everyone else's needs first, and whisper to ourselves, "I'll just deal with it later."

Here is what is really happening behind that pattern: 

😨 Stories fueled by fear: Fearing job loss, judgment, or being seen as weak. 

🎭 People-pleasing overdrive: Prioritizing making others comfortable over your own well-being. 

⏳ The "suck it up" trap: Pushing your own needs aside and telling yourself you'll deal with it later. 

🪞 Rewriting the story: Learning to stop sacrificing yourself for other people's comfort.

On The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast with Rita Ernst, we get radically honest about why we abandon ourselves to keep the peace.

If you need a personal transformation podcast or self-development podcast that empowers you to drop the fear and honor your boundaries, tune into the full episode. There's a vital realization inside that will change how you treat your own needs forever. 💫

Link in bio to listen on Spotify, Apple, Audible, or YouTube! Share to your story if this resonates. 🤍

Be sure to check the episode description to grab the complimentary episode activation guide and accelerate integrating these valuable insights into your life.

10/01/2026

"Fake It Till You Make It" IS Secretly Draining Your Energy? 🎭

We’ve all been told to "fake it till you make it" when things get tough. But what if that popular phrase is actually the ultimate poster child for presenteeism?

When we are struggling—especially with grief—we default to showing up every single day and doing it a million times, pretending we are fine when our tank is completely empty.

Here is what really happens when we rely on "faking it": 

🎭 The Presenteeism Trap: Using "fake it till you make it" as an excuse to ignore our true capacity. 

🔄 The Exhausting Loop: Showing up every day and forcing ourselves through the motions a million times over. 

💔 Unseen Grief: Forcing ourselves to look fine while carrying heavy personal loss at work. 

✨ A Better Way: Choosing real self-compassion over fake productivity.

On The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast, we dismantle the myth of "faking it" and share how to cultivate genuine personal growth.

If you are craving a personal transformation podcast or positivity podcast that empowers you to stop masking and honor your true self, tune into the full episode! There is a vital perspective shift inside that will change how you view your daily energy 💫

Head to the link in bio to listen on Spotify, Apple, Audible, or YouTube! Share to your story if this resonates 🕊️

Be sure to check the episode description to grab the complimentary episode activation guide and accelerate integrating these valuable insights into your life.

09/29/2026

Navigating Workplace Grief, Burnout, and the Invisible Crisis of Presenteeism

Standard bereavement leave at most companies wraps up after just one or two weeks. But when you are dealing with a profound loss—whether it is the death of a spouse, a broken relationship, financial strain, or the loss of a beloved pet—your cognitive and emotional capacity doesn't magically reset when the leave ends. Instead, you are left sitting at your desk looking "employable" on the outside, while functioning at a fraction of your capacity on the inside.

This is the invisible crisis of presenteeism. It is the gap between a rigid, pre-crisis job description and your actual daily energy.

Join host Rita Ernst and workplace advocate Tabby Kerwin as we explore how personal grief intersects with the broader, systemic challenge of presenteeism in our modern work culture. Together, we will challenge the "always-on" grind and look at how leaders and individuals can co-create a workplace designed for real human capacity.

� New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! �

09/28/2026

Stop Paving Over Problems and Start Asking Better Questions ✨

How many times a day do you catch yourself jumping in with advice before the other person even finishes their sentence? 🙈

We’ve all been conditioned to be the person with the "right answer".

But when you rush to give solutions, you miss the deeper story happening underneath the surface.

In this clip, we break down why pausing your advice reflex is the ultimate power move:

🌿 Pause the Reflex: Catch yourself before blurting out what you know, and choose curiosity instead.
🔍 Look Underneath: Ask generative, non-confrontational questions that create true connection.
🧠 Future-Proof Your Humanity: In the age of AI, critical thinking is our greatest human superpower.
🌊 Be the Ripple: When you normalize asking better questions, your entire team shifts with you.

Ready to stop paving over moments and start creating expansive growth? 💡

Tap the link in bio to stream on Spotify, Apple, Audible, or YouTube!

Tune into The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast with Rita Ernst—your essential personal transformation podcast, self-development podcast, and positivity podcast for real human growth.

Be sure to check the episode description to grab the complimentary episode activation guide and accelerate integrating these valuable insights into your life.

Share to your story if this resonates! 🔄