Episode 50: The Courage to Walk Away from What Isn't Working

What does it take to walk away from something that looks successful on paper but is costing you your well-being? In this episode of Courage Is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Two, Embody Again, and welcomes leadership consultant and author Amy Leneker for a conversation about setting boundaries, honoring your values, and finding the courage to care for yourself even when the decision feels difficult. Amy shares a recent moment of courage when she decided to end a significant client contract because the working relationship was no longer healthy for her or her team. Despite the financial uncertainty of walking away from a large contract as a small business owner, Amy recognized that staying was going against her values. She and Justine explore the warning signs that something is not working, the fear that comes with making a change, and why choosing courage can feel so good on the other side. Together, they discuss what it looks like to practice boundaries in everyday life, especially when work involves travel, speaking, and serving others. Amy shares how she has learned to protect her time and energy, communicate what she needs, and model healthy boundaries for her clients. They also talk about the pull of comparison, the exhaustion of people pleasing, and how easy it can be to chase approval instead of staying grounded in your own values. Amy reflects on the unexpected vulnerability of publishing her first book, Cheers to Monday, and learning to release herself from the outcome once her work was out in the world. She and Justine discuss receiving criticism, staying open to feedback without allowing it to define you, and recognizing the difference between feedback that can help you grow and feedback you do not need to carry. The conversation closes with Amy sharing how her family has navigated grief after losing her father-in-law and how she is intentionally choosing rest and slowness. From changing family plans to spending a day alone at the ocean, Amy reminds us that caring for ourselves sometimes means giving ourselves permission to step away from what we think we should be doing. 🔔 Subscribe for more at    / @justinefroelker   ✍️ Read the full show notes at https://justinefroelker.com/blog/ Key Takeaways ▪️Pathway Two, Embody Again, is about caring for ourselves through everyday practices, boundaries, and asking for what we want and need. ▪️Walking away from a working relationship that violates your values can be an act of courage, even when the financial stakes are high. ▪️ Recognizing warning signs and honoring agreements and boundaries can help you know when something is no longer working. ▪️ Courage may never feel automatic, but practicing it can help you become more comfortable making difficult decisions. ▪️Gathering with others in person can create a kind of connection that is difficult to recreate virtually. ▪️ Caring for yourself while traveling and working requires intentional boundaries around your time, energy, and needs. ▪️Modeling boundaries for others can help show that asking for what you need is possible without guilt. ▪️People pleasing and comparison can pull you away from your values and leave you exhausted and resentful. ▪️Publishing something meaningful requires vulnerability, including learning to be proud of your work without controlling how others receive it. ▪️ Receiving feedback well means staying curious and open to growth without allowing every criticism to define you. ▪️ Grief can change your priorities and create a need for more rest, slowness, and time together. ▪️ Sometimes caring for yourself means letting go of what you think you should do and choosing what you actually need. About Justine Author, Speaker, and Corporate Trainer of Courage Full of grit and grace, Justine Froelker uses her fiery passion, her story, and the occasional curse word to empower others to show up as their whole selves in their life and work. Links 🔊 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kHeLUA... 🔊 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Learn more at https://justinefroelker.com Chapters 00:00 Cutting a Toxic Contract 00:40 Podcast Welcome and Format 01:55 Pathway Two Embody Again 02:27 Meet Guest Amy Linnaker 03:40 Firing the Mean Girl 04:40 Warning Signs and Values 07:41 Fear Versus Armor 08:24 Courage Muscle Gets Stronger 10:44 Why In Person Gathering Matters 14:24 Baseline Self Care Boundaries 15:21 Travel Boundaries That Work 16:38 Modeling Boundaries for Clients 18:08 Learning Boundaries in Training 18:54 Boundaries Without Guilt 19:39 Speaker Life Self Care 20:30 Authenticity And Comparison 21:53 Recovering People Pleaser 23:30 Tap Dancing For Approval 24:32 Courage Of Publishing 26:13 Handling Reviews And Critique 29:19 Feedback Triggers Framework 30:09 Choosing Rest In Grief 32:21 Connect And Closing