Libsyn Directory

347: Unfolded - How to Believe in Yourself and Your Ability to Fly

Release Date: 12/22/2025

347: Unfolded - How to Believe in Yourself and Your Ability to Fly

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather welcomes authors, leadership consultants, and husband and wife team Dr. Linda Schubring and Brian Schubring to explore the deeper meaning of identity, transformation, and trusting your inner map. Together, they discuss their bestselling book Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane, a powerful allegory that invites readers to rediscover their inner wisdom and reshape how they show up in the world. Through stories of leadership coaching, personal reflection, and creative collaboration, Heather, Linda, and Brian unpack how uncertainty, change, and...

346: The New Power Pose-and How to Use It to Win

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather invites you to rethink everything you’ve been taught about power poses, confidence, and presence. While the classic “hands-on-hips” stance is often linked to authority, this episode reveals a far more effective and far more compassionate power move: simply sitting down. Drawing from real experiences in leadership, advocacy, and high-stakes conversations, Heather shares how lowering yourself to someone else’s level can transform interactions, build trust, and leave a lasting impact. From courtroom moments to everyday leadership lessons, you’ll see why...

345: How to Avoid Being Scammed by AI, Other, and Yourself

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather Hansen breaks down one of the most important skills we all need in a world shaped by rapid information, social media trends, artificial intelligence, and constant noise: the ability to avoid being fooled, misled, or scammed. As a trial attorney who spent decades cross-examining witnesses and uncovering the truth, Heather Hansen shares a simple but powerful four-part process you can use to stay discerning, think critically, and protect yourself from false ideas, misleading content, and even your own unexamined thoughts. Whether it is viral AI clips, trending online...

344: How to Show Compassion

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather Hansen explores one of the most powerful tools we have for connection, credibility, and healing: compassion. Drawing from research, courtroom experience, and two decades defending healthcare providers, Heather Hansen breaks down the real meaning of compassion and the specific actions that genuinely make people feel seen, heard, and supported. She also shares new insights from recent medical research on how compassion improves patient outcomes, reduces burnout for healthcare providers, and strengthens every relationship in your life. Whether you are a leader,...

343: Speak Up with Judge Rosemarie Aquilina

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather Hansen sits down with her good friend and returning guest, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Michigan judge, author, and trailblazer best known for presiding over the Larry Nassar USA Gymnastics case. Together, they dive into Judge Aquilina’s newest book, Speak Up: Lessons in Trusting Your Instincts, and unpack what it truly means to embrace your voice, conquer fear, and stand in your self-worth. Drawing from her decades on the bench, her time in the military, and her role as a mentor for women, Rosemarie shares how we can turn fear into fuel, failure into wisdom, and...

342: The Secret Formula to Being a Successful Negotiator-Ambition + Empathy with John Lowry

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather sits down with John Lowry, lawyer, negotiation coach, and author of Negotiation Made Simple, to uncover what it really takes to become a confident, effective negotiator. John’s experience as a professor at Pepperdine University’s renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, CEO of The Lowry Group, and consultant to major organizations gives him a unique lens into the psychology and strategy behind every great deal. Together, Heather and John explore how mastering negotiation isn’t just about tactics; it’s about managing yourself, understanding others,...

341: Designing Your Home and Your Life. How to Use Design Principles to Get What You Want

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather sits down with award-winning interior designer Manuella Moreira, founder of Manuella Moreira Interiors, to talk about what it really means to advocate for yourself in business, creativity, and life. From her leap of faith leaving a stable job to launching her own design studio, to building a media presence with features in Forbes, The New York Times, and Architectural Digest, Manuella shares how trusting your intuition and showing up with courage can open the doors you’ve been waiting for. Together, Heather and Manuella explore how self-advocacy, boundaries, and...

340: How to Advocate for Yourself at Work. Step 3-Master the Ask

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather wraps up her three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work and this one’s all about the magic moment: mastering the art of the ask. If you’ve ever hesitated to ask for what you want because you weren’t sure how to do it gracefully, persuasively, or confidently, this episode is for you. Heather breaks down what true charisma really means (it’s not about being flashy or loud!) and how you can use empathy, storytelling, and the right tone to inspire others to say yes. With powerful stories, evidence-based research, and step-by-step guidance,...

339: How to Advocate for Yourself at Work. Step 2-Ask for What You Want Out Loud and With Delight

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In this second episode of Heather’s three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work, she dives into one of the most transformative steps: asking for what you want out loud and with delight. Building on the foundation from Part 1 (“Know What You Want”), Heather explores why choice and energy are everything when it comes to advocating effectively. Asking for what you want isn’t just about words—it’s about how you feel when you ask. From her years as a trial attorney to her experience coaching clients, Heather reveals how shifting your beliefs can transform your results,...

338: How to Advocate for Yourself at Work-the 3 Steps that Work. Step 1-Know What You Want

The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today’s episode, Heather kicks off a special three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work, whether you’re seeking a raise, a promotion, or a new opportunity. Advocacy isn’t just about asking, it’s about asking in a way that makes you likely to get it. This first episode focuses on the foundation of self-advocacy: knowing what you want. Heather shares how clarity, specificity, and the courage to want what you want can completely change the way you approach your goals. Through real client stories and practical tools, she reveals why defining what you want is the key to...

More Episodes

Through stories of leadership coaching, personal reflection, and creative collaboration, Heather, Linda, and Brian unpack how uncertainty, change, and self doubt can become catalysts for growth. This conversation is a reminder that your experiences have already shaped the map you need, and that unfolding your potential is both an internal journey and a shared one.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why the Map Is Already Inside You
How your past experiences hold the answers for where you are meant to go next.
Transformation Is a Choice
Why the shape you are in today does not have to be the shape you stay in.
The Power of Community in Growth
How different voices, including critical ones, help shape who we become.
Reflection and Action Must Coexist
Why introspection without action leads to paralysis and action without reflection leads to burnout.
Creating a Practice That Is Truly Yours
How journaling, meditation, and reflection work best when tailored to your own needs.
Navigating Noise and Distraction
Why stepping away from constant external input helps you reconnect with your inner voice.
Wisdom Across Generations
How mentors, inner dialogue, and lived experience guide transformation at every stage of life.

In this episode:
[00:00] Introducing Dr. Linda and Brian Schubring and their book Unfolded
[02:00] The origin story behind the origami crane allegory
[04:18] Anchoring certainty within during times of uncertainty
[06:37] Agency, reshaping identity, and choosing how you show up
[08:57] The role of community, inner voices, and leadership teams
[11:19] Reflection versus action and why both matter
[13:40] Meditation, journaling, and intentional pauses
[18:14] Listening to your inner voice amid constant noise
[22:55] Wisdom, mentors, and being the owl for others
[27:36] Writing together, creative process, and collaboration
[33:31] A closing meditation on trust, courage, and taking flight

Resources and Links:

📘 Book: Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane
Discover a powerful allegory about identity, growth, and transformation.

🌐 Website: Leadership Vision Consulting
Learn more about Dr. Linda Schubring and Brian Schubring’s leadership and organizational work.

Connect with Heather:

The Elegant Warrior Podcast and content posted by Heather Hansen is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

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