S7E24 - How Highly Sensitive People Can Handle Conflict with Confidence with Todd Smith
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
Release Date: 12/02/2025
S8E6 - Why Adults Stop Creating (And How to Start Again) with Hannah Sucsy
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
There's a version of you that used to create without thinking twice about it. Then life happened, and somewhere along the way, you stopped. In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Sucsy, artist, gallery owner, and community art activist, to talk about what it really costs us when we suppress our creativity and what it looks like to take it back. Hannah's story is not a tidy one. She spent over 15 years in a marriage and a religious community that treated creativity as frivolous. She raised four kids, moved across the country, and quietly shelved the part of herself that made art. It wasn't...
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S8E5 - The Unconscious Agreement That Keeps You From Growing
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
You know what to do. So why aren't you doing it? If you've ever asked yourself that question, this episode is going to name something you've felt but probably couldn't explain. In this episode, I'm breaking down two of the most powerful and least talked about patterns I see in women who are trying to grow: loyalty pacts and double binds. These are the unconscious agreements and internal conflicts quietly running underneath your decisions, your identity, and your results. They're not logical problems. They're neurological ones. And once you see them, you can't unsee them. I share a deeply...
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S8E4 - Breaking the Limits That Were Never Yours with Sarah Gonnella
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
In this episode of The Lit Up Life Podcast, I sit down with Sarah Gonnella, founder of BOYBAS (Bring Out Your Badass Self), for a powerful conversation about the limits we inherit and the stories we carry about who we’re supposed to be. Sarah shares pieces of her personal journey and how early life experiences shaped the beliefs she once held about herself, and how questioning those beliefs became the beginning of her personal transformation. One of the things I love about Sarah is her deep curiosity. She has always been someone who asks “why,” and that willingness to question inherited...
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S8E3 - Why Manifestation Slows Down When Your Identity Is Shifting
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
Why does manifestation sometimes feel like it suddenly slows down or stop altogether? In this episode of The Lit Up Life Podcast, I talk about something that almost no one discusses when it comes to manifestation: the identity shift that has to happen before your results show up in the physical world. When your vision expands but your identity has not fully integrated yet, it can feel like nothing is working. In reality, your mind, nervous system, and beliefs are catching up to the version of you who can hold that next level. I share why manifestation delays are often a sign of growth and...
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S8E2 - Leading Through Chaos: How Servant Leadership Creates Real Impact with Mike Bourgeois
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
What if the fastest way to steady your life in uncertain times is to serve someone else? In this episode of The Lit Up Life, I sit down with Mike Bourgeois to talk about servant leadership, volunteerism, and what happens when you choose to give back in seasons that feel chaotic or heavy. Mike shares the stories that shaped him, from Big Brothers Big Sisters to Make-A-Wish, to building a skate park that brought kids together after COVID, and even supporting projects that create sustainable change through access to clean water and resources. This conversation is not about being perfect or...
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S8E1 - The Law of Cause and Effect: Why Clarity Always Comes Before Results
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
What if the reason you are working so hard but not seeing results has nothing to do with effort and everything to do with clarity? In this first episode of Season 8, I break down one of my favorite Universal Laws, the Law of Cause and Effect, and how it quietly shapes every outcome in your life and business. Being busy does not create momentum. Clear intention does. We talk about why vague goals dilute results, how resistance and fear block progress without you realizing it, and why action without alignment often leads to burnout instead of breakthrough. The effect you want matters, but only...
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S7E28 - Creating Calm Before You’re Seen with “Spider” Meka Hemmons
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
What if being seen feels hard because your nervous system doesn’t feel safe yet? In this episode, I sit down with “Spider” Meka Hemmons to explore why visibility can feel tense or overwhelming for so many women, and how that shows up far beyond the camera. We talk about creating calm before being seen, not by fixing how you look, but by shifting how you feel in your body. Meka shares how old messaging, cultural pressure, and constant stimulation shape self-image, and why regulation must come before confidence if real change is going to stick. This conversation is about feeling safe,...
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S7E27 - Burnout in 2026: Why Pushing Harder Isn’t Working
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
Have you ever known exactly what to do, yet felt unable to make yourself do it? I see this pattern everywhere right now. Capable, disciplined people who are not burned out because they are lazy, but because their nervous system, identity, and ambition are no longer aligned. When pushing harder becomes the default response, the body eventually says no, not because you are broken, but because the model no longer works. This kind of burnout is not about motivation. It is about safety, capacity, and the messages your nervous system is responding to beneath your conscious goals. ✔️ Recognize...
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S7E26 - How a Word of the Year & Vision Board Creates Real New Year Momentum
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
What if one word could shape the way you move through the entire year ahead? In this episode, I’m sharing my favorite end-of-year ritual: choosing a Word of the Year and pairing it with a vision board to anchor your focus, your intention, and your emotional tone for the year. Resolutions fade because they rely on force. A word works because it connects with your subconscious, your nervous system, and the version of you you're becoming. You’ll hear why this practice interrupts old patterns, strengthens the neural pathways you want to grow, and helps you filter decisions through a clearer,...
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S7E25 - Big Juicy Goals That Stick: Emotion, Identity and the Subconscious at Work
The Lit Up Life with Debbie Heiser
What if the goals you're setting aren’t actually big enough to activate the version of you who can achieve them? In this episode, I’m breaking down big juicy goals and why the goals that actually change your life can’t come from logic alone. They have to be felt, embodied, and rooted in the identity of the version of you who already has them. When you understand the neuroscience and subconscious patterns behind your behavior, goal setting becomes aligned and sustainable. You’ll hear how emotion activates the subconscious mind, why embodiment creates belief, and how universal laws...
info_outlineDo you ever feel like conflict hits you harder than it hits other people?
If you’re a highly sensitive person, there’s a good chance your nervous system processes stress, emotion and tension more intensely. In this episode, I’m joined by Todd Smith, a stress management expert for highly sensitive people, to explore why conflict feels overwhelming and how to approach it with confidence instead of avoidance.
Todd shares what it really means to be a highly sensitive person and why traits like empathy, depth of processing and emotional awareness can make everyday interactions feel heavier. We talk about the inner work required to stay grounded, how to strengthen your sense of self, and why building harmony within lets you step into conflict without losing your center.
☑️ Learn what defines a highly sensitive person and why it matters
☑️ Explore why conflict feels bigger for HSPs and how to stay steady
☑️ Hear Todd’s process for shifting from avoidance to confident communication
Your sensitivity is not a weakness. It is a powerful source of clarity and intuition when you understand how to work with it. If this episode resonates, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a conversation inside Lead Your Life.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Todd Smith
01:00 What It Means to Be a Highly Sensitive Person
03:00 Stress, Overwhelm and Emotional Processing in HSPs
05:00 Todd’s Inner Work Journey, Meditation and The Work
08:00 Morning Routines and Grounding Practices for HSPs
10:00 Why Conflict Feels Intense for Highly Sensitive People
12:00 From Avoiding Conflict to Confident Communication
15:00 Self Esteem, Inner Stability and Navigating Relationships
Meet Todd Smith
Todd Smith is the creator of one of the most popular podcasts for Highly Sensitive People. He’s helped hundreds of HSPs break free from chronic stress and emotional overload using a powerful inquiry-based process that brings lasting peace—without needing the world around you to change.
Connect with Todd
https://www.youtube.com/@hspcoachtodd
https://www.instagram.com/hspcoachtodd/
https://www.facebook.com/HSPStressManagement/
https://www.tiktok.com/@hspcoachtodd
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hspcoachtodd/
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