Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes
A quick morning reset for leaders doing work that matters. Each episode helps you quiet the noise, get grounded, and move forward with confidence, even when fear or doubt show up. Hosted by Melissa Agnes, international keynote speaker, TEDx alumna, bestselling author, and founder of Crisis Ready Institute. For over 15 years, Melissa has helped leaders stay clear and steady in moments that matter. Now she brings that same grounded support to purpose-driven leaders who are stepping into bigger work and want to lead with conviction and trust in themselves and their mission. Every weekday, Melissa goes live on Instagram and LinkedIn with "Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes", then brings those recordings here so you can start your day grounded, steady, and ready. What to expect in each episode: - One bold TRUTH to help you remember what matters (especially when the world gets loud) - One short grounding drop-in to help you start your day centered, aligned, and regulated. Press play in the morning, come back anytime you need a reset, and share this with a leader who could use a steadier start to their day.
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You’re Allowed to Feel Good (Even When Life Is Heavy)
02/06/2026
You’re Allowed to Feel Good (Even When Life Is Heavy)
You are allowed to feel good—even in moments of doubt, fear, uncertainty, anxiety, stress... And when these lower frequency emotions show up, “feeling good” is always a breath and a choice away. Follow on LinkedIn: ASK: Please share this with another leader who would benefit.
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The Powerful Benefits of Zero-Judgment Leadership
02/05/2026
The Powerful Benefits of Zero-Judgment Leadership
What if judgment is quietly costing you your steadiness, your compassion, and your leadership power? In this episode, Melissa explores what “zero judgment” can look like—toward others and toward yourself—without giving up boundaries, discernment, or standards. You’ll also be guided through a grounding breath-based drop-in to return to coherence, clarity, and self-trust. This episode explores: Why judgment often becomes self-righteousness and reduces empathy How to disapprove without judging (keep boundaries, drop superiority) The difference between selecting and judging in leadership and relationships How judgment wastes time + energy and pulls you out of your highest self A grounding drop-in to build awareness + coherence in real time Join Melissa Live each weekday morning at 9am EST for the live recording of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes on Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow on Instagram: Follow on LinkedIn: Resources referenced in the episode Book: Atlas of the Heart, by Brené Brown Quote: “The self-righteous scream judgments against others to hide the noise of skeletons dancing in their own closets.” — John Mark Green Quote (comment shared live by a viewer): “Judge not that you be judged.” — Matthew 7:1
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When You Encounter Hatred: Transmuting Hate Into Something Life-Giving
02/04/2026
When You Encounter Hatred: Transmuting Hate Into Something Life-Giving
There’s a lot of hatred in our world right now, and many mission-driven leaders feel unsure about how to meet it. In this episode, Melissa names that reality and then takes you somewhere steadier: understanding hatred as an emotion, as an energy, and as a choice—so you can meet it without wobbling, counter it with coherence, and be stronger than it. This episode explores: What hatred is made of and how it works Why hatred can intensify when there’s distance and “ideological bunkers” How “common enemy intimacy” creates counterfeit belonging Why understanding hatred matters if you want to lead through it How to interrupt the current of hate so you don’t carry it forward A heart-opening drop-in to practice meeting fear with love—safely and powerfully Join Melissa Live each weekday morning at 9am EST for the live recording of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes on Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow on Instagram: Follow on LinkedIn: Resources referenced in the episode: Book: "Atlas of the Heart," by Brené Brown Research paper: "Why We Hate," by Agneta Fischer, Eran Halperin, Daphna Canetti, and Alba Jasini Researcher/Reference: Robert Sternberg
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Failure Is a Choice: The Difference Between Temporary Defeat and Failure
02/03/2026
Failure Is a Choice: The Difference Between Temporary Defeat and Failure
In today’s Morning Lives, Melissa reframes success as an upward spiral — not a straight line — and invites leaders to stop interpreting “backwards” moments as failure. You’ll learn the difference between temporary defeat and failure, how to use setbacks as information and insight, and how to return to steadiness through breath and heart-focused coherence. This episode includes a guided drop-in to help the truth land in your body: your next win may be closer than you think. This episode explores: • Why real growth and success move in spirals (progress + wobble + return) • How to distinguish temporary defeat (data) from failure (a choice to stop) • A practical reframe: extract the “seed of equivalent advantage” from setbacks • How to course-correct without shame when old patterns reappear • A breath + heart-focused drop-in to restore coherence, hope, and forward momentum Join Melissa Live each weekday morning at 9am EST for the live recording of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes on Instagram and LinkedIn. Instagram: LinkedIn: Resources referenced in the episode: Book: "Outwitting the Devil: The Secrets to Freedom and Success," by Napoleon Hill Research/Reference: HeartMath Institute — heart-focused breathing/coherence context Proverb: “The temptation to give up is greatest right before you’re about to succeed.” — Chinese proverb (as shared in-session)
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Feeling Powerless About the World Right Now? You’re Not. Here's How To Reclaim Your Power.
02/02/2026
Feeling Powerless About the World Right Now? You’re Not. Here's How To Reclaim Your Power.
A lot of people are watching what’s happening in the world and thinking: “I’m just one person. I can’t change this. I can’t make an impact.” In today’s Morning Live, Melissa Agnes delivers the message you need to hear clearly: You are not powerless. Here’s the truth: you can’t fight fear with fear—just like you can’t fight darkness with darkness. The only thing that overcomes fear is love (love-based emotions like gratitude, joy, excitement, excitement). Not as a “nice idea,” but as a real leadership choice that changes what you create and what you amplify in the world. From there, Melissa leads a 10-minute grounding drop-in to help you shift out of fear-based spirals and back into coherence—so you can lead your day from truth and true inner power. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why feeling “powerless” is the most dangerous lie fear tells you The two energies driving every emotional state: fear vs love How to stop feeding fear (without guilt, shame, or pretending you’re fine) The exact practice to reclaim your power Why choosing love-based energy is not selfish—in fact, it’s one of the most selfless contributions you can make right now If you’ve been feeling heavy, overwhelmed, or like the world is too big for you… press play. This is how you come back to your power. Join Melissa live Monday through Friday at 9am ET on Instagram + LinkedIn. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaagnes/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaagnes/ Resources referenced in this episode: Book: "The Seat of the Soul," by Gary Zukav Book: "Outwitting the Devil," by Napoleon Hill
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How to Process Your Emotions Healthily In 90 Seconds
01/30/2026
How to Process Your Emotions Healthily In 90 Seconds
Have you ever felt an emotion so intense—anger, sadness, fear, overwhelm—that it felt like it might swallow you whole? And then you judged yourself for feeling it… or tried to push it down… or got stuck replaying the story in your mind? In today’s Morning Live with Melissa Agnes, you’ll learn a simple, powerful way to process emotions healthily in real time—without suppressing them, without spiraling, and without making the emotion your identity. Melissa explores a research-based idea often attributed to Harvard-trained brain scientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor: when we notice an emotion and allow it to be present (instead of resisting it or feeding it with story), the chemical wave of that emotion can move through the body in about 90 seconds. After that, what often keeps the emotion alive isn’t the emotion itself—it’s the thought loop that re-stimulates it. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Stop labeling emotions as “good” or “bad” (emotion is simply energy in motion) Name what you feel without judgment—and why labeling helps you regulate Witness the sensation of emotion without attaching to the story Use breath to create safety and come back to the body (in through the nose, out through the mouth) “Titrate” intensity so you don’t overwhelm your nervous system Let an emotion pass through—then consciously choose what you want to feel next Use as a bridge back to steadiness and higher emotional states Guided grounding included This episode includes a grounding “drop-in” practice to help you settle into your body, open the heart space, safely access an emotion, and witness it moving through. Listen when: you’re feeling emotionally charged, stuck in a loop, or you want a simple tool you can return to again and again. If you know someone who would benefit from this practice, please share this episode with them. Join Melissa Live each weekday morning at 9am EST for the live recording of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes on Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaagnes/ Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaagnes/
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Possibility vs. Probability: The Leadership Reframe That Changes Everything
01/29/2026
Possibility vs. Probability: The Leadership Reframe That Changes Everything
Today’s episode explores possibility vs. probability, and why mission-driven leaders can’t afford to live only by what the past suggests is “realistic.” Melissa shares a grounded leadership reframe (anchored in science, belief, and focus) and then guides a heart-centered drop-in to help you feel your mission as possible—right now—so you can lead your day with more resonance, coherence, and conviction. This episode explores: How probability thinking keeps people looping in “this is just how it is” How possibility leadership reclaims choice, agency, and meaningful change How the question “What if?” can soften disbelief and open new internal access points How attention + belief shape what you create next (personally and collectively) A heart-based drop-in to support calm, coherence, and renewed conviction Join Melissa Live each weekday morning at 9am EST for the live recording of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes on Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaagnes/ Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaagnes/
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Stop Blaming, Start Understanding: Curiosity as a Leadership Superpower
01/28/2026
Stop Blaming, Start Understanding: Curiosity as a Leadership Superpower
In this episode, Melissa shares a morning leadership reminder inspired by Napoleon Hill: there is no problem without an appropriate solution, and often, the solution is found by getting curious about the circumstances that created the problem in the first place. This is not an invitation to blame. It’s a call to open curiosity and radical self-ownership—so you can access clearer thinking, deeper self-connection, and more creative solutions. The episode closes with a grounding breathwork drop-in to help you regulate and return to your calm, clear, most expansive self. This episode explores: Why blame, guilt, shame, and judgment are fear-based reactions that narrow your thinking and keep you stuck. A powerful reminder from Napoleon Hill (Outwitting the Devil): "there is no problem which does not have an appropriate solution, and that solution often can be found in the circumstance creating the problem." How to shift from reaction to open curiosity (without judgment) so you can access deeper understanding and better solutions. What radical self-ownership actually looks like in real time: turning “I’m triggered” into self-inquiry and self-leadership. A short grounding breathwork reset to return to calm, clarity, and creative problem-solving. Reminder: Join Melissa live every weekday at 9am Eastern on IG + LinkedIn. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: Follow Melissa on Instagram: Referenced / resources Napoleon Hill, Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success (quote referenced).
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The Real Remedy for Overwhelm: Stillness
01/27/2026
The Real Remedy for Overwhelm: Stillness
Overwhelm isn’t a sign you need to work harder. It’s an extreme stress state, and when it hits, your nervous system (and your clarity) can get overridden fast. In today’s episode, Melissa breaks down the common misbelief: that tackling your to-do list is the cure to feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelm can create the feeling that you’re losing control, so the mind reaches for “do more” to feel safer. But in a heightened stress state, your capacity for clear, creative, grounded decision-making can drop. The most powerful move is often the most countercultural one: step away, get still, and re-regulate before doing. From there, we move into a 10-minute drop-in (simple breath + body awareness) to help you come back into coherence—so you can lead your day from steadiness, insight, and alignment. This episode explores: What overwhelm actually is (and why it can feel paralyzing) Why “doing more” can backfire when you’re dysregulated Stillness as a leadership tool (not a luxury) A simple breath pathway to return to calm and clarity How regulated leaders help others regulate, too Reminder: Join Melissa live every weekday at 9am Eastern on IG + LinkedIn. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: Follow Melissa on Instagram: Resources and quotes mentioned: Book: "Atlas of the Heart," by Brené Brown (Highly, highly recommended resource for all mission-driven leaders) Quote: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” — Viktor E. Frankl
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You Can’t Lead From Stress: Returning to Coherence
01/26/2026
You Can’t Lead From Stress: Returning to Coherence
Learn the practice of choosing calm, even when the world Isn’t. When the collective feels chaotic, it’s easy to slip into stress, fear, and overwhelm. But you can’t lead from survival mode—and you don’t have to stay there. Today is your reminder: calm, clarity, and alignment are always available to you. In this Morning Live, I share a grounded truth for mission-driven leaders: fear and anxiety hijack clear thinking when we’re locked into the “brain brain.” When we return to the body, we regain access to steadiness, creativity, and wise action. We then do an extended grounding drop-in designed to help you regulate your nervous system, return to coherence, and step back into your day from wholeness (not fragments of fear). This episode explores: Why stress shuts down executive function and clarity The agency you have to choose alignment—even in uncertainty A simple heart-to-belly breath practice for regulation A “space awareness” layer that helps interrupt the stress loop Leading by co-regulation: how your steadiness supports others Join me live weekdays at 9am ET on LinkedIn + Instagram. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram (link:
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If You Feel Guilty Setting Boundaries, Listen to This
01/25/2026
If You Feel Guilty Setting Boundaries, Listen to This
Boundaries aren’t selfish. They’re self-respect. And when you honor them, you’re not letting people down… you’re teaching them how to treat you. In this Morning Live, Melissa explores why so many of us struggle to set boundaries (especially the overachiever / people-pleaser patterns), and how self-resourcing is actually a leadership strategy. When you listen to your body, protect your energy, and choose spaciousness, you don’t lose momentum — you create clarity and coherence. Melissa also shares a powerful permission: everyone is figuring it out as they go — which means you’re allowed to build your rules in alignment with what’s true for you. Then we move into a short grounding (a guided drop-in) designed to help you shift out of mental clutter and fear, and back into your body’s wisdom. This episode explores: Why boundaries can feel “mean” (and why that’s not the truth) How boundaries model self-respect and teach others what’s okay Listening to the body as a form of clarity and leadership A 10-minute grounding to reconnect to calm, coherence, and truth Why your “reset” is always a breath away Join live every weekday at 9am Eastern on IG + LinkedIn. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram (link: )
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When You Wake Up Feeling Lack: How to Shift Back Into Wholeness
01/22/2026
When You Wake Up Feeling Lack: How to Shift Back Into Wholeness
To feel lack is human. It’s also not the place where your clearest leadership and most powerful creation happens. In this Morning Live, Melissa shares what to do when you wake up feeling lack: how to meet it without shame, and how to shift back into wholeness using a simple “toolkit” of practices. As always, this episode includes a grounding drop-in breath practice (please don’t do this while driving!). Today’s message: Lack creates more lack. Wholeness creates more wholeness. If you want to lead with steadiness, clarity, and resonance, the work is not to suppress what you feel, but to meet it and then choose differently. In this episode, we explore: What “lack” actually is (and why it can feel so persuasive) Why longing and craving can widen the gap you’re trying to close The difference between bypassing vs meeting what you feel How to build a personal toolkit that helps you shift your state A grounding drop-in to guide you back to wholeness Resources mentioned: - Book: "Abundance Ever After," by Cathy Heller: https://www.amazon.com/Abundant-Ever-After-Creating-Prosperity/dp/1668022397/ - Your Wholeness “Toolkit” examples: journaling, meditation, movement, music, nature, inspiring books/podcasts - DJ Smalls dance mix: These sessions are recorded live on LinkedIn and Instagram, every weekday morning at 9am eastern. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn to join live (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram to join live (link: )
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Choose Your Thoughts: The Fastest Way to Stop Fear/Doubt and Stay on Purpose
01/21/2026
Choose Your Thoughts: The Fastest Way to Stop Fear/Doubt and Stay on Purpose
Fear is fast. Doubt is persuasive. And mission-driven leaders can't afford to be susceptible to drifting off purpose when fear-based thoughts take over. In this Morning Live, Melissa Agnes shares why your thoughts matter so deeply—and how to reclaim agency when doubt, imposter syndrome, or fear start to creep in. Inside this episode: Why fear takes over quickly (often unconsciously) How fear-based thoughts pull you off mission and into “drift” A practical way to respond to doubt without feeding it Why pairing belief with the feeling of success changes everything A guided drop-in to help you anchor into your vision and breathe life into your mission These sessions are recorded live on LinkedIn and Instagram, every weekday morning at 9am eastern. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn to join live (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram to join live (link: )
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Equanimity for Leaders: Stay Calm, Open-Hearted, and Steady in Any Situation
01/20/2026
Equanimity for Leaders: Stay Calm, Open-Hearted, and Steady in Any Situation
Equanimity is the liberating skill of staying calm, balanced, and open-hearted, no matter what is happening around you. In this Morning Live, Melissa Agnes breaks equanimity down in simple terms and shows you how to practice it in real time, using your breath and self-leadership. You will hear: What equanimity is, and why it changes how you lead Why breath is your fastest pathway back to steadiness A self-leadership question to use when something external triggers you The four attitudes of equanimity: gratitude, forgiveness, acceptance, hope A guided grounding drop-in to help you return to calm and inner stability If you are doing work that matters and you want a steadier inner state as you lead, this episode is for you. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram (link: )
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The Real Reason You Want To Achieve Your Goals (And How to Feel It Now)
01/19/2026
The Real Reason You Want To Achieve Your Goals (And How to Feel It Now)
What you crave isn't the actual achievement of your goals. What you actually crave is the feeling you believe you’ll FEEL when you achieve your goals. In today’s Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes, we explore a simple shift that changes how you lead your week: you don’t have to wait for the milestone, the outcome, or the “someday” to feel the feelings you’re chasing. You can choose them now, on purpose, and it doesn’t just feel better. It also supports you in accomplishing your goals with more ease. In this episode, Melissa guides a short exercise to help you name what you’re really reaching for beneath the goal, then closes with a grounding drop-in to help you practice feeling the wholeness that you're actually craving. This episode explores: Why the achievemebt of your goal isn’t what you actually crave How to identify the feeling underneath the goal A simple exercise to bring your desires into focus A grounding practice to embody the feelings of your desires Why practice and repetition make this easier over time Join Melissa live Monday through Friday at 9:00am Eastern on LinkedIn and Instagram. Want to receive morning text messages before Melissa goes live? Send her a DM on LinkedIn or IG with the word "REMEMBRANCE" and she'll get you set up. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram (link: )
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Feeling Low? Do This One Thing and Watch Your Energy Lift
01/16/2026
Feeling Low? Do This One Thing and Watch Your Energy Lift
If you’re feeling low, heavy, sad, or stuck in a funk, today’s episode offers a simple truth that can shift your state quickly: do something kind for someone else. When we’re in a low place, it’s easy to feel disconnected. We can get pulled into our own mind, our own stress, and the sense that we’re alone in it all. The practice we explore today is choosing connection through service. A small act of kindness brings you back into wholeness, and you can often feel your energy lift immediately. In this session, I share a Napoleon Hill quote that captures it perfectly: “Find your happiness by helping others find theirs.” As always, we close with a grounding drop-in to help you return to safety in your body, open your heart space, and move into coherence. This daily practice matters. Like training at the gym, every rep strengthens the pathway that helps you shift out of fear and mental loops and come back into grounded presence more quickly. This episode explores Why low moods often come with disconnection How one act of service can shift your state fast The truth behind “helping others helps you” A grounding drop-in to return to coherence and calm Why daily practice makes it easier over time Want morning reminders? Join live weekdays at 9:00am Eastern on Instagram + LinkedIn, and DM me "REMEMBRANCE" on either of these two platforms to get text reminders before we go live. Follow Melissa on LinkedIn (link: ) Follow Melissa on Instagram (link: )
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Letting Go of Control Doesn’t Make You Weak. It Makes You Powerful.
01/15/2026
Letting Go of Control Doesn’t Make You Weak. It Makes You Powerful.
Control can look like strength. But here is the hard truth we are working with this week: Control is a tool of fear. In this episode, we go one level deeper with a question that so many leaders carry, even if they do not say it out loud: "If I let go of my need to control, will I be weak? Will I be giving away my power?" The answer is no. Releasing your grasp for control is not weakness. It is how you reclaim your power, because control is fear-based, and fear pulls you into survival. When you are leading from survival, you lose access to the steadiness, creativity, and clear thinking you actually need. We also make a crucial distinction in this episode. Releasing your own fear-driven need to control is not the same as surrendering to someone else’s power-over behavior. As always, we close with a grounding drop-in to help you get into coherence and return to the steadiness in your body, so you can move into your day aligned and clear. This episode explores Why control comes from fear The question underneath control: what am I scared of? Why letting go of control is reclaiming power, not losing it The difference between self-leadership and “surrendering” to power-over dynamics A grounding drop-in to return to coherence and steadiness Want morning reminders? Join live weekdays at 9:00am Eastern on Instagram + LinkedIn, and DM Melissa (on those channels) "REMEMBRANCE" to get text message reminders before we go live.
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Control Isn’t Strength. It’s Fear in Disguise.
01/14/2026
Control Isn’t Strength. It’s Fear in Disguise.
Control can look like strength. But here is the hard truth we explore today: control is a tool of fear. When a part of us does not feel safe, the ego reaches for control. Control of the outcome. Control of the timeline. Control of the situation. Control of other people. It is the mind’s attempt to create certainty so it can feel safe. The twist is that control is also an illusion. When we lead from the need to control, we are not actually in control at all. We are in fear, and fear drives fear-based decisions. In this episode of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes, you will explore this truth and practice recognizing the urge to control when it shows up, then meeting what is underneath it with curiosity and compassion so you can return to steadiness. This episode also explores a powerful lesson in empathy. When someone else is grasping for control, it often means their system is in fear and, in some deep way, does not feel safe. Recognizing that truth does not mean you condone harmful behavior. It means you can respond as a leader with more compassion, grounded authority, and a steadier presence. As always, we end with a grounding drop-in. You will identify one thing you have been trying to control, and we will practice releasing the grip and the fear it stems from. This episode explores Why control is a tool of fear How to recognize your need for control without shame The question to ask when you feel yourself tightening or grasping How to hold empathy when you witness control in others without condoning harm A grounding practice to soften, surrender, and return to safety If this episode stirs something in you, that is welcome. Let it be information. Get curious. Ask yourself why. Want morning reminders? Follow Melissa Agnes on Instagram or LinkedIn (@melissaagnes) and join live every weekday at 9am Eastern. You can also DM REMEMBRANCE to get set up with text reminders before she goes live.
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Stop Overthinking Decisions: The Secret to Clear Decision-Making
01/13/2026
Stop Overthinking Decisions: The Secret to Clear Decision-Making
Big decisions can make even the strongest leaders second-guess themselves. When there is no obvious right answer, most of us try to think our way into certainty. The problem is that “thinking harder” often creates more doubt, more stress, and more mental gridlock. In Day 2 of Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes, we explore a different approach to decision-making. One that starts in the body, not the brain. You will learn why relying only on the analytical mind can feed fear and uncertainty, and how to tap into your three intelligence centers for clearer, steadier decision-making: the brain center, the heart center, and the gut center. Then we close with a short grounding drop-in to help you practice getting out of your head and into your body, so you can access inner knowing and self-trust. In this episode, we cover Why big decisions trigger doubt and analysis paralysis The three intelligence centers: brain, heart, and gut Why stress shuts down clear thinking and fuels second-guessing A simple way to practice listening for guidance in the body What to expect after you decide, when the mind starts throwing “what ifs” at you Want morning reminders to catch these episodes live? Connect with Melissa on IG and LinkedIn (handle: @melissaagnes) and join every weekday morning at 9am eastern!
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Overcoming Fear and Doubt: A Morning Grounding for Leaders
01/12/2026
Overcoming Fear and Doubt: A Morning Grounding for Leaders
Fear and doubt do not mean you are off track. They often show up when you are standing at the edge of expansion. In this episode, recorded from the very first Morning Lives with Melissa Agnes, Melissa explores the two sides of the unknown and how to relate to fear without letting it drive your choices. This is a short, grounded reset for leaders doing work that matters, especially when resistance, noise, and second-guessing start creeping in. You will also be guided through a grounding drop-in to help you begin your day regulated, steady, and connected to what matters most. In this episode, you will learn Why fear and doubt often appear when you are stepping into something bigger A simple reframe for the unknown that shifts you from contraction to possibility How to come back to steadiness when your mind gets loud A grounding drop-in you can return to anytime you feel wobbly Want morning reminders? Send Melissa a DM on IG with the word "REMEMBRANCE" to receive a text reminder before she goes live, each morning. If this episode helped you, share it with another leader who is doing important work in our world. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or mental health advice.
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Emotional Duality: The Leadership Skill That Expands Your Capacity
07/15/2025
Emotional Duality: The Leadership Skill That Expands Your Capacity
What if the strongest leaders aren't the ones who never feel fear, but the ones who can hold fear AND vision simultaneously? In this episode, Melissa explores the leadership superpower that nobody talks about: dual emotionality. As a Visionary Leader navigating change, you don't have to choose between feeling scared and holding your vision. You can do both—and that's actually your advantage. Discover: Why emotional duality is your secret weapon for staying in creation mode when others are in survival How to self-resource using the full spectrum of human emotion The neuroscience behind why leaders who feel everything create more trust and resonance Plus, join in for a powerful somatic practice where you'll learn to hold both challenge and possibility in your body at once, creating the energetic foundation for transformational leadership. This isn't about emotional bypassing or toxic positivity. This is about accessing the full range of your human experience to become the leader others instinctively trust and follow. Link referenced within this episode: Learn to embody these skills in new and expansive ways. Apply to the Crisis Ready Certification here:
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The Leadership Mirror: How Your Inner State Creates Your Reality
07/08/2025
The Leadership Mirror: How Your Inner State Creates Your Reality
What if everything challenging in your leadership—the resistance you face, the conflicts that trigger you, the changes that feel impossible—is actually a mirror showing you exactly what needs to shift within? In this transformational episode, Melissa reveals the profound truth that visionary leaders understand: your external world is a direct reflection of your internal state. This isn't just spiritual philosophy. It's quantum physics meets practical leadership. You'll discover: The difference between probability leadership (leading from past patterns) and possibility leadership (creating from the quantum field) Why your triggers are actually your greatest teachers How to use the mirror of your world to accelerate your growth as a leader Plus, experience a powerful meditation designed to help you embody your possibility vision and raise your vibrational frequency to match the change you want to create. This episode will shift how you see every challenge, every difficult person, and every moment of resistance. When you understand that change begins within, you become the bridge between what is and what can be. Link referenced within this episode: Learn to embody these skills in new and expansive ways. Apply to the Crisis Ready Certification here:
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Strategic Emotionality: The New Skillset for Visionary Leaders
07/01/2025
Strategic Emotionality: The New Skillset for Visionary Leaders
We've been taught to lead with logic, suppress emotion, and control the narrative. But what if that’s exactly what’s keeping us stuck? In this episode of Leading Through Change, Melissa challenges the outdated belief that emotion has no place in the boardroom. She explores how emotionality—when understood, named, and strategically integrated—becomes a powerful leadership tool. You’ll learn: Why emotion is not the enemy, it's simply energy in motion How low-frequency emotions like anger and grief can become catalysts for connection What “meeting people in their emotionality” really looks like in practice Plus, a powerful drop-in practice to help you build emotional capacity in your body, not just your mind. This isn’t soft leadership. It’s strategic. It’s embodied. It’s visionary. Links referenced within this episode: Learn to embody these skills in new and expansive ways. Apply to the Crisis Ready Certification here: Brené Brown's .
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The 4 Levels of Safety Every Leader Must Master
06/17/2025
The 4 Levels of Safety Every Leader Must Master
Why do people resist change—even when it's clearly good for them? If you've ever felt frustrated trying to lead people through transformation, only to hit wall after wall of resistance, this episode will change everything. The breakthrough insight: Resistance isn't something to overcome—it's a signal that people don't feel safe enough to transform. In this episode, discover the four levels of safety every leader must master to dissolve resistance and create the conditions where real transformation becomes possible. You'll learn why one's level of transformation is directly linked to their level of safety, and how you can only create as much safety for others as you feel within yourself. What You'll Discover: The four types of safety most leaders miss (and why missing even one blocks transformation) Why your best logical arguments fail when people are in resistance mode The energetic reality of leadership that no one talks about but everyone feels A powerful somatic practice to cultivate unshakeable inner safety Plus: A 12-minute guided experience to help you embody the calm, regulated presence that naturally dissolves others' resistance. These are next-level leadership skills. This episode explores the foundation of visionary leadership that transforms challenges into opportunities for meaningful change. Links referenced within this episode: Learn to embody these skills in new and expansive ways. Apply to the Crisis Ready Certification here:
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The One Truth That's Destroying Our World
05/27/2025
The One Truth That's Destroying Our World
There's one "truth" everyone accepts without question. It shapes how leaders respond to crisis. How organizations handle change. How teams navigate conflict. How entire societies function. And it's actively destroying everything. In this paradigm-shattering episode, Melissa Agnes exposes the lie that's been driving failed leadership responses, broken systems, and endless cycles of division and suffering. From Wells Fargo's $3 billion crisis to Peloton's 94% stock collapse, every leadership failure traces back to this single illusion. But here's what makes this episode transformational: Melissa doesn't just reveal the problem—she presents the quantum physics and neuroscience that prove we've had the solution all along. The moment you see through this illusion, everything changes. From how you lead through resistance, to how you handle conflict, and ultimately, how you choose connection when others create division. This isn't theory. This isn't another leadership framework. This is about fundamentally rewiring how you see reality—and discovering the competitive advantage that emerges when you lead from truth instead of illusion. Melissa guides listeners through the science proving separateness is a lie, shares real-world examples of leaders who transformed crises by choosing connection over control, and provides a powerful somatic exercise to help you embody this shift in your nervous system. Warning: Once you see this truth, you can't unsee it. And once you understand the power you have to choose connection over separateness, you'll never approach leadership the same way again. The world is not as broken as it appears. The solution has been here all along. And you have more power to create more meaningful change than you've ever realized. If you're interested in diving deeper into this work, the Crisis Ready® Certification is where purpose-driven leaders learn to embody these powerful skills that transform how you lead through change and uncertainty. Learn more at
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Everything You've Been Taught About Leadership Intelligence Is Wrong
05/20/2025
Everything You've Been Taught About Leadership Intelligence Is Wrong
In this transformative episode, Melissa challenges one of leadership's most fundamental assumptions: that we should think our way through decisions. But what if our overreliance on logic is precisely why leaders feel paralyzed during times of uncertainty and change? Through the lens of the 2020 pandemic response, she illustrates how even the most powerful leaders became frozen when lacking cognitive answers – creating a dangerous leadership vacuum that amplified fear and suffering. The solution? Accessing our three intelligence centers: the brain (cognitive intelligence), the heart (emotional intelligence), and the gut (intuitive intelligence). Melissa reveals how these intelligence centers communicate, why 90% of vagus nerve signals travel upward from body to brain (not the other way around), and how tapping into this integrated wisdom creates a resonance others instinctively trust. In this session, you'll also experience a guided practice to activate all three intelligence centers and begin accessing the wisdom that's always been within you. Your body already knows the answers to your most challenging leadership questions. It's time to remember how to listen. If you're interested in diving deeper into this work, the Crisis Ready® Certification is where purpose-driven leaders learn to embody these powerful skills that transform how you lead through change and uncertainty. Learn more at
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How Coherence Turns Chaos into Clarity
05/13/2025
How Coherence Turns Chaos into Clarity
In times of crisis and change, the most powerful person in the room isn't the loudest or the most authoritative—it's the calmest. But what creates this calm, and how does it transform chaos into clarity? In this episode, Melissa explains the science and practice of heart-brain coherence—a leadership superpower that few have been taught. She reveals how your emotional state directly influences your ability to lead others through change, backed by fascinating research from the HeartMath Institute (). When fear and resistance run high, logic alone fails. Discover how coherence bypasses resistance by creating physiological safety that allows true transformation. Whether in-person or virtual, your nervous system speaks louder than your words ever could. This eye-opening episode includes a guided coherence practice that demonstrates how quickly you can shift from survival to creation mode—and transform your leadership presence in the process. If you're interested in diving deeper into this work, the Crisis Ready® Certification is where purpose-driven leaders learn to embody these powerful skills that transform how you lead through change and uncertainty. Learn more at
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Fear Isn’t the Problem — Unawareness Is
05/06/2025
Fear Isn’t the Problem — Unawareness Is
Welcome to the very first episode of Leading Through Change — a space for leaders who know the old models of control, fear, and reactivity aren’t working… and who feel deeply called to lead differently. In this premiere episode, Melissa Agnes pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood forces in leadership: fear. Not the kind you name out loud. The kind that creeps in under the surface. Hijacks decisions. Clouds clarity. And shapes cultures silently and powerfully. You’ll explore: Why fear is the costliest risk in leadership (and the one most leaders ignore) How your ego reacts to change — and what to do instead The science of survival mode and how it shuts down your clarity and innovation How to identify your unique fear signature A guided somatic practice to shift from survival to creation mode This episode isn’t just something to listen to. It’s an experience — designed to help you drop in, regulate, and begin leading from a different place. ✨ Because you’re not just meant to manage change. You’re here to lead through it — and into something better. If you're interested in diving deeper into this work, the Crisis Ready® Certification is where purpose-driven leaders learn to embody these powerful skills that transform how you lead through change and uncertainty. Learn more at
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How To Improve Your Crisis Communication Strategy By Understanding Near And Far Enemies [Audio of Blog Post]
04/04/2024
How To Improve Your Crisis Communication Strategy By Understanding Near And Far Enemies [Audio of Blog Post]
Connection is at the heart of any good crisis communication strategy. However, we’ve all seen leaders attempt to connect with their audience with all the right words, and yet something feels… off. While a Crisis Ready Hindrance is often blocking that connection, understanding near and far emotional enemies is a powerful tool to help you overcome those Hindrances to resonate and connect in meaningful ways. Within this podcast, which is the audio version of a recent Crisis Ready blog post, Melissa Agnes explores how near and far enemies give leaders and crisis communicators the language to better understand why some attempts at emotional connection fall flat, and to better resonate with stakeholders in critical moments. Links: ➡️ The whole article can be found . ➡️ If this message resonates with you and you'd like to truly master the art of crisis communication and leadership, , which is the first step in becoming certified in crisis comms.
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How to Apply Emotional Awareness to Powerfully Enhance Crisis Communication [Audio of Blog Post]
02/26/2024
How to Apply Emotional Awareness to Powerfully Enhance Crisis Communication [Audio of Blog Post]
In order to achieve the mark of a true crisis leader, you must be able to effectively apply emotional awareness to your crisis communication strategy. This episode explores what that means and how to achieve it. This is the audio recording of a blog post, written and narrated by Melissa Agnes, and published to CrisisReadyInstitute.com.
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