It's a Mindset

Have you ever wondered whether being the "good girl" is actually holding you back?

Maybe you've spent years being the good daughter, the good employee, the good partner, the good mum - putting everyone else's needs ahead of your own and measuring your worth by how much you do for others.

But what if constantly being "good" comes at a cost?

In this episode of It's a Mindset, I sit down with author, strategist and community builder Caitlin Judd to explore the hidden cost of being the "good girl" and what it takes to break free from the expectations that no longer serve us.

Caitlin's journey has taken her from corporate life to building a portfolio career across consulting, coaching, digital products and entrepreneurship. She is the co-founder of the award-winning female founder community lady-brains and author of the thought-provoking book Good Girl, Goodbye.

Together, we explore the conditioning many women inherit, where it comes from, and how it can quietly shape our identities, relationships, careers and sense of self-worth.

As someone who has often identified with being the "good girl" myself, I found this conversation incredibly insightful. Feeling like being a good girl was always part of my identity had me truly resonating with Caitlin's work and how we can begin to shed those expectations and create lives that feel more authentic and aligned.

Key Episode Takeaways:

Caitlin's Good Girl archetypes and how they show up in women's lives

Why the "good girl" can evolve into the "good mum" and continue shaping our choices

Where the pressure to be a good girl originates and how it becomes internalised

Why so many women prioritise everyone else and don't even make it onto their own list

The relationship between people-pleasing, perfectionism and self-worth

How to begin reclaiming your voice and creating a life that reflects who you truly are

About the Guest:

Caitlin Judd is an author, strategist, speaker and co-founder of the award-winning female founder community lady-brains. After leaving corporate life in 2014, she built a portfolio career spanning consulting, coaching, digital products and online programs across Australia, North America, Asia and Europe. Her debut book, Good Girl, Goodbye, explores the conditioning women inherit, the cost of people-pleasing and the journey of disentangling from expectations that no longer serve us. Through her work, Caitlin helps women find their voice, claim their authority and create lives aligned with who they truly are.

Show Resources:

Follow Caitlin on Instagram - HERE

Check Out Caitlin's Website - HERE

Read Caitlin's Substack - HERE

Buy Caitlin's Book, Goodbye Good Girl - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Join the Waitlist for The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @itscaitlinjudd.

Yours, In Saying Goodbye to your Good Girl, Emma. X.

Have you ever realised how many women are only one major life change away from financial struggle?

In this practical and empowering episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by award-winning financial adviser, speaker and author Helen Baker for a conversation about financial freedom, security and why knowledge truly is power when it comes to money.

Helen is the founder of On Your Own Two Feet, an Australia-wide service dedicated to helping women gain and retain financial independence. Her latest book, Money for Life, is a brilliant guide for women wanting to better understand their finances, plan for the future and create greater choice and stability in their lives.

As you know, I’m incredibly passionate about financial stability as one of the key pillars in creating a truly worthy and wealthy life - and helping women step into abundant and empowered next chapters. I loved this conversation with Helen because it makes financial planning feel practical, achievable and deeply connected to living well both now and in the future.

Together, we explore why financial planning is about so much more than numbers - it’s about creating freedom, security and options for your life. Helen also shares why financial awareness and planning are so important for women - particularly during major life transitions such as separation, divorce and retirement - and how having a strategy can help women avoid financial vulnerability later in life.

This is such an important and empowering conversation for women at every stage of life - particularly those wanting greater freedom, confidence and security around money.

Key Episode Takeaways:

Why financial planning is really about freedom, choice and achieving your goals

The importance of financial stability and planning ahead for the future

How financial knowledge empowers women and creates greater confidence

Why having a financial strategy can help women avoid vulnerability later in life

The importance of advocating for yourself during separation and divorce

The ethos of “live well now and plan for the future”

Practical ways women can feel more in control of their money and future

About the Guest:

Helen Baker is an award-winning financial adviser, speaker and founder of On Your Own Two Feet, an Australia-wide service dedicated to empowering women to gain and retain their financial independence. She holds multiple Masters degrees and has been recognised nationally for her contribution to financial literacy and women’s financial empowerment.

Helen is the author of four books, including her latest release Money for Life, and is a regular media commentator across Australian television, radio and print media. Her work is deeply focused on helping women create greater financial confidence, security and freedom at every stage of life.

Show Resources:

Follow Helen on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Helen on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Our Helen's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Join the Waitlist for The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @onyourowntwofeet.

Yours in Financial Freedom, Emma. X.

Have you ever found yourself questioning what love, connection and relationships are supposed to look like in the modern world?

Despite living in a time where we’re more connected than ever digitally, so many people still feel lonely, disconnected or uncertain about love, intimacy and belonging.

In this deeply thoughtful and intriguing episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Natalia Rachel - writer, relationship and culture innovator, trauma-informed educator and author of Other Lovers. Natalia’s latest book explores romantic love, intimacy and relationships in the modern world through a unique blend of storytelling, psychology, sociology and emotional insight.

Together, we explore the ways we give and receive love, how modern life impacts our relationships, and why so many people are quietly questioning traditional ideas around partnership, marriage and belonging.

This conversation also touches on the isolation many people experience in modern life - particularly mothers and families living in silos without the deeper sense of connection and community humans truly crave.

I absolutely love an episode about relationships and exploring love in the modern world as Natalia does - there was so much in this conversation that intrigued me and left me reflecting deeply afterwards. This is a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent and expansive conversation about modern love, connection, self-awareness and what it means to truly belong.

Key Episode Takeaways:

How our relationships deeply impact our wellbeing and sense of self

Why so many people are living in isolation and “silos” in the modern world

The importance of belonging, connection and community - especially for mothers and families

Why more people are questioning traditional ideas around love and marriage

How modern relationships can become a pathway for deeper self-awareness and healing

The ways we give and receive love in today’s world

About the Guest:

Natalia Rachel is a writer, relationship and culture innovator, speaker and trauma-informed educator whose work explores healing, embodiment, relationships and the human experience. She is the author of Why Am I Like This? and Other Lovers, a genre-bending contemporary fiction series exploring love, intimacy and relationships in the modern world through storytelling, psychology and emotional insight. Natalia’s work inspires deeper connection, compassion and relational awareness, with a mission to help create a more connected and emotionally intelligent world.

Show Resources:

Follow Natalia on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Natalia on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Natalia's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Join The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @natalia_rachel_change.

Yours with Love in the Modern World, Emma. X.

Have you ever felt deeply passionate about helping others… but conflicted about charging for your work, owning your value, or asking for more?

In this empowering episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Wendy Pitts-Reeves - business coach, former psychotherapist, speaker and entrepreneur - for a deeply honest conversation about self-worth, courage, money mindset and what it really takes to build a business that supports both your clients and yourself.

Wendy shares her powerful journey from having discomfort around money, to building a thriving six-figure business grounded in clarity, confidence and purpose.

Together, we explore why so many women struggle to fully own their value, the danger of constantly waiting for permission, and how courage is often the first step toward creating the life and business you truly want.

I enjoyed exploring Wendy’s 7-Step Courage to Confidence process and how it can be applied to any dream we might have. Because while anything is possible when you put your mind to it, having a process to move through fear and self-doubt certainly helps.

If you’ve ever questioned your worth, held yourself back, or felt called to something bigger - this conversation is for you.

Key Episode Takeways:

Wendy’s powerful 7-Step Courage to Confidence process

Why self-worth shapes every decision we make in business and life

The importance of boundaries, systems and valuing your work

Why women need to stop asking for permission and trust themselves more

How courage is often already within us - we simply need to recognise it

About the Guest:

Wendy Pitts-Reeves is a business coach, former psychotherapist, speaker and entrepreneur who helps women build businesses that support both their clients and themselves. After beginning her career deeply conflicted about money and losing thousands in unpaid work, Wendy transformed her relationship with self-worth, business and success. Today, she runs a thriving six-figure business and empowers women to step into confidence, own their value and create meaningful work without apology.

Show Resources:

Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Wendy's Website - HERE

Tune in to The Ideal Practice - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Join The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED the episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow.

Yours in Courage & Confidence, Emma. X.

Have you ever been forced to stop… and realised the way you were living or working just wasn’t sustainable anymore?

Like something in your life hit pause - and you were left questioning everything you thought success looked like?

In this episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Fleur Marks - globally recognised leadership trainer, performance mindset coach and author of The Overachiever’s Reset.

Fleur built a highly successful career over two decades in senior leadership, driven by ambition, high standards and relentless performance. But that same pace ultimately led to a life-threatening health crisis - what she describes as the “waiting room of death” - forcing her to confront the reality that the way she was succeeding was unsustainable.

What followed wasn’t a step back from ambition… but a complete reset. In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, Fleur shares how she rebuilt her mindset, redefined success, and now helps high performers break free from the overachiever’s cycle - where self-worth becomes tied to achievement and external validation.

I was deeply moved by Fleur’s strength of character and her ability to stay positive through such significant health challenges. This conversation is a reminder that true success isn’t about doing more - it’s about understanding what matters, and learning to lead and live in a way that supports both performance and wellbeing.

Key Episode Takeaways:

How Fleur navigated major health challenges and used them as a catalyst for change

Why so many high performers are trapped in the “overachiever’s cycle”

The power of radical self-acceptance in breaking free from relentless striving

How believing you are enough could change everything - for you and those around you

The importance of focusing on what’s in your control and consciously choosing your response

About the Guest:

Fleur Marks is a globally recognised leadership trainer, performance mindset coach and author of The Overachiever’s Reset. After two decades in senior leadership at WPP, a life-threatening health crisis forced her to stop and completely rethink how she was living and leading.

Today, Fleur helps high performers break free from the overachiever’s cycle - where self-worth is tied to achievement - and supports them to lead with clarity, impact and sustainability, without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Show Resources:

Follow Fleur on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Fleur on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Fleur's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Join the Waitlist for The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @fleurjmarks.

Yours in Being Impactful, Emma. X.