Merry Christmas! In this heartfelt episode, Leanna opens up about a deeply personal season of rest, recovery, and reflection. She talks candidly about undergoing surgery after six years of unanswered pain and what it taught her about advocating for herself in a healthcare system that often minimizes women’s pain. Beyond the medical journey, this episode explores something many high-achieving women will recognize: the realization that she felt she needed a “valid” reason to stop producing and let others take care of her. From unexpected lessons in rest and leadership to an opportunity to reconsider how and when we allow ourselves to be cared for, this episode is a reminder that you don’t need a crisis to deserve rest, and that listening to your body and your needs is a powerful act of leadership.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/131].

Check out Leanna’s Holiday Tips Series [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/categories/holiday-tips-series-2025/] by connecting with her on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/execcoachleanna/] @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

Sign up [https://www.coachleanna.com/connect] for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect [http://coachleanna.com/connect] for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

When Rest Chooses You: A Holiday Reminder for High Achievers

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you.

Connect with me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/execcoachleanna/] @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/] to tune into the full series.

Holiday Tip #12: Enjoy the Moments You've Created

Holiday Tip #11: Choose Energy Giving Thoughts

Holiday Tip #10: Schedule Something to Look Forward To

As the holiday season ramps up and time and energy feel especially scarce, this episode dives into one of the biggest hidden drains for high-achieving moms: negative thought spirals. Building on last week’s conversation about mom guilt, Leanna breaks down how these spirals form, why executive brains are particularly prone to them, and how quickly a single moment of disappointment, overwhelm, or uncertainty can turn into shame, self-doubt, and paralysis. She shares practical, compassionate tools to help you interrupt spirals, regain a sense of control, and redirect your thinking without forcing toxic positivity. This episode is a reminder that your thoughts are optional, progress matters more than perfection, and with a little practice, you can reclaim precious time and energy during the holidays and beyond.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/130].

Re-visit last week’s episode, Holiday Mom Guilt for High Achievers. [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/holiday-mom-guilt-for-high-achievers/]

Check out Leanna’s Holiday Tips Series [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/categories/holiday-tips-series-2025/] by connecting with her on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/execcoachleanna/] @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

Sign up [https://www.coachleanna.com/connect] for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect [http://coachleanna.com/connect] for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

That Escalated Quickly: How to Stop Negative Thought Spirals When You’re Overwhelmed

Holiday Tip #9: Remember Your Why

Holiday Tip #8: Expectations of Self

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you.

Connect with me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/execcoachleanna/] @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/] to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions [https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/l0ERBeSVTPW8xMFVzYwfcA#/registration].

Holiday Tip #7: It's Okay to Ask for Help

In this episode, Leanna dives into one of the most persistent and painful emotions ambitious moms face this time of year: holiday mom guilt. Whether you’re listening while wrapping gifts or squeezing this in between meetings, you’ll learn why guilt tends to spike during the holidays and the three core places it comes from: unrealistic expectations, comparison overload, and the pressure to show up “perfectly” in both quantity and quality with your kids. Leanna offers practical tools to bring you back to presence when your mind is trying to distract you. If you’ve ever felt torn between being the leader your team needs and the mom you want to be, this episode will remind you that what you’re doing is not just enough but also deeply impactful.

Join Leanna’s free Seasonal Support Session this Friday, December 12, at 2 PM ET to recharge, connect with other high-achieving moms, and enter the holidays feeling supported instead of stretched thin. REGISTER NOW! [https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/l0ERBeSVTPW8xMFVzYwfcA#/registration]

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/129].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

Sign up [https://www.coachleanna.com/connect] for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect [http://coachleanna.com/connect] for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

Holiday Mom Guilt for High Achievers

Holiday Tip #6: Traditions

The Executive Coach for Moms podcast supports women who are attempting to find balance and joy while simultaneously leading people at work and at home.

Hosted by Leanna Laskey McGrath, former tech exec turned full time mom, recovering perfectionist and workaholic, and certified executive coach.

The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast