Take a Deep Breath

with Elissa Davies

What do you do when your system is in overdrive — when you’re halfway up a cliff, on a high-stakes mission, or lying awake at 3am with your thoughts on a loop?

In this first-ever recorded episode of Coach Me If You Can, I sat down with Elissa Davies — a special mission pilot turned breathwork coach — to explore how we can access calm when life pushes us into the panic zone. We talk about the difference between stretch and overwhelm, how resilience is built through repetition, and why breath is your most underused superpower.

Since our conversation, I’ve been experimenting. Box breathing at night? Surprisingly effective (still not a habit). Allocating “worry time”? A game-changer. The physiological sigh? Feels weird… but it works. This episode left me with tools — and questions — that I’m still sitting with. And yes, I need to invite her back.

We also cover:

• Burnout and recovery in high-pressure careers

• How to notice your breathing and what it’s telling you

• Triage for your thoughts: control, influence, or accept

• The science behind breathing and heart rate

• How to build small breathwork moments into busy days

Whether you're a parent, a high-performer, or just trying to sleep better — this one’s for you.

🎧 If you enjoy the episode, hit follow on Spotify and leave us a comment or rating. It really helps others find the show.

This episode is sponsored by Innerbuddies.
Get 10% off your personalized gut health program with the code WELLERGUTS at checkout.
Because transformation doesn’t just start in your mind — it starts in your gut.
→ Learn more at innerbuddies.com

Episode 9: Mindset, Doing My Best, and Proud of It — with Mark Carolan

What if the story you tell yourself is the single biggest factor shaping your life—not your circumstances, not your achievements, not even your setbacks?

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Carolan, transformational coach and ex-banker, to get real about the stories we weave, the identities we cling to, and why so many of us measure our worth by external validation. Together, we peel back layers around burnout, performance-driven self-worth, and the quiet power of simply being proud of doing your best (even if life feels like controlled chaos).

We dig deep into:

• How childhood and societal expectations shape our internal narratives

• The trap of tying self-worth to performance

• What it really means to come home to yourself, no matter your job or life stage

• Practical coaching tools to rewire limiting beliefs and break the cycle of “never enough”

• Mark’s billboard message for everyone feeling lost: “You’re doing your best. Be proud of yourself.”

Whether you’re feeling stuck, battling imposter syndrome, or simply want to turn the volume down on your inner critic, this episode will leave you with actionable ideas—and a bit more self-compassion.

Coach Me If You Can is not about perfection. It’s about progress in the middle of real, everyday chaos. If I can find growth in the mess, so can you.

This episode is sponsored by Innerbuddies.

Ready to take charge of your gut health? I’ve been using Innerbuddies for my own microbiome testing, and it’s honestly been a game-changer. Their simple, at-home test gives you deep, personalized insights into what’s happening in your gut—so you can make small, real changes that actually stick.

As a listener of Coach Me If You Can, you get an exclusive 10% off any Innerbuddies kit. Just use code WELLERGUTS at checkout.

Start listening to what your gut is really telling you at innerbuddies.com.
Your best self starts from the inside out.

Would you want to live your life twice?

This is your opportunity to experience real executive coaching with Lucie Lachaux the performance strategist who helps CEOs and top leaders worldwide build a life that truly matters.

In this episode, Peter Weller sits down with Lucie, former CFO and founder of Changing Minds, who’s on a mission to add meaning and intentionality back into success.

Lucie’s story is about more than reinvention. As she shares, “The number one reason why we are unhappy, despite the type of life we are living, is because we lack intentionality in our lives.”

She opens up about how, after reaching the top, “there was nothing meaningful in my life except my job... those feelings are almost unbearable, and I cannot keep living my life like that.”

Peter becomes Lucie’s client taking her scientific mindset assessment and getting his results put “under the bloody microscope.” The assessment reveals his deep drive for connection, a tendency toward overthinking, high self-demands, and the realization that he’s become a big fish in a small pond: “Your next step is going to be a big one... you know you can do more, but you decide to not yet jump into that new environment.”

Lucie introduces her powerful coaching metaphors like using a paintbrush instead of a hammer and challenges Peter to expand his vision and imagine a bigger, more meaningful life.

Together, they unpack the habits and mindset patterns that keep even high achievers stuck, and why sometimes, “having high standards is a blessing but if it’s not managed properly, it becomes a curse.”

Expect honest, practical coaching and rich conversation about self-esteem, leadership, and the courage to change. Lucie’s signature question echoes throughout:

“Is the life you’re leading the one you’d like to live twice?”

Sponsored by Innerbuddies:
Unlock the secrets of your gut health with Innerbuddies—the ultimate at-home microbiome assessment that reveals what’s really happening inside your body. Trusted by experts, Innerbuddies empowers you to make smarter health decisions and feel your best every day.
Head to www.innerbuddies.com and use code WELLERGUTS for a discount at checkout on your very own microbiome assessment.

Poop it scoop it, know it.

PS. Check out E02 Poop it, scoop it, know it with CEO of Innerbuddies