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Cooking should be a joyful, intuitive experience rather than another stressful task on your to-do list. But somewhere along the way, many of us became trapped in what our guest calls "recipe jail" – slavishly following instructions and measurements without trusting our own senses and preferences.

Katerina Pavlakis, founder of The Intuitive Cook, joins us to share how breaking free from recipe dependency can transform not just our relationship with cooking, but also how we approach life itself. Growing up in Greece, Katerina absorbed the natural, sensory-based cooking of her family – an approach that stands in stark contrast to today's measurement-obsessed culinary culture. She explains how the pressure to perform according to external standards in the kitchen parallels the hustle mentality many of us are trying to escape in other areas of life.

What if we viewed our pantry as a treasure trove of possibilities rather than a collection of problems? What if cooking became a grounding practice that engages all our senses rather than just another task to complete? Through personal stories and practical advice, Katerina guides us toward kitchen freedom, showing how small experimental tweaks can build confidence and creativity. The conversation weaves through cultural differences in cooking approaches, the joy of trusting our natural instincts, and how developing self-trust in one area of life strengthens this muscle for use in others.

Ready to transform your kitchen experience from stress to play? This episode offers the permission and practical starting points you need to break free from recipe jail and rediscover the natural cook within. Your taste buds – and your busy schedule – will thank you.

You can find out more about Katerina's work and philosophy, as well as her podcast, at theintuitivecook.co.uk and peek into her kitchen on Instagram @intuitive.cook

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What if everything you've learned about self-improvement has been keeping you from the very transformation you seek? In this candid conversation, we dive into the subtle yet powerful trap of the "fixing mentality" - that persistent voice telling us something's wrong that needs correcting, upgrading, or optimizing.

Drawing on personal experiences with our changing bodies, emotional landscapes, and performance expectations, we explore how deeply our culture has conditioned us to view natural fluctuations as problems. From managing menstrual cycles to navigating emotional waves like anger or overwhelm, we've been taught to police rather than partner with our bodies and emotions.

The discomfort we feel when honoring our bodies isn't failure—it's information. Whether it's a signal we're pushing too hard or an indication we're stepping outside our comfort zone by truly honoring our needs, this distinction transforms how we relate to ourselves. After decades of conditioning, these patterns become embedded in our nervous systems, which is why even when we intellectually understand the benefits of working with our bodies instead of against them, emotionally it can still feel like a "cop-out" when we need to slow down.

True transformation begins when we shift from seeking answers outside ourselves to trusting our inner wisdom. It's about choosing reverence over repair—sitting with ourselves not to change but to remember our inherent wholeness. As we shared, "You were never meant to be a project. You are presence, soft, sacred and whole, even in the parts that unravel."

Place your hand on your heart today and ask: "What part of me is trying to be heard?" Then join our Patreon community for practical tools to deepen this journey of self-trust and embodied wisdom.

Digital Courses
Shifting Hustle Course - Available on Patreon

• Reset your availability
• Learn your core values and passions
• Tap into your inner knowing

Remember to hit subscribe and leave us a review! We want to hear from you.

Connect with us!!
Email - ksempoweredliving@gmail.com

Follow us On Instagram
Shauna Bell @sbell.wellness
Katie Smith @k.smithoilsfitness

Join our exclusive community over on Patreon for more in depth discussions, journal prompts and exclusive host interviews!

Get insider wellness tips, mindfulness downloads straight to your inbox by subscribing here!

Text us!! We wanna hear what you thought of this episode!

Are you doing all the right things but still feeling stuck in the same old patterns? Susan Wise returns to the podcast with a revolutionary approach to personal transformation that might be the missing piece you've been searching for.

Most of us have been taught to avoid difficult emotions or push through them with sheer willpower. But what if these emotions are actually our greatest allies in creating lasting change? Susan shares that 95% of our beliefs about ourselves form before age seven, creating subconscious programming that keeps us stuck in loops despite our conscious efforts to change.

The key to breaking free isn't trying harder—it's meeting your emotions with curiosity, compassion, and even playfulness. Susan walks us through her seven-step "Uplightening Game," a chakra-aligned process that helps women move from stuck to inspired with more ease. What makes this approach unique is how it transforms emotional work from something heavy into something lightened through play. Research shows that habits formed through play can be established in just 10-20 repetitions versus 400 repetitions when approached as work.

One powerful tool Susan offers is asking "How is this happening FOR me?" This simple question immediately shifts us from victim mode to creator mode, helping us access the parasympathetic state where true innovation becomes possible. Rather than trying to "fix" or eliminate emotions, Susan teaches us to honor them as teachers, thank them for their protection, and invite them to vibrate at higher frequencies aligned with our soul's desires.

For women tired of the hustle, Susan recommends two immediate practices: be relentlessly kind to yourself and use your imagination without limits. By allowing yourself to envision possibilities beyond what seems "realistic," you open neural pathways that invite unexpected magic into your life.

Ready to transform your relationship with your emotions? Visit susan-wise.com to join her free bi-weekly calls and learn about upcoming retreats where you can experience this work in community.

Connect with Susan: www.susan-wise.com

Digital Courses
Shifting Hustle Course - Available on Patreon

• Reset your availability
• Learn your core values and passions
• Tap into your inner knowing

Remember to hit subscribe and leave us a review! We want to hear from you.

Connect with us!!
Email - ksempoweredliving@gmail.com

Follow us On Instagram
Shauna Bell @sbell.wellness
Katie Smith @k.smithoilsfitness

Join our exclusive community over on Patreon for more in depth discussions, journal prompts and exclusive host interviews!

Get insider wellness tips, mindfulness downloads straight to your inbox by subscribing here!