ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Heather Gates—strategist, facilitator, host of the Stand in the & podcast, and devoted lover of humans—joins me for a rich, imaginal conversation about alignment, paradox, and what it really looks like to live in service to human flourishing without burning yourself to the ground in the process.
We explore how metaphor, somatics, and parts work can help us befriend the many versions of ourselves over a lifetime — what Heather beautifully calls "the kaleidoscope of butterflies" — and how to keep watering the orchid of our lives when we're deep in the not-yet.
In this episode, we explore:
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Honoring sensitivity, big feelings, and "too muchness" through somatics and parts work (IFS) instead of shaming or suppressing them
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Why we often don't realize we're out of alignment until we finally say yes to what we've been longing to do and feel it "click."
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Actually flourishing vs. performing flourishing — building a life that feels alive in the body, not just impressive on paper
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Softening as a spiritual and somatic practice: moving from inner ass-kicking to self-regard, gentleness, and open-handedness
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Why we need at least one person who can meet us in the "I can't tell which end is up" moments — and what becomes possible when we find them
This one is for anyone navigating transition, living between stories, or trying to honor their purpose without abandoning their body. If you're longing for a more humane way to work, lead, and live, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Heather:
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Strategy & facilitation work: human-centeredstrategy.com
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Find and follow her podcast, "Stand in the & with Heather Gates" on all major platforms
Continue the Conversation
Meghan O'Malley is a Transformational Leadership Coach & Consultant, TEDx Speaker, Author, and host of The Imaginal Change Podcast. Through Imaginal Change and Imaginal Intelligence, she helps leaders, organizations, and changemakers navigate uncertainty, strengthen relationships, and develop the distinctly human capacities needed to lead meaningful change.
Learn more: https://meghan-omalley.com
Watch Meghan's TEDx Talk: Unshakeable: The Power of Connection When Everything's Crumbling
Read Unstuck Yourself: Thrive Beyond Burnout & Discover Your True Purpose (co-authored by Meghan O'Malley and Laura Cardwell)
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Whether you're exploring transformational leadership, leadership development, organizational transformation, adaptive leadership, navigating uncertainty, the future of work, Imaginal Change, Imaginal Intelligence, embodied leadership, relational capacity, Human Design, somatic intelligence, applied neuroscience, or systems thinking, we hope these conversations offer practical insight, thoughtful reflection, and meaningful connection.
