Exhausted, always saying yes and wondering what happened to your confidence? Sounds like you are a busy working Mum who has been so busy holding everything together for everyone else that you stopped showing up for yourself.
Every week in under 15 mins, Women's Life and Confidence Coach and former UN professional Kara De Kretser gives you one honest, practical insight to stop doubting yourself, silence that inner critic and finally feel like yourself again.
No woo woo or vague advice. Just the conversation that makes you think finally someone gets it.
Your permission to show up starts now.
26. Why "No" Feels Like a Confrontation, Even Though It Isn't
Someone asks you for something. You don't want to do it. And your heart starts pounding like you're about to walk into battle, over one word.
In this episode, I break down why saying no can trigger the same physical alarm bells as an actual confrontation, even when nobody's upset, nobody's angry, and nothing dangerous is actually happening. I explain where that old wiring likely came from, and why it has nothing to do with being weak or bad at boundaries.
I also give you one simple thing to try the next time you feel that familiar jolt right before you say no to something.
If your body reacts to a normal request like it's bracing for a fight, this one's for you.
28 Sept 2026
25. The Negotiation Trick Diplomats Use That Works on Your Husband Too
Twelve years ago, I sat in rooms with internation development workers and diplomats who sometimes fundamentally disagreed with each other, sometimes over things their countries had been at odds with for decades, and somehow they'd still find a way forward. In this episode, I share the one trick that made that possible, and why it works just as well on your husband as it does in a UN negotiating room.
I break down the real difference between arguing your position and understanding someone's actual interest underneath it, and why most at-home negotiations get stuck simply because both people are defending the wrong thing. I also give you one simple question to try this week, next time you hit resistance on something that matters to you.
If you've ever felt like you're stuck arguing in circles with someone you love, this one's for you.
14 Sept 2026
23. Stop Apologizing Before You've Even Said Anything
"Sorry, quick question." "Sorry, can I just say something." Sound familiar? You haven't even said the actual thing yet, and you've already apologized for it.
In this episode, I unpack why that reflexive "sorry" isn't politeness, it's a pre-emptive apology for taking up space at all. I explain what it quietly tells the people around you (and yourself) before anyone's even had the chance to respond, and how it ties directly into people-pleasing patterns that show up everywhere from meetings to your own dinner table.
I also give you one simple thing to notice this week, no forced fixing, just awareness, and why that alone starts to shift things.
This is one of the first patterns we map out together inside my 3-Month 1:1 program, because a career pivot, a business launch, or any real goal gets a lot harder to reach when you're apologizing for wanting it in the first place.
🔗 Want to go deeper? Come visit my website at www.karadekretser.com and get into my 1:1 Coaching Program. Let's tackle these unneccesary mindset and communication patterns so you can live your absolute best life NOW!
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