Wake Your Dream

90 - Finding What You Love

Annaliese and Alan dive into the power of rediscovering what you love and creating more moments in your days where you truly feel like yourself. Annaliese shares why revisiting childhood joys or exploring your interests—without dismissing them as unimportant—is a key part of living authentically, feeling empowered, and making life more meaningful.
You’ll Hear About:
How adulthood often shifts our focus to productivity, obligations, and efficiency—leaving little room for creativity, joy, and exploration. Prioritizing what lights you up (instead of just consuming content on social media or TV) helps you reconnect with what you’re made for.
Noticing signs you might be losing yourself—feeling drained, stuck, or like something’s missing. What sparks your curiosity? Are you making choices based on people-pleasing or what you can tell you actually enjoy or find interesting?
The importance of allowing creative or experiential activities to be imperfect, inefficient, or outside your control. Recognizing and breaking unhelpful self-imposed rules is key to personal growth. Strengthen your confidence through inner validation by telling yourself: “This standard isn’t working for me anymore—I give myself permission to explore and enjoy this in my own way.”
Ways to Practice Finding What You Love:
Slow down physically when you feel rushed. A slow body invites a clear brain. This will help you notice what truly catches your attention—things that are beautiful, inspiring, or just things you appreciate. What if these were things to explore and spend more time in?
Appreciate and love yourself in real time. When you laugh or react uniquely, savor the moment! Acknowledging your own, natural responses and and valuing them builds confidence and deepens your life satisfaction.
Your Free Coaching Call
Experience personalized coaching with Annaliese! Click to set up your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to start making real changes in your own life.

89 - Building Block or Bullying Block? Handling Life's Responsibilities

Annaliese and Alan talk about how taking responsibility in life can bring up doubt, pressure, and anxiety—but it doesn’t have to! Annaliese shares how to feel more in charge of your life by shifting the ways you handle your responsibilities. Learn how to move yourself from feeling weighed down to feeling more confident, free, and in control.
You’ll Hear About:
How the way you handle responsibilities is either a building block to strengthen you or a bullying block that's tearing you down. Want more energy, decisiveness, and joy? It starts with how you approach and treat yourself in your daily life and commitments.
Engaging more fully in life by noticing when your expectations and standards are bullying or working against you. Are you using responsibilities to build yourself up—or as a way to guilt or pressure yourself?
Evaluating if you’ve taken on others’ responsibilities. Rebalance your plate so you feel more supported and aligned with what matters most.
Your Free Coaching Call:Set up your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat with Annaliese to make your own confidence gameplan! Visit www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to gain the insights and strategies for change that really work for you.
Shift from Bullying Blocks to Building Blocks:
Use challenges as building blocks for confidence, not bullying blocks of self-criticism.
Ask yourself if a responsibility is truly yours—then give yourself permission to act accordingly.
Honor your needs for rest, space, and agency in your daily life. This actually boosts your motivation and productivity!
Listen in for how to make your responsibilities work for you, not against you!

88 - How To Agree To Disagree

Annaliese and Alan dive into why it’s so hard to agree to disagree in relationships—and why it’s essential for real connection. Annaliese unpacks how personal it can feel when someone disagrees with us and why making space for open, pressure-free conversations leads to deeper understanding rather than control or winning.
You’ll Hear About:
How we confuse consensus with connection and why noticing how we react to disagreements is key to the communication we want.
Why we don't have to treat different opinions like a threat—and how respecting someone else’s viewpoint creates more freedom for you too.
The truth about passionate arguments: They rarely change minds but often damage relationships. How to recognize when pushing your point is actually backfiring.
Ways to Practice Agreeing to Disagree:
Practice personal maturity – Take ownership of your approach and practice willingness to recognize when a different response would actually strengthen the connection.
Allow yourself to be separate – Accept that differing opinions are normal. Slow down, breathe, help yourself get calmer in heightened emotions, and feel more free as you create space for both perspectives.
Avoid double standards – Respect others’ viewpoints as much as you can tell you want yours respected. Giving someone space to be themselves is mutually confidence-boosting, because it. reminds you you're allowed to be truly you too. Show up with both clarity and kindness.
Free Coaching Call:
Experience coaching with Annaliese for yourself to see how it can help you gain ground in the changes you want to make. Book your own FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese.Listen in to get some relatable encouragement on building your relationships closer and stronger by learning how to agree to disagree.

87 - Feelings Tool: Interview Your Feelings

Annaliese and Alan explore a practical way to know you're processing your feelings better by “interviewing” your feelings so you can understand what they’re telling you. Being with your feelings this way helps you engage without as much overwhelm or avoidance. Annaliese talks you through how you can approach your feelings with curiosity and intentional steps, making it easier to process them in a healthy, constructive way.
You’ll Hear About:
How to process feelings as an action step – Get to the root message behind your emotions instead of reacting or shutting them down.
Noticing your personal experience with emotions – What makes it hard to fully hear what your feelings are telling you? Learn to trust that there’s more information beneath the surface by asking Why? or What? questions instead of rushing to conclusions.
Approaching emotions with curiosity – If your emotions were the expert, how would you listen to them differently? Notice any obstacles (impatience, defensiveness, avoidance) and remind yourself that feeling your emotions isn’t a threat—it’s information.
Your Free Coaching Call:
Curious how life coaching can help you make the changes you want in your normal? Bring your situation and your questions or desires to your own FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat with Annaliese at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese.
How to Practice Interviewing Your Feelings:
Name the feeling you’re in.
Ask it, “What are you showing me/telling me?” (Pause for 1-3 minutes to listen—resist the urge to analyze or evaluate yet.)
Identify 1-2 root reasons that stand out and start asking “Why?”
Why do I think that makes me angry?
What about that would make me angry?
No judging, just receiving. You’re simply gathering information about what you’re experiencing.
Your emotions hold valuable insight— Tune in to this episode to learn how to truly listen to them.

86 - How To Collect Joy

Annaliese and Alan share how to enjoy life more by shifting your focus from collecting negative evidence to intentionally collecting joy in your moments. Your brain won't naturally try to create more positive emotional experiences—it’s wired to keep life feeling familiar and safe. But true joy is what happens when you’re being fully yourself. Listen to learn how to train your brain to let go of negativity and gather more joy-filled moments instead.
You’ll Hear About:
Joy as Your Most Authentic Feeling – When was the last time you truly felt joy? What small ways could you bring more joy into your daily life?
Getting Out of Autopilot – If you feel blocked from joy, what’s your brain trying to protect you from? What thought could help you allow joy more often?
Joy in the Doing, Not Just the Outcome – Every time you act as your true self, you’re collecting joy. Small, authentic steps matter!
Your Free Coaching Call:
Experience coaching with Annaliese! Book your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese.
Ways to Collect More Joy:
Notice negative evidence, but don’t collect it—focus on joy instead.
Pour love into yourself, not just tasks.
Track joy moments in a journal, list, phone app, or Post-It notes, and keep them where you can see and revisit them. 
Start collecting joy today!

85 - The Comparison Trap

Annaliese and Alan piece apart why we compare ourselves to others, what we’re really seeking when we do it, and how to break free from the comparison trap to build a more fulfilling and grounded life. Annaliese unpacks how comparison often feels like it’ll help us get what we need—but instead leaves us feeling dissatisfied. The good news? You can shift that energy into investing in your own life in a way that truly supports you.
You’ll Hear About:
Comparing “up” vs. comparing “down” – How we measure ourselves against others in different ways and what it reveals about our deeper needs.
The energy drain of comparison – How you can redirect that mental energy back toward your own decisions, growth, and present experiences.
The illusion of comparison – How it distorts reality by making you focus on your own struggles while assuming others have it all together.
Tips to Build Satisfaction in Your Life:
Notice when you compare and turn that focus inward: What is it you truly want and need in this moment? How can you respond to that need with something you already have?
Ask yourself for advice first—reflect before looking outside for validation.
How to Compare Yourself Less:
Recognize how comparing pulls you away from your own life and self-worth, and practice leaning into your own strengths and resilience in times you question yourself.
Identify what you’re really seeking (confidence, validation, security) and meet that need with what you have.
Practice using comparison for inspiration and encouragement—not judgment.
Celebrate your own progress to strengthen confidence and fulfillment.
By shifting your focus back to your own growth, you’ll find greater satisfaction and stability—without needing to measure up to anyone else.
Your Free Coaching Call:
Want real support for personal growth? Experience your own personalized coaching session with Annaliese over Zoom or phone for free! No pressure or strings. Book your 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese.

84 - What You Think About Yourself

Annaliese and Alan explore how your thoughts and beliefs about yourself shape your choices, habits, and overall life experience. Annaliese shares why becoming aware of these internal beliefs is the first step to changing them for the better, which will change your life!
You’ll Hear About:
Your thoughts shape your life! What you believe about yourself directly influences your motivations, decisions, experiences, and how you show up in the world. Are you aware of the story about you running in your mind?
Your inner script is often hidden. The beliefs you hold about yourself can be hard to face, but once you recognize them, you gain the powerful information you need to rewrite them. Approaching this process with self-compassion and patience will help you practice this more daily.
Action strengthens belief. The more you act as if a new, healthier belief about yourself is true, the more that belief becomes real for you.
Your Free Coaching Call:
Get your own personalized coaching with Annaliese! Schedule your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese. You'll be able to talk about your issue or hope in a non-judgmental and creative space, and get some great tips on how to make change exactly where you are. 
Ways to Build Better Beliefs About Yourself:
Thinking different thoughts about yourself takes time, presence and daily practice. This isn’t about “arriving” somewhere—it’s about growing your relationship with you - building awareness of what you believe you’re worth, what you think you’re capable of, and what options you see for your life.
Notice and identify where you are. Pay attention to the thoughts and messages running through your mind. What do you tell yourself daily?
Be “with” yourself in a self-aware way. Spend time with your thoughts in an empowered, constructive way instead of getting stuck in negativity or avoidance.
Decide what new beliefs you want to build. Start small—picture how you want to feel about your worth, your capability, and your options in life, then take small, consistent steps to reinforce those beliefs.

83 - How To Spend Time Alone

In this episode, Annaliese and Alan dive into the discomfort of being alone with your thoughts and why learning to sit with yourself—without distraction—can help you feel more connected and present in your own life. Annaliese shares how constantly filling quiet moments with tasks or distractions can actually leave you feeling more disconnected and not enough. Instead, noticing and practicing presence with your thoughts, even when it feels uncomfortable, is a game-changer for your self-trust and purpose.
You’ll Hear About:
Owning when you avoid or distract yourself from feeling the discomfort of being present with your own thoughts—and how this helps you understand why you might feel disconnected from yourself or your life.
What makes stillness uncomfortable is that when you slow down, you start noticing negative or limiting beliefs about yourself and your life. But this discomfort isn’t bad—it’s actually showing you where you can begin thinking more supportive thoughts and handling yourself in better-feeling ways.
When you’re willing to notice what’s really going on underneath, you’ll experience feeling seen, understood, and supported by yourself.
Ways to Spend Time Alone:
Sit alone with yourself more regularly without multitasking. This helps you exercise the muscle of connecting with your own experience instead of dismissing it.
Realize you’re practicing being with yourself in a brand new way—so try different approaches! By treating yourself with more acceptance and support, you’re going to feel stronger because you’re choosing connection over avoidance.
Remember, you’re just trying to cultivate more calmness and normalcy as you do this. Picture holding any urgent thoughts in your hand rather than rushing to fix them. Your brain might feel messy, scattered, or harsh at first, but that’s okay. Let yourself write it down and experience the relief of not having to do anything about it right away. Simply being with yourself differently is already a win!
Your Free Coaching Call:
Experience coaching with Annaliese for yourself with no strings or pressure to buy anything. Book your FREE, 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to gain insights and real strategies for the changes you're trying to make in your own life.

82 - How To Fail

Annaliese and Alan explore the hidden benefits of failure, how it affects us emotionally, and how to shift from seeing failure as defeat to using it as an opportunity to learn. Annaliese shares how to recognize the story failure is telling you, notice what you're believing about yourself, and how to practice perspective shifts that help you accept failure as a normal—and even valuable—part of life.
You’ll Hear About:
The hidden benefits of failure—how it helps you understand more about how life works, what’s important to you, and how you want to show up in the world.
How failure brings pain and discomfort and triggers deep emotions, making it important to see the messages you’re telling yourself about what failure means about you.
How recognizing your usual self-talk when you fail can help you see what you want to let go of that's not helpful, and what new, empowering message you can practice instead.
Ways to Fail Better:
Acknowledge honestly when you’ve experienced a failure, and let yourself feel that hurt and sadness fully. Don’t skip this part! What you need is comfort, validation, and self-compassion.
Practice a more self-compassionate response while you’re failing. Instead of letting your inner critic beat you up, remind yourself that you admire yourself for trying. You are capable of changing your mind, letting go, and learning how to do things in better ways as you go.
Failure is a normal part of life. You get to create a new message for yourself about failure. What are the messages about yourself that you usually believe when you fail? What would you like to let go of? What would you like to believe instead?
The most important thing in life isn’t avoiding discomfort. It’s about supporting yourself in what you need to keep learning what you care about and showing up more authentically as yourself.
Your Free Coaching Call:Experience coaching with Annaliese for yourself! Visit www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to schedule your own FREE, 1-hour Discovery Chat. Share your situation with Annaliese, and she’ll help you gain helpful insights and practical tools to make real changes in your life.

81 - Learning To Rest

Annaliese and Alan dive into the topic of rest—what it’s really for, why it can feel uncomfortable at first, and how to start practicing it in a way that actually works for you. Annaliese shares her personal journey of moving from a fast-paced, hustle mindset to learning how to slow down and truly recharge. Finding your own version of rest can change your perspective on life and help you better understand what you actually need.
You’ll Hear About:
Why rest can feel uncomfortable at first—and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Like anything new, rest takes time to feel natural. Give yourself grace as you practice.
Rest is about connection, not distraction. It’s not about zoning out—it’s about being present with yourself. Take a deep breath and allow yourself to experience stillness, even if it feels unfamiliar.
Approach rest with an experimenting mindset. Let go of expectations and just notice what feels restorative for you. It’s not about getting it “right,” it’s about learning what works.
Signs You Might Need More Rest:
Feeling scattered, frantic, or overly urgent
Struggling with over-productivity or too much or too little focus
Feeling irritable, emotionally raw, or disconnected
Ways to Practice Rest:
First, give yourself permission. Slow down and take a deep breath. Rest isn’t something you have to earn—it’s something you’re made to benefit from regularly.
Notice where and how rest could benefit you. Pay attention to the parts of your day where you feel the most drained, scattered, or overwhelmed. Those are your best starting points.
Choose a step of rest that feels right for you. Don’t get stuck in the idea that there’s a “right” way to rest. What refreshes you might look different from what works for someone else.
Let yourself experiment. Approach rest with curiosity instead of pressure. Try different ways of slowing down, being still, or creating quieter moments—then notice what actually helps you feel more relaxed and refreshed.
Ask yourself: Is my current pace serving me? Are you truly being more productive, or just staying busy? When you slow down, you create space for that clarity, focus, and a calmer, more grounded way of living that you want.
💬 Want personal support to practically build some more rest into your life? Schedule your own FREE, 1-hour Discovery Chat with Annaliese: www.linktree.com/coachannaliese.