Wake Your Dream

93 - How Do You Motivate Yourself?

Annaliese and Alan dive into the everyday ways we try to motivate ourselves—and how that directly affects both our follow-through and how we feel about ourselves. Annaliese brings up why the way you treat yourself to “get motivated” might actually be what’s making it harder to take action and feel good about it. Are you connecting with why you want to act or behave a certain way? Or are you just trying to force or blindly hope your way into showing up? You don’t have to harm, ignore, or fight yourself to become who you want to be in your life.
You’ll Hear About:
Why your motivation style may be part of what’s keeping you stuck or frustrated.
The way you’ve been used to motivating yourself might make sense—but is it actually working for you, or working against you in the long run?
How to tell what “well, it does work” is really costing you, and how to reflect on what could work better.
Why motivation is found in how you approach showing up—not in pressure or panic.
How building self-trust and reminding yourself who you want to be (resilient, willing, trustworthy) can energize you to act instead of avoiding or forcing.
Ways to Change Your Motivation Style:
You know what you need. Start practicing thinking this about yourself more often. What motivation “rules” actually work for you?
What do you like about your current style? Reflect on moments that felt effective. What would you want to keep doing?
What makes this style not work (even when it seems like it does)? Tune into what’s hard, draining, or quietly self-defeating.
You have permission to change the rules. Be your own guide. Slow down. Trust that you can shift into a style that supports you better.
What would effective, energizing, and supportive motivation look like for you? Motivation should help you handle life, not make it harder. You get to decide what works for both outcome and experience.
Your Free Coaching Call:Try a free, 1-hour Discovery Chat with Annaliese at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to experience her coaching and get your own real, encouraging tools for the changes you most want to make in your life.

92 - How To Let Things Go

In this episode, Annaliese and Alan talk through the real-life challenge and inevitability of letting go. Annaliese brings up why it’s hard, how we make it harder, and what it takes to finally loosen our grip on what’s no longer serving us.
You’ll Hear About:
Knowing you need to let go is not the same as being able to do it. Letting go takes awareness, honesty, and compassion for why it’s hard in the first place.
Holding on is often connected to our identity or what we care about most. To let go, you need to first name what you’re carrying and why.
Our brains think letting go has to be all-or-nothing—but it doesn’t. Letting go isn’t giving up. It’s choosing peace over pressure when what used to work… doesn’t anymore.
Your Free Coaching Call:Curious about what coaching can do for you? Schedule your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese and experience what it’s like to gain clarity and make real change.
Questions to Help You Let Go:What are you holding onto? Why? What’s it promising you? Is it working?
Ways to Practice Letting Go:
Give yourself permission back.When you’ve carried something for a long time, it starts to feel like a rule—like you have to keep carrying it. But you don’t. You can give yourself permission to make new choices. Letting go doesn’t mean you stop caring—it means you care in a way that’s sustainable and honest.
Decide how you want to care.Sometimes we hold on just to prove we care. But you get to choose what caring looks like now. Ask yourself: What will it look like for me to care differently? What will I do or say? What beliefs do I need to shift to trust that letting go is still caring?
Decide how you want to let go.Letting go means releasing something—so give yourself what you need to feel safe in that process. Slow down. Breathe. Be present with yourself. Ask: What am I releasing? What kind of support do I need as I show up differently? Letting go becomes possible when you feel safe, seen, and in charge of your choice.

91 - How Your Thoughts, Feelings, And Actions Create Your Life

Annaliese and Alan break down why we can feel stuck in the same patterns, no matter what we do. Annaliese shows how our beliefs shape our thoughts, which trigger feelings, which drive our actions, and ultimately create our results. If you want to shift what’s happening in your life, the best place to start is by looking at what’s going on inside you.
You’ll Hear About:
How belief is the deepest level in you, setting off a domino effect that influences your thoughts, feelings, actions, and results.
Are you aware of both your feelings and your thoughts? Some people are more aware of their thoughts, while others are more in tune with their feelings—and how noticing which one you lean toward, and which one might be your blind spot, can help you gain the clarity you've been missing.
The power of repeating intentional thoughts, instead of just letting your automatic thoughts be ni your driver's seat—because a belief is just a thought you’ve told yourself enough times to make it stick.
Your Free Coaching Call:Get new results for yourself too by scheduling your real-time coaching with Annaliese! Schedule your FREE 1-hour Discovery Chat at www.linktree.com/coachannaliese to gain personalized insights and start making real changes.
Ways to Start Changing a Thought, Feeling, or Action:
Ladder Thoughts – Choose a thought just 1% more helpful than your current one to shift your mindset gradually.
Redefine Your Goals & Identity – Notice where your current definitions keep you stuck, and try ones that create more openness.
Focus on Just One Shift – In tough moments, pick one thing to adjust: your thought, feeling, or action. Then, ask: What am I believing that’s leading to this outcome?
Small shifts add up. Try one today!

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.