Ep #83: Rewrite Your Leadership Journey: Embodying Transformed Narratives (Part 4)

Did you know that your body is telling a story about you before you even speak? Research has shown that it takes seven seconds to have an impression of your leadership capability. Some of you may not be aware of the signals you’re giving off. Let’s move beyond just understanding your new narrative, but to embody it. Stay tuned.

Welcome to The Reinvention Lab: Where Ambitious Women Transform Loss into Legacy. Hosted by Master Certified Life Coach and fellow trailblazer, Sandy Linda, this is your space to discover how life’s biggest challenges can ignite profound transformation—where grief becomes growth, setbacks become stepping stones, and your unique story lights the way for others. If you’re ready to turn life’s challenges into opportunities for leadership, legacy, and forward momentum, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.

Hello, creative humans and fellow trailblazers. I hope you are enjoying the show and learning about recreating your past to change your future.

Back in November, I started doing yoga. I was a novice, but the teacher said it offered great basic moves for beginner. I didn’t think I’d last long until I reframed my mindset from, “I’m not cut out for yoga” to, “Yes, I can do this.” After consistently attending, the teacher commended my dedication. That experience reminded me of how we can transform our narratives through consistent practice and embodiment.

Today we are completing our four-part journey on rewriting your past to create an extraordinary future. Over the past three episodes, we have explored how our brain process stories, deconstructing limiting narratives, and reconstruct positive interpretations of our experiences. Today, we are focusing on embodying these new narratives in your leadership presence and actions.

Many of us experience the frustrating disconnect between understanding something intellectually and living it. There’s a difference between knowing your new story and becoming it. Many ambitious women tell me, “Sandy, I understand my new narrative, but I still feel like an imposter when I try to show up differently.” This is what I call the knowing-embodying gap. You might understand your new empowering narrative, but still react from your old story under pressure. This gap isn’t just psychological, it’s neurological. When we learn something new, it first registers in our thinking brain. But our automatic responses come from deeper, older brain structures that run our habitual patterns. That’s why you can know better, but still react from old programming.

I see this often with some of my clients. Take Michelle, a brilliant executive who understood her crisis management background made her uniquely qualified to lead her company’s transformation. But in meetings, she hesitate to speak up because her body and emotions operated from her old narratives that her insights were not valuable enough. The magic happens when we bridge this gap. When your new narrative becomes so integrated that it’s not just something you think, but something you embody at a cellular level.

This embodiment process has three dimensions. If you stick around, I’ll share those action steps later on the show. But before I continue, if you are enjoying this series, please take a moment to leave a rating or a comment on your podcast app or wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback helps other women, creatives, and leaders find these insights. And I love hearing how these ideas are resonating with you. Every five-star rating brings this message to someone who might need it today. Now, back to our show.

Our bodies often reveal the truth of our current narrative. We often think our stories live only in our minds, but they are expressed through every cell of our bodies. Our narratives take shape in ways we might not recognize. Think about it this way. Your body constantly broadcasts your self-belief. Research in body cognition shows a connection between our mental and physical states. When we carry a narrative of limitation or empowerment, it becomes visible in our physical presence. This happens through several channels at once.

First, there’s your posture, the way you hold yourself. Then your voice, its tone, pace, and volume. There’s also your facial expression, gestures, and breathing. Finally, there’s the energetic quality you bring into a room, what some might call your presence. Your body tells the story before your words do.

When you’re operating from your old narratives of, “I’m not enough,” your shoulders round forward, your voice gets quieter, and you take up less space. Your breathing becomes shallow, staying high in your chest. Your gestures become smaller and more contained. You might look down or break eye contact quickly when speaking. These physical signals communicate your internal stories to others, often before you said a word.

But when you embody your new narrative of, “My experiences have prepared me for this challenge,” your posture opens, your voice resonates with confidence, and you command the room. Your breathing deepens into your belly. Your gestures become more expensive and purposeful. You make meaningful eye contact that connects rather than retreats. You’re taking up more space in the world, reflecting your expanded sense of possibility.

I witnessed this transformation with a nonprofit leader who survived a public organizational failure. For months, she physically carried her narrative of shame. She entered board meetings with hunched shoulders, spoke quickly as if apologizing for taking up time, and positioned herself at the table’s edge.

As we worked together to transform her narrative from, “I fail” to, “I learn invaluable lessons about resilience,” we incorporated physical practices alongside the mental reframing. Within weeks, her colleagues commented on her new energy without knowing about our work together. She entered rooms with squared shoulders, spoke at measured pace, and chose seats at the center of the table. Her transformed narrative wasn’t just a new thought, it was a new physical reality.

This physical dimension of narrative is why true transformation can’t happen through intellectual exercises. You need to retrain your body to express your new story. The good news is that changing your thoughts affect your body, and changing your body affects your thoughts. This feedback loop means physical practices can be powerful shortcuts to embodying your new narrative.

After working with several women through transformation, I’ve noticed something. The ones who truly change their lives are not necessarily the smartest or most talented. They are the ones who practice consistently. That’s why I say transformation isn’t a one-time event. It’s a practice. Think of learning the piano. You would not expect to master Beethoven after one lesson, right? The same goes for embodying your new narrative. Your old story has been running on autopilot for years, maybe decades. Rewiring those neural pathways takes repetition. But with the right daily practice, it happens faster than you think.

Now, earlier, I mentioned the three dimensions of embodiment. And they are the emotional, physical, and behavioral. I’ll give you one daily practice for each dimension that you can start today, within the next hour after listening to our show.

So, for the emotional embodiment. This takes three minutes each morning. Before checking your phone or diving into email, place your hand on your heart. Take three deep breaths and ask yourself, “What would I feel today if I were fully living in my new narrative?” Maybe it’s confidence, peace, or determination. Now, here’s the crucial part. Don’t just name the emotion, generate it in your body. Remember at a specified time you felt that motion strongly. Where do you feel it in your body? What does it do to your breathing? Amplify that feeling for 30 seconds.

One of my clients used this practice to shift from, “I’m always overlooked” to, “I create value that can’t be ignored.” Every morning, she generated a feeling of quiet confidence. Within two weeks, she spoke up more in meetings without the usual anxiety. By day 30, colleagues sought her input without pressure.

Now for physical embodiment. Your body will try to express your old narrative throughout your day, especially under stress. That’s why I recommend the power pose reset three times daily. Set alarms on your phone for morning and afternoon. When they go off, excuse yourself for 60 seconds if you are with others. Stand tall, feet hip width apart, shoulders back, chin raised. Stretch your arms wide or place your hands on your hips like Wonder Woman. Take three full breaths while mentally stating your new narrative. This works because your posture affects your hormone levels and brain state. Harvard research showed that two minutes in a power pose increases the confidence hormone and decrease the stress hormone.

My client Rachel felt like an imposter who doesn’t belong in the C-suite. Before every executive meeting, she practiced her power pose. Six weeks later, the CEO comment on how she owned the room during her presentations.

For the behavioral embodiment. Your new narrative needs to be proven through your actions. Each morning ask yourself, “What’s one action I can take today that would only make sense if my new narrative were true?” If your new narrative is, “I am a thought leader in my industry,” maybe share an original insight on LinkedIn. If it’s, “I prioritize well-being alongside achievement,” perhaps take that postponed midday walk. The action must be doable today, not someday or eventually. Write it down and check it off before your workday ends.

Remember Maria from our previous episodes? That rejection email stung, but she turned it around. Instead of hiding, she showed up as an innovative leader with ideas. When her VP mentioned an open leadership position, Maria was ready. She had shifted from, “They will never see me as leadership potential” to, “My fresh perspective is what this team needs.” Committed to sharing one innovative idea in every leadership meeting. Within a month, the company adopted two of her suggestions, proving her new narrative to herself and everyone around her.

These practices create a noble cycle. The emotional practice generates feelings that support confident physical expression. Physical practice creates the physiological state for empowered behavior. The behavioral practice produce real-world evidence that reinforce the emotional belief in your new narrative.

As we wrap up today’s final series, remember that your transformed narrative isn’t just a thought. It’s something you become. When you align your emotions, presence, and actions with your new story, you create an authentic leadership presence that inspires others. The losses you have experienced, whether the death of a loved one, a career setback, rejection, or shattered friendship, have shaped you, but they don’t define you. By reframing these experiences as sources of wisdom and strength, you transform what felt like limitations into your greatest leadership assets.

Here are some of the key takeaways. Bridge the knowing-embodying gap by engaging all three dimensions of transformation. Practice the morning emotion alignment to feel your new narrative. The power pose reset will help you embody and express the power of your story. Commit to daily demonstrations that prove your narrative through action.

This week, choose one practice and commit to it daily for seven days. Notice how it shifts your self-perception and others’ responses to you. Then share your experience with me. Are you finding these self-pace exercise beneficial? I appreciate your feedback. We will leave you the info of how to contact me on the show notes.

I want to leave you with this. Your transformed narrative isn’t just a delightful story. It’s the foundation of your next level of impact. When you embody the wisdom gained from your past experiences, you don’t just change your future, you expand the possibilities for everyone you lead. You’re being forged by a more powerful, compassionate, and authentic leader. The world needs the wisdom from your unique journey. Embodiment isn’t about perfection, it’s about practice. Imperfect application of these techniques will move you further along your transformation journey than perfect understanding without action.

Until next time, reminding you that your greatest leadership story isn’t behind you. It’s unfolding now. Have a great week, everyone. Bye.

Thanks for joining us on The Reinvention Lab. If today’s episode inspired you, don’t forget to follow and share it with someone who’s ready to turn their challenges into opportunities. Want to take your journey to the next level? Visit sandylinda.com/program and apply for coaching today. Together, we’ll turn your story into a legacy. Until next time, keep moving forward with purpose, passion, and power.