She is the Principal Strategist of Embedded Consulting, where she helps organizations develop better connection, inclusion and productivity through wellness and team building. She has over 20 years of professional experience, with senior leadership roles in Higher Ed, HR and DEI, most recently at Canopy Growth and Charles Schwab.

In this interview, Sumayyah shares her perspective on some of the most important digital wellness lessons that we all need to know (especially me!):

1. Scrolling on the phone (which most Americans do 4.5 hours+ each day) exposes our brains to a flood of micro/macro emotions in a rapid fire, extended way that is impossible to fully digest and causes a host of mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc.
2. Digital Wellness is not just about detoxing from your phone. It's about finding a livable balance and achieving a relationship with technology that feels right for you.
3. There are simple tools that you can use to help limit your phone time. Humble brag: I turned on the screen time limit for Instagram after this interview, and I haven't gone over my limit since!
4. There is a 4-step formula to help overcome excessive phone use, or any habit that you are struggling with:
   1. Identify the Trigger: The situation that initiates the undesired behavior (e.g., stress, boredom, a specific time of day).
   2. Consider the Success Factor: A condition or mindset that makes it more likely you’ll successfully follow through on the desired behavior.
   3. List the Replacement Activity: The healthier or more productive behavior you will choose to perform instead of the default or undesired one. This should serve a similar function as the original behavior (e.g., soothing stress, providing stimulation).
   4. Set the Reward: A positive reinforcement that reinforces the new behavior—can be intrinsic (feeling proud, relaxed, energized) or external (a treat, praise, a break).

To find out more about Sumayyah, please visit her website.

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For more information, find Divya on LinkedIn or listen in to her Podcast.

In this interview, Cass completely lit me up with her steadfast smarts, shining personality, and a viewpoint that was somehow simultaneously realistic and optimistic (despite the current state of things). In a world where DEI is under full-blown attack, this was the conversation that I didn't know I needed, but totally rekindled my confidence that even though we as a country are currently stumbling HARD, those on on the front lines of DEI are not giving up.

A mini rant on magical conversations: You know when you have a great discussion with what feels like a kindred soul? You talk and you connect and you vibe. You get that good belly hit of inspiration and camaraderie. You feel like anything is possible, despite how f-ed up other things in life often look. THAT is what I felt after a recent conversation with the one-and-only Cass Cooper. Enjoy!

To learn more about Cass and her powerful and poignant work, follow her on LinkedIn or visit her website.

Cass is the Founder and Principal Strategist of Know Better, Do Better Consulting, a business development consultancy that bridges DEI strategies with organizational development using an inclusive leadership framework. In a world where DEI is under full-blown attack, this was the conversation that I didn't know I needed, but totally rekindled my confidence that even though we as a country are currently stumbling HARD, those on on the front lines of DEI are not giving up.

Watch the interview here:

To find Cass online, check out her website or connect directly on LinkedIn.

Floral Design Workshop

Dear fellow Denverites - anyone feeling the almost-done-with-Winter need for some color right about now? Our first in-person gathering in a zillion years is coming up next month and we would love you to join us.

Join Healthy Women Leaders and Julie Misch Hudson of Unhurried on Monday, March 10th at 6pm for a Floral Design workshop to get rooted into your creativity, work with your hands, network with new friends and lighten your heart. Hope to see you there!

In Need of Something MORE? Look to the Well Within

If you feel stuck or unfulfilled (or just need a refresher course on your innate greatness) The Well Within is your go-to guide to help you unlock your personal power and create the life you’ve dreamed of. I assure you of this: you can make substantial change by shifting your focus inward and adopting a radical self-care lifestyle.

On the heels of Christmas and as we cruise into the brand new year, I wanted to take a moment to share a heartfelt Happy Holidays! I hope your holiday season is filled with joy, good vibes, and great cheer.

To help you kick off 2025 with your goals actually on track (and not abandoned by January 3rd), I’m officially inviting you to join a free virtual session "How to Set and Achieve the Right Goals for 2025", happening on Wednesday, January 8th at 10am MT. Think of it as your fun, no-pressure, totally empowering pep talk for the new year.

Did you know most goals are ditched just 2 days after being set? Not on my watch! In this session, you’ll learn a 5-step formula to make sure your goals are:

• Rock solid (no flimsy goals allowed!)
• Resilient against distractions (looking at you, social media)
• Meaningful and actually doable

Plus, we’ll swap personal stories, share some laughs, and build each other up—because achieving big goals doesn’t have to be a lonely grind. You’ll leave with valuable tools, confidence, and maybe even a new friend or two.

And while we’re on the topic of being your best self: allow me to offer a friendly reminder that my book, The Well Within: Unlocking Your Personal Power Through Radical Self-Care, is an easy-to-follow life manual to help you:

• Get to know the real you (the amazing warrior goddess within)
• Stop taking on too much
• Check how you show up (cut the nonsense)
• Love yourself like it’s your full-time job
• Expect awesome things to happen (because they will)

So, in review, here's a how we get a jump on 2025:

1. RSVP here to save your spot for "How to Set and Achieve the Right Goals for 2025"
2. Let the new year be the reason to read The Well Within and get ready to dive into a whole new level of self-care.

Let’s make this the year we go really big, have so much fun, and make all the best things happen.

Cheers to the holidays and an incredible year ahead!

All the best,
Kalia Garrido
Founder, Healthy Women Leaders

One last note: we are so excited to see the RSVPs flowing in for our first in-person event since, well... a really long time. Join us in March in Denver for a Floral Design Workshop and rekindle your creativity.

Rekindle Your Creativity: Floral Design Workshop

Join our first event in a new series designed to help women rekindle their creativity, pursue their passions, and make new connections.

Eventbrite

Are you ready to rediscover your creative spark? You are officially invited to the first event in the Rekindle Your Creativity series: a Floral Design Workshop on Tuesday, November 19, from 6-8pm at the Colorado Flower Collective in Lakewood, Colorado.

Led by master floral designer Sarah of Ladybird Poppy, this workshop is the perfect chance to dive into the art of floral design. You’ll learn how to transform beautiful blooms and lush greenery into a stunning centerpiece— and create your own to take home! Whether you’re a seasoned creative or just starting out, this hands-on class is a fun, relaxed way to tap into your artistic side.

What to Expect:

• A 2-hour interactive workshop with live demonstration and Q&A
• All floral supplies included (plus a 6" vase to take home your creation!)
• Light snacks and drinks
• A welcoming environment to connect with other women who share your passion for creativity

Hosted in collaboration with Healthy Women Leaders, Unhurried, and Ladybird Poppy, this event is more than just a class—it’s an opportunity to rekindle your creative energy, pursue your passions, and make meaningful new connections.

Event Details:

🗓️ Tuesday, November 19
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Colorado Flower Collective at 9975 West 20th Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80215

Don’t miss out! Space is limited, so reserve your spot today and start the holiday season inspired. 🌸

Sign up here //

Can’t wait to see you there!

The Well Within is a manifesto that details how people can dive into their own inner journey to uncover their truly radiant, authentic self. Practicing these methods has allowed me to tap into the most profound sense of joy, well-being and personal power... and now it’s your turn.

When you’re guided to a book like this, it’s because you have a strong desire to feel better in your daily life. That desire is a gift - it's your calling to go deeper into the magic that exists for those who are seeking it.

In The Well Within, my mission is to help people who, just like me, want more than just to skim over the surface of life. The book contains 5 Key Life Lessons that will help you learn to:

• Truly Know Yourself
• Watch What You Take On and In
• Watch What You Give Out
• Treat Yourself Lovingly
• Expect the Awesome

These life lessons will help you unlock your personal power which is already within you, despite your outside circumstances. There are also many bite-sized "Truth Bombs" sprinkled throughout the book for quick tips and tricks to help keep you moving forward on your inner path.

I’m so thrilled to share this book with you. Thank you all so much for helping to support me along the way. This has been such a journey!

Get ready to go deep and tap into your own Well Within.

Much love and gratitude,
Kalia

*NOTE: If you are in the Denver, CO area, I'd love to meet you at our Book Launch Party, where we will celebrate with friends, food, and drinks. Please RSVP Here to Reserve Your Space

She worked in the government for many years before applying her expertise to her own business. In 2015 she founded MEG Financial Wellness. Mae now educates people on personal financial wellness, with a special focus on wealth building aka: getting ahead with money.

She is also the author of a chapter called “The Rule Breaker” in the recently-released book “Journey to Now” which chronicles deeply honest stories of healing, self-discovery, and transformation. Mae is the mother to 5 children and, I’m proud to say, my neighbor.

In this interview, Mae shares her perspective on some of the most important life lessons that we all need to know:

1. Not taking 'no' for an answer when it's something important to you
2. Believing in yourself even/especially when no one else does
3. Fighting through your personal insecurity
4. Overcoming Mom guilt
5. Going after your dreams to create the life you want

She also educates me about Hmong culture and blew my hair back with her journey to rise up from under a serious patriarchy to become an independent, business-owning power woman. YES!

To find out more about Mae or to purchase her book, please visit her website.

ABOUT ANNIE: Annie Kiser is a Wealth Management Advisor at Maia Wealth. Annie is a non-traditional girl, and she surely followed a non-traditional path to Finance, having left her first career in Healthcare to become her own first client and take full ownership of her financial universe. She is a loud advocate for total financial health + freedom, and specializes in working with women of all ages who are looking for something different than the antiquated and highly masculine world of traditional financial planning.

ABOUT CHANDLER: Chandler te Velde is a Partner at Maia Wealth. As a Certified Financial Planner and early investor in Maia, Chandler learned firsthand the importance of making smart + calculated investment decisions with long-term goals in mind. She is fueled by working with women who want to step up their wealth game by building financial confidence and knowledge.

Want to know more? Check Annie and Chandler out at their website or listen to them on Spotify.

Her recent public appearances include TEDx, Chicago Ideas, Nokia, Pinterest, Google. She is the author of the book “Executive Motherhood” and the founder of the startup “My VA Rocks”, which re-employs women who left the workforce during the pandemic.

Visit Ashley at her website or check out her amazing Virtual Assistants.

Cordelia Gaffar is an extraordinary woman of many talents with a seemingly unending well of nurturing, giving, and teaching. She is a coach, influencer, and motivator. She is the author of 8 books, an award-winning podcast host, mother to 6 children (whom she homeschooled before the rest of the world was forced to) and international speaker.

Some of her noteworthy achievements are being featured on America Meditating Radio, British Muslim TV, Spirituality Podcast, Ultimate Coach Podcast, South African Radio 786, and Fox News.

In our few minutes together, we are going to look inside Cordelia’s mind to better understand her teachings, her process and how she is able to hold so much space for so much creation.

If you would like to learn more about Cordelia, you can find her here:

• Cordelia's Website
• Retreat in St. Maarten
• Podcast

If you are looking for more info about Holly, you can find her here:

• Website
• Instagram
• Deliberate Living Podcast

She is from the midwest originally and though she excelled at her corporate sales career, over time chronic stress from her fast-paced lifestyle began to take its toll. Instead of playing into this, she put a stake in the ground to find out how to live in a  healthier and more peaceful way. After discovering the healing power of breathwork for herself, she was called to become a certified breathwork instructor and more widely share the teachings and the benefits.

To learn more, go to https://www.purposebreathwork.com/ or email her directly at julie@purposebreathwork.com.

Contact: To learn more, go to her website, follow her on Instagram, or reach her directly at lena.moon@gmail.com.

Find more about Karen at her website.