Episode 224: Don’t Burn It All Down | How to Course-Correct Without Quitting Everything with Kayla Lopez
Have you ever worked so hard for a role only to finally land it… then whisper to yourself, “Wait… is this actually what I want right now?” If so, this conversation will hit home in the best way.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by one of my former one-on-one coaching clients, Kayla Lopez — a director of account management, leader of a team of 10, hockey mom of two busy boys, and the blueprint for making what I call an intentional power move. Kayla didn’t quit her job — she reclaimed it. And she did it without burning her entire life down in the process.
She talks openly about the ego hit of changing directions, the boundary shifts that freed her from resentment, the routines that actually work in a full season of life, and the systems she uses to lead her team with calm confidence. If you’ve been craving permission to choose the right kind of more — Kayla’s story is your playbook.
Let’s get into it.
Timestamp Snapshot (Timestamps are approximate)
- 0:00 – Welcome + why Kayla’s story matters
- 2:25 – Kayla’s background and leadership role
- 6:40 – The “Is this actually what I want?” moment
- 10:10 – Pivoting without burning down your career
- 14:30 – Ego, identity, and redefining success
- 18:05 – Developing as a new leader + leading a team of 10
- 22:20 – Kayla’s morning routine & why journaling finally clicked
- 27:00 – Focus, distraction, and anti-overwhelm systems
- 31:45 – The 15-minute end-of-day buffer that changed everything
- 36:00 – Becoming not the default parent
- 41:15 – Sports mom life + the logistics of a busy family
- 45:30 – Work travel, guilt, and making it sustainable
- 50:20 – Delegation that actually develops people
- 55:10 – Kayla’s coaching experience + what surprised her most
- 59:45 – Her advice for any woman feeling stretched thin
From “I Worked So Hard for This” to “Is This Even Right for Me?”
Kayla has spent over 15 years in the insurance industry — growing, climbing, and intentionally expanding her skill set at every step. When she finally earned the promotion she had been working toward, she assumed it would feel like arriving.
Except it didn’t.
The demands of the new role collided with the reality of raising two active boys, managing a busy household, and trying to keep up with everything. Eventually, she found herself asking a question so many high-achieving women ask silently:
“Is this the right role for this season of my life?”
And instead of burning it all down — Kayla made a strategic pivot that allowed her to keep growing, but in a direction that aligned with her values, her family, and her wellbeing.
Why Course-Correcting Isn’t Failure — It’s Maturity
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is Kayla’s honesty about the ego hit that came with shifting roles. She worried what people would think. She questioned whether she was “taking a step back.” She wrestled with the identity she had built as a high achiever.
But course-correcting wasn’t weakness. It was wisdom.
She reframes her transition as a different direction — not a demotion. And that’s something I want every woman listening to hear: not every chapter of your life requires climbing. Some seasons ask for alignment, not acceleration.
And even with this shift, Kayla is still leading a large team and performing at an incredibly high level — just in a way that’s a better fit for her life right now.
Morning Routines That Work in Real Life
Kayla’s mornings are structured, but not aspirational in a way that’s impossible to replicate. Think:
- 5–6 AM workouts at a local gym
- Coffee + quiet
- 10 minutes of journaling — gratitude, intention setting, and mental clearing
- Kid drop-offs
- A calm transition into her workday
Before coaching, journaling felt “meh” to her. After committing to it consistently, it’s now one of her biggest grounding tools — something she feels when she doesn’t do it.
Her routine isn’t rigid — but it is anchored. And that’s the magic.
Focus, Boundaries, and Eliminating the Constant Distraction Cycle
Like many leaders, Kayla lives in meetings, messages, and pings. What makes her different is how she protects her ability to think.
Some of the systems she uses:
- Turning off all notification sounds
- Removing pop-up previews
- Using the Rooted App to lock down social scrolling during work hours
- Setting focus blocks that automatically change her Teams status
- Reminding herself that responsive doesn’t have to mean immediate
She leads her team by modeling healthy boundaries — not just talking about them.
The 15-Minute Work → Home Life Transition Buffer
Working from home means the “commute decompression time” doesn’t exist — and for Kayla, the whiplash to home/family was real.
Now she uses a 15-minute buffer to:
- Review tomorrow’s calendar
- Wrap up loose ends
- Take a quick walk if possible
- Mentally shift from leader → mom/family
It’s simple and wildly effective — especially for anyone who has ever felt the emotional hit of kids walking in the door before you’ve caught your breath.
Redesigning the Default Parent Dynamic
For years, Kayla silently absorbed the mental load — schedules, logistics, sports, meals, appointments, everything. Resentment followed.
The shift happened when she and her husband started sharing the load through:
- Clear communication
- Sunday schedule planning
- Proactively asking for help instead of assuming
- Letting him own tasks fully instead of having her hand in it all
The pressure-cooker effect that used to build for her has lifted dramatically.
Letting Go to Lead Well: Delegation as Development
Kayla is a phenomenal delegator — not because she offloads work, but because she sees delegation as a development tool. She gives her team:
- Clear expectations
- Room to own the work
- Space to grow
- Guidance without micromanaging
And over time, she’s built a team that’s strong, capable, and empowered.
What Coaching Shifted for Kayla
Her biggest hesitation before coaching?
“Will this even make a difference?”
What surprised her most?
How much lighter, grounded, and more in control she felt — not just at work, but at home and within herself.
We peeled back beliefs, old patterns, and automatic thought loops so she could redefine success in a way that matched her actual values.
A Final Word to the Woman Feeling Stretched Thin
Kayla ends with a message every high-achieving woman needs:
You get to define what success looks like — in this season.
Success doesn’t always mean climbing.
Sometimes it means growing differently.
Sometimes it means choosing peace.
Sometimes it means choosing the right kind of more.
Her story is your permission slip.
If this conversation spoke to you, please share it with a friend or colleague who’s navigating their own career crossroads. The more we can share real examples of modern high performance, the more we all win together.
