Mahrukh Imtiaz Consulting Inc.

Looking for a creative outlet that creates an extra revenue stream?

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝟭 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲

We'll get you exactly that through our 5-Step-Podcast-Road-Map

👉 Mindset blocks stopping you from leveling up
👉 Everything from basic equipment and software to recording tips
👉 Launching your show to the world

🎙️ Book it Now: https://calendly.com/mahrukh-m-imtiaz/free-podcast-coaching-and-strategy-session-2?month=2024-03

Founder

As a Remote Leader of HR Operations at EY, I manage a team of 6 and have led initiatives that resulted in significant cost savings and efficiency improvements. 

• Implemented Talent AI for FAQ automation, saving $50 million.
• Spearheaded initiatives resulting in a 61% reduction in unnecessary transactions.
• Managed over 100 stakeholders to ensure accountability and informed decision-making throughout the project.

Leader - HR Operations

In my role as a Senior Project Manager and Consultant at EY, I led initiatives to streamline HR operations, improve decision-making processes, and enhance project efficiencies. 

• Spearheaded a project to streamline the FICA tax escalation process, identifying gaps and facilitating data-driven discussions for improved efficiency.
• Collaborated on the I-9 E-Verification project, presenting recommendations to stakeholders and implementing a successful solution.
• Led project process improvements resulting in a 60% reduction in project risk.

Senior Project Manager and Consultant - HR Operations

• Systemized the Pro Bono process for Americas Corporate Responsibility team, saving $5 million.
• Developed a Diversity Program with a 96% success rate, enhancing engagement for diverse groups.
• Streamlined initiatives in the Talent Team Coordinator community, reducing unnecessary transactions by 47%.

Senior Project Manager and Consultant - Talent Specialist Team

• Led the design and development of the Talent Development Center of Excellence (TD COE) SharePoint site, increasing hits by 76% and enhancing collaboration.
• Supported the implementation of the new Talent strategy “Global Talent Review” with strong problem-solving skills, gaining 84% approval for program implementation.

Project Manager - Strategic Talent Management

• Developed offer letter and job posting templates to enhance recruiter efficiency.
• Led the successful launch of the E-Offers project in Canada.
• Supported the seamless migration to ServiceNow technology.

Associate - HR, Talent Shared Services

Talent Development Associate - HR, Diversity and Inclusion

International Tax Services - Staff 

Cricket Canada

Former player - Canadian Women's Cricket Team

I make Podcasts Fun, Easy, and Stress-Free for you🎙️✦ Project Manager by day ✦ Cricketer by evening 🏏 ✦ Top 10% of Podcasts in the 🌎 ✦ Speaker ✦ Podcast Coach for Busy Lives

A new solopreneur or an ambitious corporate side-hustler looking to start a podcast – you’re in the right place! 

Hey! I’m Mahrukh Imtiaz, owner and host of ‘Spicy Chai’ – a podcast for content creators.  🎙️

In Feb 2021, I aired the very first episode of ‘Spicy Chai’ – my podcast for content creators. 

Today, ‘Spicy Chai’ is ranked in the global 10% of all podcasts! A fantastic achievement at any time, but so much more amazing in just my first year. 

A podcast is an excellent choice if you’ve been looking for:

✔️ A creative outlet to help people with your knowledge

✔️ A way to diversify your income stream

✔️ An idea for a side hustle

Having my own podcast has helped me become a more confident speaker, brought me speaking opportunities, connected me to people with millions of followers and helped me clarify my message. 

50+ episodes in, I now want to inspire YOU to work up the courage to put YOUR voice, YOUR thoughts, and YOUR message out there!

But that’s not all. I thrive in fast-paced corporate environments too! As a remote leader for one of the top companies, I’ve launched an HR chatbot, driven process improvements in HR operations, and designed and implemented leadership and culture programs. 

Balancing a podcast and a demanding 9-5 has taught me how to execute and stay consistent, even with a packed schedule. 

In addition to podcasting:

🏏 I play cricket for Team Canada

🙊 I’m obsessed with my 5-year-old nephew (he’s my best friend)

🥘 I daydream about Pakistani Biryani a little too often!

A podcast isn’t for everyone but ready for your podcast to meet the world even though you are time-starved? I have a value-loaded, free training video where you can learn how to start a podcast today.

👉🏽𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐔𝐑𝐋 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝟏𝟑 𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨: https://bit.ly/3qE9wM2

🏳️‍🌈

Mahrukh Imtiaz (She/Her)

I help high-achieving professionals move from burnout to alignment to lead with peace, purpose, and power.

I guide my clients from from overperforming and depleted to purpose-driven and grounded in peace.

Most high-achieving professionals don’t burn out because they’re weak. They burn out because they’ve been living out of alignment.

We’re taught all the wrong rules about success:
Get the degree. Climb the ladder. Keep pushing. Don’t slow down. Don’t feel too much.

I know because I followed those rules for 25 years.
Degrees. Executive title. Beautiful family. Polished LinkedIn profile.

But inside? I was disconnected, exhausted, and spiritually dry.

My cortisol levels rivaled a 3rd shift ER doctor.

I was functioning.
But I wasn’t living.

Then I asked myself the real questions:
— What if success could feel like peace, not pressure?
— What if ambition didn’t have to cost me my soul?
— What if alignment wasn’t a luxury, but the real goal?

That inquiry became a calling.
I left corporate, rewrote the rules, and now help others do the same.

My Approach: Sacred Success™
Where spiritual alignment meets high-performance leadership.

I combine 25 years of executive experience + MBA + nervous system regulation with deep spiritual and somatic work to help high achievers:

✔ Redefine success on their own terms
✔ Heal patterns of burnout and overgiving
✔ Lead with clarity, peace, and purpose
✔ Move through the Spiritual Alignment Spectrum™—from Achiever to Aligned Leader

What I Know for Sure:
– Success without soul isn’t success—it’s survival
– Small spiritual shifts create massive outer change
– Your nervous system is the foundation of sustainable impact
– You don’t have to choose between ambition and alignment
– You were never meant to do this alone

LET’S CONNECT

→ Book a Clarity Call
Private Coaching | Corporate Wellness
https://bit.ly/49tHtE3

→ Join My Newsletter
Spiritual alignment, sacred ambition & nervous system-based success
https://bit.ly/3CQYhJZ

→ Podcast: Live the Width of Your Life™
Apple: https://apple.co/4aFTKqk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hTaiO0

→ Read My Book
Live the Width of Your Life: 365 Daily Meditations on Living with Purpose, Passion, and Peace
https://amzn.to/3Ygr1AU

You don’t need to push harder to feel fulfilled.
You just need to get aligned.

Let’s walk that path together.

Aneta Ardelian Kuzma

Your voice is not meant to sound like anyone else's.

Over the past few weeks, I worked with four incredible leaders who all came to me with the fear of public speaking. 

In board meetings, with investors, on stages, and during presentations.

Each one was convinced they weren’t good speakers and believed their fear of public speaking was a life sentence.

Everything shifted when we stopped focusing on performance and started focusing on service.

→I taught them to ground themselves. 
→To breathe deeply.
→To work with their nervous system instead of fighting it. 
→To visualize not getting through the speech, but their audience's transformation.

We flipped the entire narrative.
It's not about being perfect or impressing anyone. It's about service.
You are the vessel through which a message flows.

When you stand up to speak, you're not there to be judged. You're there to serve. 

To share something that might change someone's day, their perspective, maybe even their life.

Everything changed when my clients stopped asking "What will they think of me?" and started asking "What do I want them to leave with?" 

One client told me yesterday: "I can't believe how I feel. It's like I've been hiding my whole life."

Your voice is sacred, uniquely yours, and holds so much wisdom from your life experiences. 

Someone needs to hear exactly what you have to say, exactly the way only you can say it.

Not in a polished, perfect way, but in YOUR way.

When we speak from service rather than ego, and focus on connection rather than perfection, then our authentic voice emerges.

And that voice doesn’t shake with fear, but instead vibrates with purpose.

What message are you holding back because you're worried about how it will sound? Someone is waiting to hear it.

What's the best advice you've received on preparing for public speaking? Mine is below ⬇️
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma, transformation coach and author of Lanterns of Light.
♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to use their voice.

Helping Leaders Redefine Success & Reclaim Purpose | Author, Coach, Speaker

This is what living the width of life looks like.

I'm not checking email.
Not planning how to finish the year strong.
Not optimizing anything.

This long weekend, I'm sitting on a beach in Florida with my college friends, the same women I've known for decades. 

We just wanted to be together.

We enjoyed slow mornings drinking coffee together.
We made pancakes and ate them in our pajamas.
We took a slow walk on the beach collecting shells. 
We cancelled dinner reservations and instead ate snacks while playing board games.

This is the greatest gift. 

They remind me of who I am beyond what I achieve.
They let me be vulnerable and give me permission to laugh.
They ground me when I'm too in my head and not enough in my heart.

As high-achievers, we often measure life by doing more.
By what we accomplish.
By how much we produce.

But the real measure of success is being able to live the width of life:

→ Friendships that last for decades
→ Slow mornings without an agenda
→ Conversations that let you be fully yourself
→ Time spent doing absolutely nothing productive
→ Relationships that existed before your title/business/accomplishments

This weekend, my focus isn't on building or creating or optimizing.

It's on living.
On being present.
On remembering that these moments with my people is how I define a life well-lived.

If you're reading this between errands or while being productive this weekend, what’s one thing you could do today just for joy?

Even 10 minutes counts.

Maybe it's calling that friend you miss.
Taking a walk without your phone.
Reading something that has nothing to do with work.
Or just sitting still and breathing.

Share below what you're choosing. Let's remind each other what Saturday is actually for. 
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I help high-achievers move from autopilot to alignment and reclaim their authentic selves.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to prioritize what's sacred.

I know what you did yesterday.

You made it through Tuesday by telling yourself, "I'll rest this weekend."

But you already know that you probably won’t. 

You'll fill Saturday with errands, obligations, the projects you "should" have finished during the week, and cleaning up your inbox. 

You'll scroll your phone while telling yourself you're relaxing.

And Sunday evening, you'll be right back where you started.
Depleted and dreading Monday morning. 

I know because I did this for 25 years.

Every Wednesday felt like evidence of my failure. 

Like I should have figured out how to make this sustainable by now.

But the truth that changed everything for me:
You're not failing. The model you're following is failing you.

That question—"Is this all there is?" is an awakening.
It's your soul saying: There has to be a better way.

And there is.

I discovered that Wednesdays can actually feel alive.
✓Not by doing less (I still have ambitious goals).
✓Not by caring less (I still pour my heart into my work).
✓But by making tiny shifts that honor my humanity.

Because awakening without action keeps you stuck.

So here's what I did to close the gap between my values and my life:
→ Slow mornings to set my intentions for the day and fill myself up
→ I schedule 15 minutes between meetings to actually breathe
→ I eat lunch away from my desk 
→ I ask, "Is this aligned and will this matter in 5 years?" before saying yes
→ I protect one day a week as sacred - no work, no scrolling, just presence
→ I celebrate weekly wins, even tiny ones

The magic? These small acts of rebellion against the hustle add up.

They become proof that you can be successful AND human.
Driven AND peaceful.
Ambitious AND aligned.

So here's my Wednesday challenge for you:

→Pick ONE thing from my list above, or create your own. Just one.
→Do it today.
→Notice how it feels to choose yourself in the middle of the chaos.

Because when you remind yourself that your needs matter, everything shifts.

Your energy changes.
Your presence deepens.
Your work actually improves.

What small act of self-honor will you choose today?
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I help high-achievers move from autopilot to alignment and reclaim their authentic selves.
♻️ Share this with someone who's counting down to the weekend.

I know what you did yesterday.
You made it through Tuesday by telling yourself: "I'll rest this weekend."
But you already know that you probably won’t. 
You'll fill Saturday with errands, obligations, the projects you "should" have finished during the week, and cleaning up your inbox. 
You'll scroll your phone while telling yourself you're relaxing.
And Sunday evening, you'll be right back where you started. 
Depleted. 
Dreading Monday.
I know because I did this for 25 years.
Every Wednesday felt like evidence of my failure. 
Like I should have figured out how to make this sustainable by now.
But the truth that changed everything for me:
You're not failing. 
The model you're following is failing you.

That question—"Is this all there is?"is an awakening.
It's your soul saying: There has to be a better way.
And there is.
I discovered that Wednesdays can actually feel alive.
Not by doing less (I still have ambitious goals).
Not by caring less (I still pour my heart into my work).
But by 

Yesterday I taught a corporate wellness session on navigating the holidays without burnout.

When I asked the room how they were feeling, the answers came quickly:

✓ Tired 
✓ Stressed 
✓ Anxious 
✓ Worried 
✓ Exhausted

Then I asked a different question:

"How do you want to FEEL this holiday season?"

Silence.

Most people have never asked themselves that.

They'd been defaulting to the same holiday patterns for years.

Saying “yes” to everything, running on fumes, wondering why it never felt good.

So we slowed down.

Your nervous system isn't broken. It's asking for restoration.

Then I gave them some tools:
→ Simple ways to reset in under 2 minutes 
→ Breathing techniques that actually work 
→ Energy protection strategies like the "Hell Yes" filter and the 3-Thing Rule

Then I put on music and gave them real space to answer five questions that would help them design their season instead of just surviving it:

→ How do I want to feel this season?
→ What will I release to protect my peace?
→ What are my top three priorities between now and January 1?
→ What is one boundary I will set with compassion?
→ What is one simple daily grounding habit I will commit to?

I watched it happen.

Shoulders dropped. 
Breathing slowed down. 
They sank deeper into their chairs.
They were moving from autopilot into alignment.

We finished with 15 minutes of breathwork.

Then I asked them for one word to describe how they wanted to go into 2026.

Rested 
Restored 
Ready

That's the shift.

→ From tired to rested. 
→ From depleted to restored. 
→ From overwhelmed to ready.

It doesn't require a complete life overhaul. 

It starts with one breath, one intention, one moment of choosing yourself.

How do you want to FEEL this holiday season?

✨ DM me "RESET" and I'll send you the Holiday Reset Guide I gave to yesterday's group. It includes the 5 questions, breathing techniques, and a 2026 intention planner.
_________
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma.  I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share with someone who needs permission to choose themselves this season.

"I was channeling my inner Aneta."

My client said this to me on our last coaching call. 

His daughter called from school after achieving a major goal. 

She shared that she was excited, but also had a hard time calming down.

Her heart was racing, her breath was shallow, and she felt anxious.

He recognized what was happening because he’d experienced it himself before. 

But now he knew exactly what to do.

He explained to her what was happening to her nervous system.

"It's completely normal after something intense. Let me show you something that has worked for me."

He guided her through box breathing over the phone, slowing his speech and talking softly as he did. 

In for four. 
Hold for four. 
Out for four. 
Hold for four.

A few rounds later, and she was calmer.

"Thanks Dad. I feel so much better."

→ She didn't just feel better, she learned why her body reacted the way it did.
→ She learned a tool she can use anytime in the future.
→ She learned that intense feelings are normal and manageable.

When he shared this story with me, I got emotional.

This is why I do this work.

The tools you learn for yourself become tools you can share.
The understanding you gain becomes wisdom you can pass forward.
The nervous system regulation you practice becomes a gift for those you love.

My client joked about channeling his "inner Aneta," but what he really did was apply what he'd learned calmly, confidently, and exactly when it mattered.

He became the guide for his daughter that he once needed for himself.

What have you learned that you can now teach to others?
____________
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who's learning to guide others through their own transformation.

Her call came through on Saturday while I was at the beach. I picked up, feeling nervous.

Weekend calls are rarely good news.

But instead of panic in her voice, she sounded great. 

"Aneta, I just had my best month ever in business."

I could feel myself smiling as I listened to her news. 

My heart was so full of gratitude and pride for her.

Because just over a year ago, this same client was burned out, exhausted, and questioning what she had built.

She felt like she was back at square one after years of pouring into her business.

"I don't even recognize myself anymore," she told me then.

Her transformation didn't come from more strategy or pushing harder.
It happened when she finally chose herself first.

Here's what we focused on:

→ Regulate first

She started taking daily walks, focusing on rest, eating healthy meals, regular massages, and evenings where she slowed down and listened to her body. 

She stopped pushing through exhaustion and started honoring what she needed.

→ Get honest about what brings you joy

She listed everything in her business, circled what lit her up, and crossed out what drained her.

Then she released the offers and services she no longer wanted to do.

→ Charge for your true value

When you focus on what you love, you do your best work. 
Your best work naturally commands a higher level of investment.

→ Schedule more fun than urgency

She proactively scheduled travel, time with friends, and activities that felt fun and meaningful. 

These became part of her life again, not something she squeezed in when there was time.

Sitting on that beach, listening to her share with so much joy, I was reminded why I do this work.

Because success without alignment eventually becomes self-abandonment.

But when you build from wholeness? 
When you give yourself permission to rest, release, and realign?

That's when your best month ever becomes your new normal.

Not because you worked harder.
Because you finally worked from a place of deep alignment.

What's one thing you need to release, and one thing you feel called to expand?  The answer might be your next breakthrough.

Share below. 
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment, so they lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to transform through rest, not hustle.

"You can't be angry if you're focused on gratitude."

David McBee said this to me during our recent podcast conversation, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. 

Two years ago, David was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors, the same rare cancer that took Steve Jobs and Aretha Franklin. 

They found twelve tumors in his liver, and his doctor told him, "It's not a matter of if this cancer will kill you, it's just a matter of when."

This kind of news could break anyone, but David chose something different.

He got a tattoo that says "gratitude" backwards so he sees it correctly in the mirror each morning. 

He sets an alarm for 9 PM every night, asking, "What are you grateful for today?" 

He keeps smooth rocks on his desk, and each time he touches one, he pauses to think of something he's grateful for.

Every night before bed, he and his wife share what they're grateful for.

"If you really focus on gratitude," David told me, "you don't have the mental capacity to be angry or sad at the same time. Gratitude takes your whole energy in another direction, and away from the negativity."

Before his diagnosis, David admitted that he had a short fuse.

Road rage.
His daughter's messiness clashed with his OCD.
His work stress consumed him.

David later discovered that anger is stored in the liver.
The same place where twelve tumors grew.
He'd spent years burying his anger behind forced positivity, but it didn’t work. 

He chose to shift his mindset.

Now he says, "Who cares if someone's driving slow in the left lane? At least it's not cancer."

When I checked in with him last week, his tumors hadn't grown. 
He takes walks. 
Reads by the campfire in his backyard. 
Listens to his playlist of songs about hope.
He's living the width of his life, not just the length.

David reminded me that we don’t need to wait for perfect conditions to practice gratitude. 

He practices it while living with cancer. 
While waiting for his next scan. 
While managing the fear that tries to creep in.

Because gratitude isn't about denying reality, it's about choosing where to focus our sacred energy.

No matter how hard your day may be, there's always something to be grateful for. Even if it's just the fact that you're here right now, breathing, and can say "I am grateful."

What are you grateful for today? 
Right now. In this imperfect, messy, beautiful moment.

Share below. Let's fill this space with gratitude and remind each other what really matters.
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma, host of Live the Width of Your Life podcast, author of Lanterns of Light, and transformation coach helping leaders create lives of purpose, passion, and peace.

🎙️ Listen to my full conversation with David McBee. Link in comments.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs a reminder that gratitude changes everything.

Thursday used to be my throwaway day.

Too tired to be productive.
Too far from Friday to feel relief.
Barely surviving until the weekend.

I dreaded that heavy, depleted feeling when you're running on fumes but still have miles to go.

For years, I accepted this as normal.

Until I realized that Thursday wasn't the problem.
How I was spending Monday through Wednesday was.

I was giving away my best energy to everyone else's priorities.

By Thursday, all I had left were scraps.

Here's what changed everything:

I stopped treating Thursday as "almost the weekend" and started treating it as time that still mattered.

Every Thursday morning now, I ask myself three questions:

1. What have I been putting off that would feel amazing to complete?
2. Who haven't I connected with that I genuinely miss?
3. What would make me proud of this week when I do my Friday reflection?

Then I do something radical:
→ Cancel one thing
→ Add one thing that lights me up
→ Protect 30 minutes for something that brings me joy

Last Thursday?
Rescheduled a "catch-up" meeting that wasn't a top priority. 
Spent 30 minutes writing in my journal.
Read for fun in the middle of the day to reset.

The energy shift was immediate.

Because Thursday isn't meant to be endured.

It's 20% of your work week, and 52 days of your year.

That's too much life waiting for the weekend.

My clients who started doing this reported:
→ Better sleep on Thursday nights
→ Actually enjoying Friday instead of collapsing at 7 pm Friday
→ Weekend energy to do things they enjoy

Stop treating Thursday like it doesn't count, and instead treat it as one more chance this week to choose alignment over autopilot.

What one thing could you shift today to reclaim your Thursday?

Share below.  
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achieving professionals from burnout to alignment, to lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs their Thursday back.

Are you holding your breath? Check. 

Maybe you've been holding it since this morning, and you just noticed.

That was me for 25 years.

And I told myself every single time I caught myself:

→ "This is just what successful people do."
→ "Everyone else seems fine."
→ "I just need to push through a little longer."

Those lies nearly destroyed me.

Because that tightness in your chest that follows you home isn't normal. 
It's your body screaming at you to listen.

I wish someone had told me back then that the pressure I felt wasn't a time management problem.

It's your nervous system saying: "We cannot sustain this pace and stay healthy."

→ But you've been trained, probably even rewarded, for overriding that signal.
→ For pushing through exhaustion.
→ For proving your worth through output.
→ For treating your body's wisdom as weakness.

I lived at war with myself this way for two and a half decades.

I "succeeded" my way to burnout, disrupted sleep, and a life that looked impressive from the outside but felt hollow from the inside.

The shift came when I finally asked: What if my worth isn't determined by how much I can endure?

That question saved me.

Maybe you're reading this right now between meetings.
Feeling that familiar tightness in your chest. 
Exhausted but unable to stop.
Wondering if there's another way to live without sacrificing everything you've built.

There is.

But it doesn't start with another productivity hack or morning routine.

It starts with the courageous choice to stop performing and start being.

Here's where to start:

Close your eyes, and bring one hand to your heart and the other to your belly.
Breathe in for 4 counts. Hold for 4. Out for 6.
Do it three times.

Feel that shift?
That's what listening to your body feels like.

What signal is your body sending you today?
Were you holding your breath? Clenching your jaw?
And what would change if you actually listened?
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I help high-achievers move from autopilot to alignment and reclaim their authentic selves.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to listen to their body's wisdom.

You can be grateful and still feel like something's missing.

As we enter Thanksgiving week, I want to acknowledge that it can be a hard week. 

For years, I practiced gratitude as if it were supposed to fix me. 

I'd list my blessings every morning.
Count what I had.
Tell myself I should feel complete.

But that quiet voice kept whispering: "Something's still off."

And I'd feel guilty. Who was I to want more when I had so much?

So I'd practice harder. 
More gratitude lists. 
More affirmations. 
Trying to drown out the restlessness with appreciation.

Until I realized I was using gratitude as a silencer.

I now know that two opposing truths can exist at the same time:

You can be deeply grateful AND anxious about the holidays.
You can count your blessings AND feel exhausted.
You can love your life AND know something needs to shift.
You can appreciate everything you have AND still long for what's missing.

This isn't you being ungrateful. It's you being human.

Your gratitude doesn't cancel out your grief.
Your abundance doesn't erase your anxiety.
Your blessings don't invalidate your burnout.

What if this Thanksgiving, we stopped forcing ourselves to choose?

What if we held space for both?

The table full of food AND the empty chair.
The career success AND the restless heart.
The loving family AND the unspoken tension.

When we honor all that we're feeling, we stop acting grateful and start living gratefully.

This week, you have permission to feel it all.

To be grateful and worried.
Blessed and tired.
Abundant and incomplete.

Both can be true. 

What two truths are you holding this week?

_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to feel the full spectrum this Thanksgiving.

You don't need to hit rock bottom to change your life.

I see this belief everywhere:

"I'll make a change when I can't take it anymore."
"I need to wait for a sign."
"Maybe I just need to push through."

Here's what I know after guiding dozens of high-achievers through transformation:

The best time to choose alignment? Before you break.

I waited 5 years.

Five years of health scares. 
Burnout. 
Being the worst version of myself.

I kept thinking: "Maybe next year. Maybe after this promotion. Maybe when it gets really bad."

And you know what happened? It got pretty bad.

What I know is that you don't need to quit your job, blow everything up, or wait for a crisis to give you permission to want more.

Alignment starts with small, sacred shifts:

→ Saying no to one thing that drains you
→ Creating one boundary that protects your peace
→ Carving out 15 minutes to listen to your soul
→ Asking: "What do I actually want?"
→ Investing in support before you're desperate

These aren't dramatic, but they are acts of courage.

That inner voice you're hearing, or tightness in your chest? That's your sign.

That quiet knowing that something needs to change.
That feeling of "Is this really it?"

That's not dissatisfaction.
That's your soul trying to save you.

You don't need to wait until you can't sleep.
You don't need to wait for a health scare.
You don't need to wait until you have no choice.

You can choose alignment today.
Not by burning it all down.
By taking one small step.

One boundary.
One conversation.
One moment of choosing yourself.

Transformation doesn't require destruction.
It requires devotion to your soul, values, and the life you're here to live.

If this resonates, don't wait.

I'm opening up space for 3 people this month who are ready to choose alignment before they break.

DM me "READY" to schedule an alignment call. 

Remember, you don't need to burn it all down, you just need to take one small, aligned action today. 
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to change before they break.

"But what do I actually DO?"

After yesterday's post, a few of you asked me this question. 

You know something needs to change, but what do you do first?

Change doesn’t often require big changes, but small aligned daily actions.

Here are the 5 small shifts that saved me:

1. I started saying no to one thing per week.
Not everything, but one thing that drained me. One meeting, obligation, or "should."

That taught me that the world doesn't end when I choose myself.

2. I created 15 minutes of non-negotiable silence.
Every morning I meditate and then journal. I ask myself these questions: 

"What would make today a great day?  
“How do I want to show up in the world? “What is my intention?”
“What am I grateful for?”

That reminded me that I have the answers I need within. 

3. I asked for help.
I hired a coach. I admitted to ONE person that I didn't have it figured out. And, I still have a coach today. 

That reminded me that asking for help isn't a weakness, but an act of wisdom, strength, and courage.

4. I stopped justifying my feelings.
"I should be grateful." 
“Others have it worse." 
“I'm being dramatic."

I let myself feel all the feelings without judgement.

I acknowledged that my feelings were valid. 

5. I made one values-based decision.
I chose alignment over achievement in ONE area.

I remembered that I could trust myself, and my biggest fears rarely happened.

These weren't dramatic. 
But they were brave.
And they changed everything.

Which shift could you make this week?

DM me SHIFT and I’ll send you the assessment that shows which of these 5 shifts would transform YOUR life first.

Small shifts, sacred changes, and soul alignment is the best medicine. 
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma and I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to start small.

No alternative text description for this image

I couldn’t wait to go outside this morning. 

I grabbed my heaviest coat and stepped outside for my morning walk, excited for the first snowfall of the season. 

I decided to notice how everything changed overnight.

The world has gone quiet. 
My breath was visible in the crisp air.
The trees, bushes, and the ground were covered in white snow. 

And it was beautiful. 

We're entering the season that’s often called "the holiday rush."
✓Q4 deadlines. 
✓Family obligations. 
✓Performance reviews. 
✓Holiday shopping.
✓Year-end everything.
✓Finishing the year strong. 

But we have a choice in how we experience it.

We can rush through the rest of the year stressed and depleted. Or we can intentionally reframe what this season means.

Here's what I'm choosing:
From stress → to gratitude
From rushing → to savoring
From pressure → to wonder
From surviving → to experiencing

Yes, the deadlines and demands are real. 

But our perception of them? That's where our power lives.

On my walk today, I remembered: I get to choose my lens and intention.

→The busy calendar can be evidence of a full, purposeful life.
→The challenging projects can be a chance to finish strong.
→The holiday gathering can be a sacred connection, not an obligation.

Same circumstances. Different perceptions. Entirely my choice.

Living the width of your life means experiencing each season with intention instead of autopilot.

Which reframe do you need most right now?
Stress → Gratitude?
Rushing → Savoring?
Pressure → Wonder?

Tell me in the comments. And share what that shift might look like for you.

Because when we name it, we claim it.

(Photos are from this morning's walk.) ❄️
________
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma, author of Lanterns of Light and transformation coach helping leaders create lives of purpose, passion, and peace.
♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to reframe this season.

First Snow Fall

The Friday practice that changed my life, and I share it with all my clients.

Want to reclaim your weekends and start every week from alignment instead of anxiety?

My Sundays used to be planning days. 

I could feel the dread starting mid-afternoon when I thought about Monday morning. 

My days and weeks were blending into one endless Groundhog Day where I was disconnected from myself, running on autopilot.

Then I made a small change that gave me back my weekends to spend time with my family, rest, be creative, and actually be present.

Here's my Friday afternoon 60-minute practice:
1. Block an hour on your calendar every Friday afternoon

2. Reflect on the week you've had (15 mins):
• Celebrate your wins (big and small!)
• Acknowledge any setbacks without judgment
• Assess your energy levels and how aligned you felt this week

3. Investigate (15 mins):
• Why do I feel this way?
• Did I prioritize what truly matters to me?
• Was I trapped in energy-draining commitments?
• How much time did I lose to distractions or people-pleasing?

4. Plan for next week (15 mins):
• Set your personal and professional priorities
• Envision how you want to feel next week (peace, purpose, joy, ease, grounded)
• Review your upcoming calendar and ask yourself if your schedule allows you to show up as your best self.

5. Optimize (15 mins):
• Ruthlessly protect your energy
• Say no, reschedule, or shorten meetings that don't serve you
• Block time for what restores you—meditation, movement, creative work
• Schedule actual breaks and meals (yes, really)

The result?
✓ You close your laptop on Friday feeling complete, not depleted
✓ Your weekend becomes sacred time again
✓ Monday morning feels like possibility, not prison
✓ You start each week from alignment, not anxiety

My clients tell me this one practice has given them back 10+ hours of mental energy every week.

Not because they're doing less.
But because they're no longer carrying work into their soul's rest time.

You can reclaim your Sundays. 
You can start the week rested instead of anxious. 
You can live from intention instead of obligation.

If you try this today, let me know what shifts for you. I'd love to hear what you notice.

What's your end-of-week ritual? Share in the comments! 
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment, so they lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone whose Sundays need saving.

Three years ago, I sat in meditation and heard: "Go publish your book."

I'd already written it. 

But I'd been sitting on the manuscript for months, paralyzed by advice from a publisher that didn't align with the vision I had for my first book. 

That morning, I prayed to find the right editor. 

Not just for this book, but for books that I knew I'd write in the future.

Out of thousands of profiles on Upwork, George Verongos appeared.

And I just knew.

I reached out in early November, warning him that I wanted to publish before the end of the year. (I know, a little ambitious)

His response to my impossible timeline? "Just send it to me."

That was three years, two books, and one journal ago.

I finally got George on my podcast this week, and what unfolded was one of the most honest conversations about the creative process I've ever had.

Over these three years, George has been my editor, yes. 

But I also joke that he's my friend, therapist, coach, cheerleader, and the person who patiently listens to my long voice memos and reads my panicked texts asking, "Does this suck?"

He reads my work more times than I do. 

Because he cares about every word landing exactly as it's meant to.

Working together, we found this rhythm. 

Me waking at 4:30am Eastern, him working until 4am in the Pacific Northwest. 

Every morning I'd have edits from him. 

We'd go back and forth. 

That's how we got my first book out in weeks.

But what matters more is that George understands that writing is lonely and vulnerable. 

You're sharing pieces of your soul with someone who might judge them. Or worse, dismiss them.

He never does that. 

That's the difference between someone who corrects your work and someone who holds space for the writer you're becoming.

The right editor doesn't just fix your commas. They witness and support your transformation.

My relationship with George has never been transactional. It has become essential. 

If you're sitting on a manuscript, terrified to share it, I get it. However, the right partnership can make all the difference.

What's kept you from starting or finishing your book?

🎙️ Listen to my conversation with George on Live the Width of Your Life podcast (link in comments)
____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I help high-achievers move from autopilot to alignment and reclaim their authentic selves.

♻️ Share this with someone who has a book inside them waiting to be born.

Sundays are my sacred pause.

A day to rest, release, and realign.

Yesterday’s sunset reminded me that each day we can release everything we don’t need to carry into the new week.

Wishing you peace today and into the new week.

What if you didn't have to finish 2025 strong?

What if in December you could rest more and rush less? 

There's so much noise right now:
Black Friday sales.
Cyber Monday countdown timers.
Productivity hacks promising to help you squeeze more hours out of your day.

And maybe, like me, this pressure is making you feel anxious or dysregulated.

I intentionally turned off this noise last week. 

I spent most of Thanksgiving break in nature, and I noticed something.

Everything was quiet.
Time moved more slowly.
The animals weren't running around. They were hibernating and resting.

Nature wasn't sprinting toward some arbitrary finish line.

Every day following nature's pace, I could feel my own nervous system begin to settle.

The distractions and false sense of urgency began to subside.

I let go of my plans to "maximize the break."

Instead, I just rested.
I read books that had nothing to do with my business.
I walked without tracking my steps.
I spent time with my family without thinking about my to-do list.
I cooked for fun and took care of my body.

And something unexpected happened.

As the distractions lessened, I slept better than I have in months. 
My Oura ring started sending me congratulations on my readiness scores. 
Clarity started to come into focus. 

I felt more present and more alive.

Not from doing more, but from allowing myself to do less.

So, as you think about this final month, I invite you to journal on these questions:

1. What is your intention for December? (not what you think it should be, but what you want)
2. What are you grateful for?
3. What are you ready to release that’s now serving you?
4. What's your biggest, boldest, and most audacious prayer right now?

The width of your life isn't measured in how much you accomplish before December 31st.

It's measured in how present you are to what's already here.

What if this December, you listen to that still quiet voice within that already knows what you need?
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs permission to stop sprinting.

Linda Gray is #hiring for a Chief Human Resources Officer role. If you are interested or know someone who might be a good fit, see below.

The 3 Questions I Ask Every December to Design My Next Chapter

Back in 2016, I sat with my coach answering questions that would change everything.

I was stuck, spinning my wheels, and watching years pass by without clarity.

Today, 95% of that vision I created is my everyday life, because she asked me the right questions. 

Every December since, I return to these same three prompts, which are now a part of my sacred year-end ritual.

1: "If you were living your most aligned life one year from now, what would a typical day look like?"

Not your best day. Not vacation. A typical Tuesday. 
Write it out hour by hour. 

How do you wake up? What's your morning ritual? 
When do you start working? 
What conversations are you having? 
How do you feel at 3 pm? 
How do you end your day?
What was the best part of the day?
How did you serve others?
How did you take care of yourself - mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually?

The mundane reveals everything, and your Tuesday is your life. 

2: "What are you tolerating right now that you'll no longer accept?"

The meetings that could be emails.
The "yes" that should be "no."
The boundary you keep moving.
The conversation you keep avoiding.
The habit that's stealing your peace.

Write them all down. Circle three. Those are your first shifts.

3: "Who is the version of you that already has what you want?"

Close your eyes and picture yourself as that identity.

How do they move through the world?
What do they believe about themselves?
What have they released?
What have they claimed?
What daily practices anchor them?

That version already exists within you.

When I first answered these in 2016, I wrote about slow mornings, daily walks, deep faith, honoring my closest relationships, deep friendships I actually made time for, helping hundreds transform, becoming an author, and hosting retreats worldwide.

I was terrified to want it all. Eight years later, I'm living it. 
Not perfectly.  But fully.

Most of us know what needs to shift. 
We just need permission to admit it.

These questions are powerful on their own. But if you're ready to go deeper I'm opening 3 spots for December Vision Sessions.

One 90-minute call where we:
→ Work through these questions together
→ Create your 2026 vision with clarity and intention
→ Design your first aligned actions
→ Release what's been holding you back

This isn't a big commitment. It's a sacred pause to design what's next.

Ready to stop spinning and start creating?

Book your Vision Session. Link below. 

Or DM me "VISION," and I'll send you the details.

Your next chapter is waiting to be claimed.
_____
👋 I'm Aneta Ardelian Kuzma. I guide high-achievers from burnout to alignment so they can lead with peace, purpose, and power.

♻️ Share this with someone ready to design their next chapter.

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