Inspired Questions: Conversations on Self-Worth, Burnout & Showing Up Authentically

When Life Feels Like Too Much: A Grounding Meditation to Help You Pause

This meditation is for the weeks when there's just a lot. When your nervous system is working overtime, your feelings are bigger than usual, and you haven't had a real chance to stop.
Rather than pushing through or trying to fix what's hard, this practice offers something different: a few minutes to pause, to acknowledge what you're actually carrying, and to remember that you don't have to hold it all alone.
This meditation may be supportive if you're:
moving through a heavy week or a heavy season
carrying big emotions you haven't had space to feel
exhausted from pushing through and pretending you're fine
in need of a real pause, not a quick fix
In this practice, you'll be invited to:
let your body settle and feel supported
check in honestly with how you're actually feeling
soften around what you're carrying without trying to fix it
reconnect to your breath and the present moment
There's no right way to do this meditation. You can sit, lie down, pause, or come back later. If big feelings come up, that's not a problem - that's the point.
If you'd like more grounding practices like this, you can follow the podcast or find me at Grounding with Ruth, where I share meditation, breathwork, and self-worth-focused support for women navigating burnout, people-pleasing, and uncertainty.
I'm also hosting a live online workshop - Grounding in Self-Trust When Life Feels Uncertain - on Saturday March 14th, 2026 at 10 AM EST. If this meditation resonated, this workshop is the next step. Details and registration below.
If you're interested in working together:
Register for the March 14th workshop: REGISTER
Book a free discovery call: BOOK HERE
Learn more about The Self-Worth Solution course: www.groundingwithruth.com
Join my free FB group, The Enough Project: JOIN HERE
Follow me on Instagram: FOLLOW HERE
And if this meditation was supportive, a rating or review helps others find it too.

Take Your Break Time Back: A Conversation with Naturopath Sara Love on Stress, Gut Health, and Permission to Rest

Sometimes the most supportive things are also the most overlooked: a real break, a bit of movement, and something warm in your hands.
In this conversation, I'm joined by naturopathic doctor and tea maker Sara Love to talk about stress, the gut microbiome, and what it actually looks like to build self-care into a busy life—without turning it into another job.
This episode is for you if:
You've been running on empty and keep telling yourself you'll rest "later"
You're curious about how stress affects digestion, mood, and energy
You want practical, small shifts that are realistic to stick with
You're trying to set boundaries but keep sliding past your own limits
We talk about:
Sara's path from pharmacy to naturopathic medicine
Why stress can make even "good" health habits feel less effective
The gut microbiome (and why the research is changing so quickly)
Supporting your vagal nerve with short, intentional breaks
What "intentional rest" looks like (and why doomscrolling doesn't count)
Boundaries that actually hold: time blocks, hard stop times, and recovery days
Ultra-marathons, mental training, and the mantras that carry you through
Being more intentional about what you consume—food, media, and everything else
How herbal tea blends come together (including the personalities of herbs)
Guest bio: Sara Love is a naturopathic doctor in Oregon with a wide scope of practice, blending evidence-informed natural medicine with conventional tools when needed. She's also the founder of Lichen Leaf Tea, where she creates herbal blends designed to support real life—stress and all.
Find Sara + Lichen Leaf Tea: Website: lichenleaf.com
Connect with Ruth:
Website: groundingwithruth.com
Instagram: @groundingwithruth
Facebook: Grounding with Ruth
If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a reminder to take a break, or leave a review—it truly helps.
Stay Grounded.

Grounding in Self-Trust When Life Feels Uncertain

This meditation is for moments when uncertainty is making you doubt yourself — when you're second-guessing your decisions, waiting for certainty that isn't coming, or questioning whether you're doing any of this right.
Rather than trying to find the answers or force clarity, this practice offers something different: a chance to reconnect to your own inner knowing and trust yourself even when you don't have it all figured out.
This meditation may be supportive if you're:
stuck in a decision and doubting yourself
feeling unmoored by change or uncertainty
waiting for external validation before you act
carrying the weight of "what if I get this wrong?"
In this practice, you'll be invited to:
ground in your body and breath
notice where uncertainty is blocking your self-trust
reconnect to what you know for sure, even if it's small
practice trusting yourself not because you have certainty, but because you don't need it
There's no right way to do this meditation. You can sit, lie down, pause, come back later, or simply listen. If your mind wanders or doubts creep in, that's not a problem — it's part of the practice.
If you'd like more grounding practices like this, you can follow the podcast or find me at Grounding with Ruth, where I share meditation, breathwork, and self-worth-focused support for women who are navigating burnout, people-pleasing, and uncertainty.
If you're interested in working together:
Book a free discovery call: BOOK HERE
Learn more about The Self-Worth Solution course: www.groundingwithruth.com
Join my free FB group, The Enough Project: JOIN HERE
Follow me on Instagram: FOLLOW HERE
And if this meditation was supportive, a rating or review helps others find it too.

What I’ve Learned After 50 Episodes

In this solo episode, I pause to reflect on reaching 50 episodes of Inspired Questions — how this podcast began, how it’s changed, and how I’ve changed along the way.
I talk about recording the very first episode feeling terrified and unsure, learning to trust my voice over time, and letting go of the pressure to get it “right.” I share what showing up imperfectly has taught me about self-worth, authenticity, and creating work that feels aligned.
I also speak more openly about my course, The Self-Worth Solution, why it exists, and how it has evolved alongside me. This episode is an invitation to reflect on your own growth, your voice, and what it might look like to choose yourself with more trust and less fear.
In this episode, we explore:
What it felt like recording the first episode — and how far I’ve come
Letting go of performance and learning to trust my voice
Why inconsistency doesn’t mean failure
How self-worth work shows up in creativity and visibility
The evolution of my work and The Self-Worth Solution
Why you don’t need certainty to begin
Links & Resources:
Learn more about The Self-Worth Solution: HERE
Book a free assessment call: BOOK HERE
Connect with me on Instagram or Facebook: @groundingwithruth
Thank you for listening — and for being part of this space. Stay grounded.

Grounding Meditation: Ten Minutes at a Time

This short meditation is for moments when everything feels like a lot — when your mind is busy and your body is asking for a pause.
Rather than trying to fix anything, this practice offers something simpler: a chance to come back to where you are, notice what’s here, and let your system settle. It’s built around the idea of taking things ten minutes at a time, without pressure to solve the whole day.
This meditation may be supportive if you’re:
feeling anxious or overwhelmed
carrying a quiet sense of “never enough”
tired of pushing yourself to keep going
needing something steady and uncomplicated
In this practice, you’ll be invited to:
settle into the body and notice support
name what’s present without fixing it
gently return to the breath and the moment
orient toward the next ten minutes, just as they are
There’s no right way to do this meditation. You can sit, lie down, pause, come back later, or simply listen. If your mind wanders, that’s not a problem — it’s part of the practice.
If you’d like more grounding practices like this, you can follow the podcast or find me at Grounding with Ruth, where I share meditation, breathwork, and self-worth–focused support for women who are tired of pushing themselves through life.
If you’re interested in working together, you can learn more about my offerings — including 1:1 support and my course The Self-Worth Solution — at my website: www.groundingwithruth.com
And if this meditation was supportive, a rating or review helps others find it too.

What Dogs Teach Us About Patience and Progress: A Conversation with Emma Berumen

Dog struggles can feel surprisingly personal — and oddly isolating. In this episode, Ruth sits down with Emma Berumen, the founder behind Snout App (built from her own experience supporting her dog Luna through separation anxiety). They talk about what it’s like when your dog’s stress becomes your stress, why “quick fixes” often leave us feeling worse, and how real progress usually comes from small, repeatable steps… plus a lot of self-forgiveness.
This episode is for you if you:
love your dog deeply, but feel overwhelmed by behaviour struggles
have tried plans that didn’t fit your real life (or your actual dog)
notice how easily anxiety becomes a feedback loop — for both of you
need a reminder that progress doesn’t require perfection
In this conversation, we talk about:
why dog ownership can bring up so much self-doubt (and guilt)
separation anxiety: the practical stress and the emotional weight
the myth of the “quick fix” — and what helps instead
breaking change into bite-sized steps (and why 10 minutes matters)
repairing after hard moments: apologizing, resetting, trying again
building tools that adapt to real life, not ideal circumstances
walking, sunlight, and getting out of your own head
the reminder: “Even though it may not look like it, it will pass.”
Guest: Emma Berumen
Emma Berumen is the founder of Snout App, a project inspired by her own dog Luna and their journey with separation anxiety. With a background that includes science and the startup world, Emma is focused on building support that’s practical, flexible, and guided by real expertise — so people don’t feel alone while figuring things out.
Links:
Join the Snout App beta/waitlist: thesnoutapp.com (as shared in the interview)
Connect with Ruth
www.groundingwithruth.com
Ruth’s work: women’s wellness, burnout recovery, self-worth, and grounded growth
If this episode resonated, you can follow the show, share it with a friend who loves their dog (and might need this reminder), and leave a review — it helps more people find us.
Stay Grounded.

Guiding Meditation: A Practice of Being Here

This meditation is an invitation to come back to where you are, just as you are. It’s a practice of presence—not as something to achieve or get right, but as something you can return to again and again.
Whether your mind feels busy, your body feels tired, or you’re feeling a bit scattered, this space is open to you. There’s no expectation to be calm or clear your thoughts. This is about noticing what’s actually here and allowing that to be enough.
This meditation supports you in:
Settling into your body and your breath
Noticing where your mind naturally goes
Practising returning to the present moment
Reflecting on what presence feels like for you
Remembering that there’s no right way to meditate
You don’t need to do this perfectly. If your mind wanders, that’s part of the practice. Every time you notice and come back, you’re already here.
Stay grounded.

A Different Way to Enter a New Year

January often comes with a lot of noise—about who we should be, what we should fix, and how quickly we should change. In this solo episode, I share my complicated relationship with the New Year, why resolutions have never really worked for me, and what I’m choosing instead.
This conversation is about loosening the grip of expectation and finding a way into the year that feels more honest, more spacious, and more supportive of real life.
This episode is for you if:
You feel resistant to New Year’s pressure or “fresh start” energy
Resolutions tend to leave you feeling discouraged or behind
You’re curious about setting intentions instead of rigid goals
You want a calmer, more grounded way to move into a new year
In this episode, I talk about:
Why New Year’s messaging can feel heavy and unrealistic
The difference between resolutions and intentions
How intentions leave room for flexibility and self-compassion
My personal intention for 2026: presence
What presence looks like in my work, health, and relationships
Connect with Ruth
Website: groundingwithruth.com
Instagram & Facebook: Grounding with Ruth
If this episode resonates, you’re welcome to follow the podcast, leave a review, or share it with someone who might need a little less pressure this time of year.
Stay Grounded.

Grounding Meditation: Presence Over Performance

If you listened to my recent conversation with Anjali, you heard us talk about what happens when we stop performing and start being present. How much energy goes into managing insecurity and trying to be “enough” — and how things shift when we let that go.
This 9-minute meditation is about stepping out of performance and into presence. About loosening the grip of the “not good enough” voice and reconnecting with the part of you that doesn’t need to prove anything.
In this episode, we’ll:
Use breath to settle the nervous system
Notice where performance and insecurity live in the body
Practice releasing the need to prove or earn worth
Explore what presence feels like as a lived experience
Remember that your purpose is bigger than your fear
You don’t need to do this meditation perfectly. Just find a comfortable position and give yourself these few minutes to be exactly as you are.
Related Episode:Conversation with Anjali — on presence, authenticity, and not letting insecurity run your life.
I’ll be taking a short break from releasing new episodes over the holidays and will be back in the new year. In the meantime, feel free to revisit any episodes that resonated with you.
Connect with Ruth:Website: groundingwithruth.comInstagram / Facebook / LinkedIn: @groundingwithruth
If this episode resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review — it helps other women find these meditations.
Stay grounded.

Presence Over Performance: Finding Your Authentic Voice with Anjali Handa

In this episode, I sit down with leadership coach Anjali Handa to talk about something so many of us struggle with - showing up authentically instead of performing. We dive into the exhausting cycle of editing ourselves, the stories we tell ourselves about not being good enough, and what shifts when we finally give ourselves permission to take up space and be heard.
Anjali shares her journey from being a quiet, insecure kid who learned to fly under the radar, to becoming a coach who helps female founders and leaders step into their powerful presence. We talk about the difference between presence and performance, why vulnerability isn't weakness, and how our insecurities keep us from making the impact we're meant to make.
This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and deeply validating. If you've ever felt small in a room, edited your voice, or wondered if you're "enough" - this episode is for you.
Topics We Discuss:
The difference between presence and performance - and why it matters
Why we perform instead of being authentic (and what it costs us)
The common stories women tell themselves: "I'm not good enough," "I don't belong here," imposter syndrome
How childhood experiences shape our adult patterns of hiding and self-editing
Why focusing on others instead of ourselves helps us show up more authentically
The role of purpose in overcoming insecurity
How to catch yourself self-editing and what to do about it
Why growth is an ongoing journey (and how to stay light about it)
The stark difference between how men and women show up in professional spaces
One simple thing you can do today to start reconnecting with your voice
About Anjali:
Anjali Handa is a leadership coach & trainer and the creator of The Powerful Presence Workshop, helping women feel grounded, visible, and fully themselves any time they speak or lead. With over 15 years’ experience—and five years as a transformational seminar leader—she’s coached more than 1,500 professionals and led programs for hundreds of people, blending leadership development with personal transformation so women can claim their voice and step into their next level of impact.  
 
Connect with Anjali:
Instagram: @anjali_handa
Register for the Powerful Presence Workshop: Powerful Presence Workshop
Connect with Ruth:
Website: groundingwithruth.com
Instagram, Facebook: @groundingwithruth
Book a free Enough Assessment call: https://pages.groundingwithruth.ca/calendar
Learn more about The Self-Worth Solution:
If this episode resonated and you're ready to do the deeper work of breaking people-pleasing patterns and building authentic self-worth, check out my 12-week online course, The Self-Worth Solution, at groundingwithruth.com.