Regulate to Rise: Healing Identity, Grief & Burnout with Executive Coach Sam Willing

In today’s episode, Angelina welcomes Sam Willing, an executive coach, speaker, and strategic partner to corporate leaders with over 25 years in HR. Sam opens up about her lifelong struggle with perfectionism, people-pleasing, and tying her worth to work — and how her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis forced her to reevaluate everything.

🔥 In This Episode, We Cover:

Sam’s early identity as “the easy child” and how people-pleasing shaped her adult life

Why achievement and perfection became her coping mechanisms

The moment she realized her identity was built on things she could lose

Her mother’s heartbreaking diagnosis — and the hidden tragedy of self-neglect

Full-body stress symptoms, burnout, and the wake-up call that changed everything

The infamous “wrong text” she sent to her CEO that became a turning point

How God used listening prayer to reveal her next step

Nervous system regulation and why it’s the missing link in leadership

The healing that came through grief, therapy, and slowing down

Her new book: Regulate to Rise: The Hidden Key to Powerful Leadership and Personal Peace

The Elevated Table — a new model of women’s leadership

The Purposeful Pause Retreat for women of impact

The beautiful story behind The Compassionate Collective and its imperfect heart movement

💛 Sam’s One Thing to “Refine to Shine”

Practice self-compassion — the foundation for healing, leadership, and how we love others.

🔗 Connect with Sam Willing

Website: https://www.samwilling.com/
The Compassionate Collective: https://www.thecompassionatecollective.com/
Instagram: @coachsamwilling
Book — Regulate to Rise:
https://a.co/d/8NFuYjw

🔗 Connect with Angelina Rivera
🌐 Website: angelinarivera.com
📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: angelinarivera.com/links
📲 Instagram: @refineandshinepodcast | @the.angelina.rivera
🎧 YouTube: Refine and Shine Podcast | Angelina Rivera
💼 LinkedIn: Angelina Rivera | Refine and Shine Podcast
🧘‍♀️ Sukha App – 7-Day Free Trial (no card required): TheSukha.co/?ref=angelina
🛍️ Work With Me — Courses & Coaching: https://angelinarivera.com/coaching-services

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