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Everyone’s rushing to decide what’s next. New goals. New plans. New direction. But what if clarity doesn’t come from pushing forward, but instead from stopping long enough to notice where you already are?

Welcome to The RISE Experience, a podcast for women who are rebuilding trust with themselves — in health, leadership, faith, and everyday life. I’m Shannon Denniston, and this is a space where we slow down when everything feels loud. We lead from steadiness instead of urgency, let go of hustle, and listen again. We stay connected to what’s real — identity, faith, the body, and the quiet wisdom already there. A place to pause, reflect, and rise from clarity instead of pressure.

Episode Highlights

This conversation is an invitation to slow down before deciding what’s next. It centers on noticing where the body and mind actually are, not where they’re supposed to be. Instead of rushing into plans or intentions, the focus is on orientation: understanding current identity, values, and capacity first. Clarity is treated as something that emerges from listening, not forcing. For women and leaders who’ve spent too long operating in urgency or survival mode, this episode offers permission to pause, get grounded, and let direction come from steadiness rather than pressure.

Episode Outline

• Why orientation matters more than intention.
• The cost of setting goals while feeling disoriented.
• Using the body as a signal for readiness and clarity.
• How urgency blocks self-trust and wise leadership.
• Identity is the foundation for direction and purpose.
• Why “I don’t know yet” is honest and grounded.
• The nervous system’s role in decision-making.
• A faith-centered perspective on identity before purpose.
• Allowing direction to unfold without force.
  
  
  

Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:07 Orientation Before Intention

04:07 The Importance of Identity in Setting Intentions

06:01 Reconnecting with Current Identity

08:34 The Role of Integrity in Orientation

09:31 Prayers and Reflections

Action Taken

• Pause before setting new goals or commitments.
• Notice the current state of the body, breath, and energy.
• Ask the question: Who am I right now — honestly?
• Release the pressure to have answers immediately
• Share this episode with someone who might need permission to slow down.
  
  
  

Conclusion

Clarity doesn’t come from deciding faster. It comes from knowing where you’re standing. When orientation comes first, direction stops feeling heavy or forced. There’s permission here to pause, to listen, and to admit when the next step isn’t clear yet. Nothing is behind. Nothing is missing. Orientation is not delay — it’s wisdom.

CTA

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who feels rushed, unsure, or caught between what’s next and what’s true.

Supporting Information

• Instagram: @risewithshannon
• Facebook: Rise Experience
• LinkedIn: Shannon Denniston
• Business: https://msha.ke/shande
• Coaching: https://msha.ke/risewithshannon

Thank you for being here and for choosing presence over pressure. This space exists because of listeners willing to slow down, listen inward, and rise with intention

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Hope doesn’t disappear all at once.

Sometimes it just goes quiet after being disappointed too many times.

Welcome to The RISE Experience, a podcast for women who are rebuilding trust with themselves — in health, leadership, faith, and everyday life. I’m Shannon Denniston, and this is a space for slowing down, leading from steadiness instead of urgency, and growing without hustle. Here, we explore real-life change rather than perfection, weaving together identity, leadership, faith, and body-based wisdom. It’s a place to pause, reflect, and rise from clarity rather than pressure, feeling grounded and connected to yourself and others.

Episode Highlights

This episode centers on the idea that belief often fades not because people stop caring, but because caring has hurt too much. After repeated disappointment, the nervous system learns to associate hope with risk. Instead of pushing forward, it flattens emotion as a form of protection.

Rather than forcing belief back into place, the conversation invites a slower return. Hope is framed as something quiet, something rebuilt through trustworthy moments, consistency, and kindness. Growth doesn’t need intensity to be real. Sometimes it needs safety first.

Episode Outline

• Creating space for reflection instead of pressure-driven growth
• Introducing the Rise Experience as a place to grow honestly and gently.
• Revisiting the idea of a quiet reset as groundwork for clarity.
• Understanding why hope feels dangerous after repeated letdowns.
• How the brain protects by avoiding pain rather than pursuing potential
• Why forcing belief often backfires
• Rebuilding trust through small, reliable experiences
• Choosing consistency over intensity as a leadership practice
• Distinguishing hope from optimism
• How returning hope softens leadership, clears vision, and shifts energy
• Guided reflection around safety, belief, and self-kindness
• Closing with prayer and encouragement for gentle restoration
  
  
  

Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:07 Creating Space for Reflection and Growth

01:09 The Role of Hope in Rebuilding Belief

03:13 Rebuilding Trust Through Experience

04:26 Practicing Gentleness and Consistency

05:28 Reflecting on Personal Experiences of Hope and Belief

Action Taken

Sit with these three reflective questions during the week, without pressure to fix or act:

• Where has hope felt unsafe?
• What would belief look like if it didn’t ask for more than could be given?
• What is one way to be kinder right now?

Make a simple note of what surfaces during reflection to revisit later

• Practice gentleness and consistency over intensity
• Choose not quitting after a hard day
• Use kinder self-talk as a way to rebuild belief slowly
  
  
  

Conclusion

Hope doesn’t need to be loud to be real. It doesn’t need grand plans or bold declarations to return. When belief is rebuilt gently, leadership shifts. Decisions soften. Vision becomes clearer. Growth becomes something that feels possible again, not because of force, but because trust is slowly restored.

CTA

Take time this week to sit with the reflection questions shared in the episode. Let the answers rise naturally, without urgency or expectation, and notice what begins to shift.

Supporting Information

• Instagram: @risewithshannon
• Facebook:

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What if belief didn’t have to feel heavy or forced?

What if growth didn’t mean sprinting from one goal to the next or pushing yourself into exhaustion?

Welcome to The RISE Experience, a podcast for women who are rebuilding trust with themselves — in health, leadership, faith, and everyday life. I’m Shannon Denniston, and this is a space for slowing down, leading from steadiness instead of urgency, and growing without hustle. Here, we explore real-life change rather than perfection, weaving together identity, leadership, faith, and body-based wisdom. It’s a place to pause, reflect, and rise from clarity rather than pressure, feeling grounded and connected to yourself and others.

Episode Highlights

January can feel heavy, and motivation often feels fragile. This episode explores how to rebuild belief from where you are, rather than chasing unrealistic goals. Belief is emotional, physiological, and mental, and repeated disappointment or pressure can quietly erode it. A “quiet reset” focused on safety and small, consistent actions can help restore trust and clarity. Steadiness, rather than urgency, shapes how we grow, lead, and show up. The episode closes with a prayer for gentleness, trust, and steady progress.

Episode Outline

• Why belief can feel fragile and what happens when the nervous system is protecting itself.
• Recognizing signals of belief retreat: hesitation, overthinking, numbness, or “I don’t really care” energy.
• The impact of repeated disappointment, cycles of starting and stopping, and pressure to perform.
• How to rebuild belief from your current state, not by pushing harder or demanding motivation.
• The role of small, consistent actions in restoring trust in yourself: keeping promises, choosing steadiness over intensity, letting progress be imperfect, and pausing before burnout.
• How steadiness in personal belief influences leadership, relationships, and daily life.
  
  
  

Reflection questions to carry:

• Where has belief felt unsafe?
• What lingering expectations are affecting how I move forward?
• What would belief look like without pressure?
  
  
  

Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:07 Rebuilding Belief in January

03:36 The Role of Safety in Belief

06:58 Quiet Reset and Internal Belief

09:23 Leadership and Belief

12:28 Practical Steps for Rebuilding Belief

13:01 Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Action Steps

• Notice where belief feels fragile without judgment.
• Take small, consistent actions that restore confidence and trust in yourself.
• Lead from steadiness and presence, not urgency, in both personal life and leadership.
• Give yourself space to pause, rest, and rebuild without forcing progress.
  
  
  

Conclusion

Belief doesn’t return through force or hype — it returns through safety, presence, and consistent, trustworthy steps. When belief is restored, growth feels steady, trust in yourself deepens, and the energy you bring to leadership, relationships, and everyday life shifts.

Supporting Information

• Instagram: @risewithshannon
• Facebook: Rise Experience
• LinkedIn: Shannon Denniston
• Business: https://msha.ke/shanden
• Coaching: https://msha.ke/risewithshannon
  
  
  

Thank you for s