Your gut knew first.

Before you had evidence. Before anyone else saw it. Your gut knew that person wasn't safe, that deal was wrong, that something was off. And you overrode it. You smiled when you wanted to run. You said yes when everything inside you screamed no.

Today's guest spent over a decade in an abusive relationship—and her biggest regret isn't what he did to her. It's how long she ignored what her body was screaming.

Patti Stewart is the founder of Defense in Heels, a published author, and a passionate advocate for women's safety. But what makes her work remarkable isn't just the physical techniques she teaches—it's that she survived by learning to trust the instincts she'd been taught to silence.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• The difference between instinct and intuition—and why confusing them keeps you stuck

• The "chest vs. stomach" test for distinguishing fear from true gut wisdom

• Where we first learn to override our intuition (hint: it starts in childhood)

• Why Patti walked away from a job that was paying all her bills—as a single mom

• How to schedule slowdowns so you can actually hear what your intuition is telling you

• The shiny object trap: winning on the outside while feeling empty on the inside

• What "prosperity without compromise" actually looks like in practice

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
From Patti:
"If it's in your chest, that's anxiety and fear. If it's in your stomach, that's your intuition."

"I was winning all the awards. But I went home and felt like crap."

From Anik:
"Instinct keeps you safe. Intuition keeps you aligned. The problem? They can feel identical."

"That's prosperity without compromise. Not making money at any cost. Making money that doesn't cost you your soul."

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Patti Stewart:
Website: https://www.defenseinheels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defenseinheels

Book - A Woman’s Guide to Self-Defense: https://a.co/d/02wCnZq9

Ready to Go Deeper?
Book a Clarity Call: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/
Your Breakthrough Blueprint (Free quiz): subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint

The You & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/

CONNECT WITH ANIK

Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
Next week, we're going deep on something Patti touched on today—and it might be the most important distinction you'll ever learn.

E20: Instinct vs. Intuition — The Difference That Changes Everything

One reacts from perceived danger. One response from alignment. And most people can't tell which one is talking. That confusion is costing you—in relationships, in business decisions, in the opportunities you say no to when your gut is actually saying yes.

That week you're trying to "get through"? It's been going on for months. Maybe years. And the exhaustion, the flatlined results, the body that's screaming for attention — those aren't just symptoms. They're a fork in the road.

In this episode, I'm sharing my own breakdown-to-breakthrough story (fibromyalgia at 28, a doctor who told me to "accept" chronic pain forever, and the two-word decision that changed everything) — plus a framework to help you discern whether your resistance is self-sabotage or intuitive wisdom.

In This Episode:

• The moment I heard "accept your circumstances" and something in me said "F*ck that"
• Why you can't outwork a self-defeating pattern (and what to do instead)
• The difference between reactive self-sabotage and unhurried intuitive wisdom
• Three questions to ask when you're at the fork between breakdown and breakthrough
• How one decision — not a plan, not a strategy — opened a path that wasn't there before

Memorable Moments:

"That week you're trying to 'get through'? It's been dragging on for months."

"You set a boundary last week. Then immediately made 'special' accommodations."

"You can't outwork a self-defeating pattern."

"Breakdown or breakthrough. Same signs. Different destination."

Ready to identify the pattern that's keeping you stuck?

Book a Clarity Call: https://bit.ly/AAClarityCall

Connect with Anik:

• Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

Coming Next Week: I sit down with Patti Stewart — a self-defense instructor who survived an abusive relationship by learning to trust the instincts she'd been taught to silence. Physical safety starts with trusting your gut. That conversation is going to land.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:46 The week that's been "dragging on for months"

02:47 My breakdown path — fibromyalgia at 28

06:03 The doctor's office and the "F*ck That" moment

12:58 The difference between self-sabotage and intuitive wisdom

12:24 Question 1: What is this feeling trying to tell me?

14:20 Question 2: What am I being protected from?

15:50 Question 3: If I couldn't fail, what would I do?

18:23 The invitation to decide

22:30 Next week: Patti Stewart on trusting your gut

Quick question: What are you waiting for?

That move you haven't made. That conversation you haven't had. That boundary you haven't set.

You know exactly what I'm talking about.

In this episode, I'm naming the pattern I see constantly in smart, capable, talented people: The Permission Trap.

It sounds like "I'll go for it when I've proven myself more." Or "I'll negotiate once I've been here longer." Or "I'll set that boundary when things calm down."

It sounds strategic. It sounds responsible.

But it's not timing. It's avoidance disguised as readiness.

If you've been waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say "now you can start" — this episode is your tap.

Because that permission slip you're waiting for? It's never coming. And the only person who can sign it is you.

In This Episode:

• Why "I'll start when..." is sophisticated avoidance (not smart timing)

• The real cost of the Permission Trap (it's not what you think)

• The 3 lies keeping you at the starting line

• The one question that changes everything

• How to move like someone who already has permission

Memorable Moments:

"You're not waiting because you're not ready. You're waiting because you've outsourced your permission slip."

The Permission Trap doesn't just delay your career or your business. It dismantles your self-belief."

"Ready isn't a feeling. It's a decision."

"You don't need permission to be powerful.

Resources:

Book a Free Clarity Call

Breakthrough Blueprint Quiz: https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint

Connect with Anik:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/

Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/

Next Episode: The Self-Imposed Breakdown... or Breakthrough? — If your body is starting to rebel, you're not going to want to miss this one.