The Dance Between Hope and Hesitation
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

The Dance Between Hope and Hesitation

Hope arrives like a warm spark — and hesitation rushes in to shut it down. This post explores the quiet tug-of-war high-achieving women feel when they want more from life, and offers a simple practice to stay hopeful just a little longer.

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Stop Negotiating Down What You Want
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

Stop Negotiating Down What You Want

A story about obligation and desire—and the moment we bargain our dreams down before we even try. Plus a simple practice to interrupt the negotiation.

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The Hidden Cost of “I Should Be Grateful”
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

The Hidden Cost of “I Should Be Grateful”

And I see this all the time in conversations with friends and clients.

Those who talk themselves into being grateful for marriages that quietly leave them feeling unseen and unappreciated.Those who tell themselves they should be grateful for jobs, with all the perks and benefits, that require them to always be “on” and available, living in constant reaction mode.

Women who have built beautiful, rewarding lives and still feel restless, disappointed, or unfulfilled.

They search for words that sound like gratitude to explain how they should be feeling. But their bodies and facial expressions tell a different story.

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When You Can’t See the Path Ahead
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

When You Can’t See the Path Ahead

When you’re doing something you’ve never done before, whether pursuing a long-held creative dream, stepping into a new role at work, or reinventing what life looks like after your children have moved out, there is no perfectly marked route.

And that’s exactly where most people get stuck.

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The Subtle Ways We Abandon Ourselves (and How to Come Home Again)
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

The Subtle Ways We Abandon Ourselves (and How to Come Home Again)

As you settle in, you do a quick scan of your day, not a formal inventory, just that little check-in we can’t help but do. What kind of day was it? How did I do today? And how am I feeling right now?

And the truth is, you’re not exactly sure how to name the emotion.

It isn’t failure. You got so much done. You answered the emails, moved projects forward, handled logistics for your family, and kept your promises to others.

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Thinking vs. Doing: Why Your Busy Brain Isn’t Always Progress
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

Thinking vs. Doing: Why Your Busy Brain Isn’t Always Progress

And when your brain is working really hard at thinking, it can trick you into believing you’re moving forward, when in reality, nothing is happening outside your head.

No decision has been made. No action has been taken. There’s nothing you could point to as proof.

Thinking feels busy. Doing creates evidence.

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You Don’t Have to Feel Ready First
Katie Pulsifer Katie Pulsifer

You Don’t Have to Feel Ready First

So many of us turn down incredible opportunities not because we don’t want them, but because we haven’t given ourselves permission to feel unready.

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