Sharpening HER Edge

What if having needs was not weakness, but evidence that you are human? In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge, Dr. Susan explores a simple but powerful framework: 3. 6. 1. Three physical needs: eat, drink, sleep. Six human needs from the Tony Robbins framework: certainty, variety, significance, love and connection, growth, and contribution. And one overarching need: to live in the present moment....

What happens when one terrifying moment forces you to hear your own voice differently? While on vacation, publisher and legacy expert Natalie McQueen experienced a near-drowning event that changed the way she viewed her life, her purpose, and the impact she was here to make. In this powerful conversation, Natalie shares how that experience became a catalyst for deeper clarity—not only about her ow...

There comes a point when pushing through is no longer strength—it is self-abandonment. In this powerful episode of  Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes explores the hidden cost of always being the strong one, the dependable one, and the woman who keeps going no matter what. High-achieving women are often praised for their resilience, but real resilience is not about overriding exhaustion, ignor...

High-achieving women often struggle to rest—not because they don’t know they need it, but because their identity has become tied to productivity. In this episode, Dr. Susan Hughes explores why rest feels uncomfortable, the hidden beliefs driving overwork, and why recovery is a leadership skill, not a luxury. If you’ve ever felt guilty slowing down, this episode is for you. I like this episode beca...

Growth isn’t just about becoming someone new. Sometimes it’s about letting go of who you’ve been. In this episode, Dr. Susan Hughes explores the hidden challenge that often comes with personal and professional growth: releasing the identities, habits, and expectations that once served you but are now keeping you stuck. Whether you’re navigating a career transition, leadership shift, empty nest, re...

In the Season 2 premiere of  Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes explores the surprising challenge many high-achieving women face after burnout, overwhelm, and constant busyness begin to lift. Because creating space is only the beginning. Once the invisible load starts to lighten, you’re faced with bigger questions about identity, purpose, leadership, and what you truly want next. If you’ve eve...

Season 1 was SUPPOSED to have 12 episodes. But here we are at number 13. How did that happen? This one is a little Lagniappe — a bonus, something extra. Like a Baker's Dozen with 13 instead of 12 donuts. I wanted to share something extra with you. A quieter conversation.   A moment to step back and see things a little more clearly. Trailblazers In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge , Dr. Susa...

When You Step Away… and Come Back Aligned In this episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes sits down with Dr. Marissa Caudill to explore what happens when you give yourself permission to pause — and how that pause can lead to deeper clarity, alignment, and reinvention. As a child psychiatrist, entrepreneur, and founder of Super Doc Tech, Dr. Caudill made the intentional decision to step a...

What to Let Go of in This Season of Your Life In this episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes explores a powerful but often overlooked part of growth:  Letting go. If you’ve been feeling stuck, stretched, or slightly out of alignment — even when things “look right” — this episode will help you understand why. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about recognizing what no longer fits. Dr. Su...

Please note there is a brief echo at the beginning of this podcast. It resolves quickly, so please stay and listen to my brave friend Dr. Traci Hurley. In this deeply personal episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes sits down with Dr. Traci Hurley to explore how profound loss can reshape not only your life — but your identity, priorities, and sense of purpose. After losing her husband, D...

“If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” — Margaret Thatcher In this episode of  Sharpening Her Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes sits down with Desire’e Hardge, CEO & Executive Director of the Maricopa County Medical Society, for a powerful conversation on leadership, influence, and what it truly means to lead with intention. With over two decades of experience...

When Saying Yes Starts to Cost You In this episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes explores a pattern many high-achieving women don’t even realize they’re in: Saying yes — more often than they truly mean to. These aren’t always big decisions.  They’re the quick agreements, the small accommodations, the “it’s not a big deal” moments that quietly fill your days. And over time, they come at...

True or False: You just need to be more disciplined? In this episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes challenges one of the most common beliefs among high-achieving women — that the answer to feeling scattered, inconsistent, or behind is simply more discipline. But what if that’s not the real issue? Dr. Susan explores the critical difference between discipline and boundaries, and how rely...

You already know what to do. So why are you still stuck? In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge, Dr. Susan Hughes explores the hidden loop that keeps high-achieving women overthinking, delaying, and waiting for the “right” moment. She breaks down how perfection, over-analysis, and responsible delay quietly block momentum — and why clarity comes from movement, not more thinking.  Ready to create m...

In this episode of Sharpening HER Edge , Dr. Susan Hughes explores a frustrating but familiar experience:  Feeling busy all day… but not actually moving forward. If you’ve ever ended the day exhausted — yet still wondering why the things that matter most didn’t get done — this episode will help you understand what’s really happening. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about where your energy is goi...

When You Know What to Do… But Still Feel Stuck   In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge, Dr. Susan Hughes explores a quiet but familiar experience: Knowing what to do… and still feeling stuck. If you’ve ever had the insight, the plan, or even the next step in mind — but found yourself not moving forward — this episode will help you understand why. This isn’t about discipline.  And it’s not a failu...

In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge, Dr. Susan Hughes breaks down the invisible force draining your energy every day: mental load. This isn’t about your to-do list.  It’s about the constant thinking, tracking, anticipating, and decision-making happening behind the scenes. If you’ve ever ended the day feeling exhausted — even when it doesn’t look like you “did that much” — this episode will help...

In this episode of Sharpening Her Edge, Dr. Susan Hughes explores what it means to navigate a true season of reinvention. Sometimes growth doesn’t look like a straight path forward. Sometimes it looks like realizing you’ve outgrown the room you once worked so hard to enter. Dr. Susan shares part of her own journey—from practicing physician to a broader calling as a healer, educator, and leadership...

You’re not behind. You’re overloaded. High-achieving women aren’t failing — they’re carrying too much. In this first full episode of Sharpening Her Edge, executive leadership coach and physician educator Dr. Susan Hughes challenges one of the most damaging narratives high performers carry: the belief that they’re somehow falling behind. Instead, she reveals a more accurate truth — capacity overloa...

Welcome to Sharpening Her Edge, a podcast for high-achieving women ready to lead, reinvent, and rise into their next chapter. In this short introduction, executive and leadership coach, educator, and non-practicing physician Dr. Susan Hughes shares the inspiration behind the podcast and what listeners can expect from future episodes. Each episode will explore leadership, reinvention, resilience, a...