The Elegant Warrior with Heather Hansen

In today's episode, Heather shares a powerful and counterintuitive truth about charisma. It is not rooted in self confidence, body language, or perfect delivery. It begins with your belief in the people in front of you. Whether you are leading a team, persuading a jury, navigating a difficult conversation, or presenting on stage, your energy communicates what you truly believe. And people feel it....

In today's episode, Heather shares one of the 12 proven tools for increasing charisma and mastering difficult conversations and it comes down to just two words: it's like. While storytelling has dominated the communication world for years, Heather explains why metaphor can be even more powerful. Stories take time. Metaphors create instant clarity. By comparing something unfamiliar to something you...

In today's episode, Heather shares the one sentence that will get you to show up for high-stake conversations, even when you absolutely don't want to. While mindset and emotional management are powerful, some conversations - like receiving tough feedback or facing a dreaded interview - can't be thought or felt out of. Sometimes, the only answer is a simple mantra: Do it anyway. Drawing from her di...

Ever feel your heart race or your voice shake the moment you need to ask for a raise, set a boundary, or give tough feedback? High-stakes conversations don't have to be high-stress battles. In this episode, communication expert Heather shares three powerful tools to help you master your emotions and handle "difficult" conversations with clarity and calm. You'll learn how to shift your mindset from...

In today's episode of The Elegant Warrior, Heather breaks down why "difficult conversations" are only difficult if you believe they are. Whether you're giving or receiving feedback, negotiating a raise, setting a boundary, or asking for help, Heather shares three practical tools to help you prepare mentally, emotionally, and strategically. Drawing from her experience as a trial attorney, communica...

In this episode of The Elegant Warrior, Heather welcomes leadership expert Susan Drumm to explore how music, neuroscience, and the Enneagram can transform your leadership and your life. Susan shares her fascinating journey from Harvard Law School to consulting, television, acting, and ultimately leadership development, showing how following intuition and curiosity can lead to extraordinary growth....

In today's episode, Heather sits down with Kim Bisset to explore Motivational Interviewing and why it is such a powerful tool for communication, leadership, coaching, and advocacy. Rather than relying on pressure, persuasion, or fixing, Motivational Interviewing focuses on curiosity, collaboration, and helping people uncover their own reasons for change. Drawing from Kim's expertise and Heather's...

In today's episode, Heather challenges one of the most popular beliefs in personal development: that mindset alone creates change. While visualization, manifestation, and positive thinking all have value, Heather explains why none of them work without action. Joined by frequent guest Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Heather explores how thinking, dreaming, preparing, and acting each play a role in real t...

In today's episode, Heather challenges one of the most popular ideas in personal development: that mindset alone creates change. While visualization, manifestation, and positive thinking all have value, she explains why none of them work without action. Drawing from her own journey with weight loss, running marathons, writing books, and building a career in advocacy and communication, Heather show...

In today's episode, Heather welcomes authors, leadership consultants, and husband and wife team Dr. Linda Schubring and Brian Schubring to explore the deeper meaning of identity, transformation, and trusting your inner map. Together, they discuss their bestselling book Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane, a powerful allegory that invites readers to rediscover their inner wisd...

In today's episode, Heather invites you to rethink everything you've been taught about power poses, confidence, and presence. While the classic "hands-on-hips" stance is often linked to authority, this episode reveals a far more effective and far more compassionate power move: simply sitting down. Drawing from real experiences in leadership, advocacy, and high-stakes conversations, Heather shares...

In today's episode, Heather Hansen breaks down one of the most important skills we all need in a world shaped by rapid information, social media trends, artificial intelligence, and constant noise: the ability to avoid being fooled, misled, or scammed. As a trial attorney who spent decades cross-examining witnesses and uncovering the truth, Heather Hansen shares a simple but powerful four-part pro...

In today's episode, Heather Hansen explores one of the most powerful tools we have for connection, credibility, and healing: compassion. Drawing from research, courtroom experience, and two decades defending healthcare providers, Heather Hansen breaks down the real meaning of compassion and the specific actions that genuinely make people feel seen, heard, and supported. She also shares new insight...

In today's episode, Heather Hansen sits down with her good friend and returning guest, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Michigan judge, author, and trailblazer best known for presiding over the Larry Nassar USA Gymnastics case. Together, they dive into Judge Aquilina's newest book, Speak Up: Lessons in Trusting Your Instincts, and unpack what it truly means to embrace your voice, conquer fear, and stand...

In today's episode, Heather sits down with John Lowry, lawyer, negotiation coach, and author of Negotiation Made Simple, to uncover what it really takes to become a confident, effective negotiator. John's experience as a professor at Pepperdine University's renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, CEO of The Lowry Group, and consultant to major organizations gives him a unique lens into t...

In today's episode, Heather sits down with award-winning interior designer Manuella Moreira, founder of Manuella Moreira Interiors, to talk about what it really means to advocate for yourself in business, creativity, and life. From her leap of faith leaving a stable job to launching her own design studio, to building a media presence with features in Forbes, The New York Times, and Architectural D...

In today's episode, Heather wraps up her three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work and this one's all about the magic moment: mastering the art of the ask. If you've ever hesitated to ask for what you want because you weren't sure how to do it gracefully, persuasively, or confidently, this episode is for you. Heather breaks down what true charisma really means (it's not about being...

In this second episode of Heather's three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work, she dives into one of the most transformative steps: asking for what you want out loud and with delight. Building on the foundation from Part 1 ("Know What You Want"), Heather explores why choice and energy are everything when it comes to advocating effectively. Asking for what you want isn't just about...

In today's episode, Heather kicks off a special three-part series on how to advocate for yourself at work, whether you're seeking a raise, a promotion, or a new opportunity. Advocacy isn't just about asking, it's about asking in a way that makes you likely to get it. This first episode focuses on the foundation of self-advocacy: knowing what you want. Heather shares how clarity, specificity, and t...

In today's episode, Heather speaks with Simone Knego, author of The Extraordinary Unordinary You, about what it truly takes to build confidence, embrace your story, and live fully. From adopting three children from South Korea and Ethiopia, to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, to co-hosting a podcast with her daughter, Simone's life has been a series of extraordinary experiences that shaped her outlook...

In today's episode, Heather answers a powerful question from her Instagram community: How do I advocate for myself without bragging? This is a challenge so many of us, especially women, face. How do you share your gifts, your expertise, and your accomplishments with confidence and authenticity without feeling arrogant? Heather breaks it down into three core strategies that will help you shift your...

In today's episode, Heather sits down with Dr. Christie McMullen, educator, author, speaker, and leadership expert, to explore how learning truly takes root. With a 25-year career spanning high school classrooms, adult education, and leadership training, Christie brings a wealth of experience to the conversation. Her book, Learning Can Stick: A Guide to Make Every Learning Experience Safe, Logical...

n today's episode, Heather speaks with Rebecca Heiss , evolutionary biologist, speaker, and author of Springboard: Transform Stress to Work for You. Rebecca shares her groundbreaking perspective on stress, not as something to eliminate, but as a force you can reframe and harness. With her Fearless Stress Formula, she teaches how to stop fighting stress and instead use it as fuel for growth, resili...

Heather Hansen takes us back to her two decades as a trial attorney and reveals the surprising ways courtroom wisdom can shape your life and career. From the first day she stepped into court, Heather realized it wasn't just a place of law; it was a classroom of leadership, persuasion, influence, and resilience. In this episode, Heather shares five powerful lessons from the courtroom that apply far...

No one likes the feeling of being misunderstood. It can create frustration, conflict, and even missed opportunities, whether in the courtroom, the boardroom, or at home. In this episode, Heather Hansen shares three powerful steps to move from feeling unseen and unheard to becoming the "queen of your kingdom." Drawing from her decades as a trial attorney, her consulting work, and personal lessons,...