Have you ever found yourself being the one everyone counts on?
The one who says yes.
The one who steps in.
The one who carries the weight because you know you can.
From the outside, it can look like strength.
But what if the very qualities that helped you succeed are quietly costing you your peace?
In this thought-provoking conversation, leadership coach, facilitator, and author Erika Alessandrini challenges one of the most celebrated qualities of high achievers: always being responsible. Drawing from her new book, Maybe It's Me: Looking Inward to Create Real Change Through Conscious Choices, Erika explains how the very beliefs that help us succeed can quietly erode our relationships, our well-being, and our peace.
Together, we explore why pressure so often leads us toward control, why many women feel responsible for everyone around them, and how looking inward can transform the way we lead, love, and live.
One of the most moving moments comes when Erika shares a deeply personal story about her teenage son—a story that became the catalyst for changing not only her leadership, but her life.
In this episode, you'll discover:
- The difference between limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging beliefs
- Why high achievers often become trapped by over-responsibility and over-helping
- The hidden cost of always being "the responsible one"
- How pressure invites fear—and fear invites control
- Why compassionate curiosity can transform your relationships
- The power of creating a pause before reacting
- What it means to take 100% responsibility—no more and no less
- Why the people we love most deserve the best of us—not what's left of us
Whether you're leading a business, caring for a family, or simply trying to create a life with greater intention, this conversation offers practical wisdom you'll carry long after the episode ends.
Connect with Erika Alessandrini
🌐 Website
https://www.erikaalessandrini.com
📝 Take the free Pressure Pattern Quiz
https://www.erikaalessandrini.com/quiz
📘 Maybe It's Me: Looking Inward to Create Real Change Through Conscious Choices
Available wherever books are sold.
💼 Learn about Becoming a Leader at Peace
https://www.aileron.org
🔗 LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-alessandrini/
📧 Contact
hello@maybeitsmebook.com
Mentioned in this Episode
Aileron — A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping privately held businesses and their leaders thrive through practical education, coaching, and leadership development.
Becoming a Leader at Peace — Erika's six-month cohort experience designed for leaders ready to do the deeper work of leading themselves as well as they lead others.
Continue the Conversation
If today's conversation resonated with you, you won't want to miss this week's Sound Bite:
The Nature of Peace: What Changes When We Stop Looking Outward?
Inspired by Erika's conversation, we'll explore a question we often overlook:
What is peace, really?
And what if it isn't something we find...
...but something we cultivate from the inside out?
Connect with Girl, Take the Lead!
🌐 Website
https://www.girltaketheleadpod.com
💌 Join our Newsletter
https://www.girltaketheleadpod.com/newsletter
💬 Join the Girl, Take the Lead Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/girltakethelead
🎨 Explore our guest-inspired cards and gifts
https://www.girltaketheleadpod.com/shop
If you enjoyed today's episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need this conversation.
Because leadership isn't about carrying more. It's about choosing what matters most.