We recently connected with Megan Winkler and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Megan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.
I broke my foot one morning, hustling my kiddo off to school. I fell down the stairs, it was nothing more interesting than being a distracted mom and not paying attention to where I was stepping. I was also just four months into my new job in publishing. So, I dropped my son off at school, called my boss, Lindsey, to say I was going to the hospital, and she told me that everything was fine and to please just take care of myself.
So on Monday, I was back at work, in a walking boot, and with a cane. While I wasn’t on painkillers during the day, I was taking some pretty intense ones at night to help me sleep. My coworkers lovingly joked that I was like House (from the show). I denied it, but laughed with them. “I’m not that cranky,” I’d say.
Well, a few days later, I was talking about a project I was in charge of: a wedding book. The words, “I don’t do weddings and don’t write ‘happy,'” came out. Lindsey and I looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. “You ARE like House,” she said, and I couldn’t deny that my achy foot and sleepy mornings had made me a bit like the infamous fictional doctor.
The amount of laughter and care that Lindsey brought to the job was unparalleled. Although I work for myself these days (and my boss is pretty cool, if I do say so myself), Lindsey was definitely the best. I learned so much about writing and marketing from her, and she liked to encourage all of us to go take a break and walk through the park together on nice days. She knew how to balance fun and productivity in a way that helped all of us creatives thrive.
Megan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a burnout prevention coach, author, and podcaster. I help women 35-55 break up with burnout and start living for themselves first, guilt-free. I work at the intersection of science, strategy, and spirituality, blending nervous system regulating techniques with Reiki, astrology, and mindfulness.
So, depending on what my clients need in a day, they may get a data-driven analysis of their monthly calendar, a receptive ear if they need to vent, or a tarot card reading. We’re whole human beings, so helping every part of your Self is my focus: body, mind, and spirit.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Relationships have been key to my success! You never know who’s going to know someone who needs your services. And you never know what collabs might come from a simple networking meeting. Taking care of my relationships with other business owners and colleagues has been essential to my business growth.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My work as a burnout prevention and recovery coach was born from my own burnout story. I had a meltdown in public after months of pushing myself to the limit in my marketing business. When I “snapped” and found myself unable to stop crying and experiencing an anxiety attack in front of a bunch of strangers, I knew that I had to change something.
I couldn’t have done it without therapy and my coach, though. That’s the part about resilience that I think some people don’t think about: you’ve got to have other people in your corner to be able to pull through tough periods of your life or career.
Now, I use that event, the years of research, and hands-on coaching experience with my clients to help women break up with burnout in ways that are personalized and serve them as individuals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meganwinkler.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmeganwinkler/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ItsMeganWinkler
- Other: My podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1isZcTfMUKNMiWzMAbeHT8?si=a064972051aa4a02
Image Credits
Lucy Thornton Photography