What actually happens when women are given the space to slow down, soften, and truly be seen?

In this deeply personal episode, Christina shares a heartfelt recap of her recent retreat at Milk and Honey Ranch, a powerful experience filled with connection, vulnerability, healing, and growth. From creating intentional space for stillness, to moving through emotional blocks, to practicing one of the most underrated leadership skills, deep listening, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what transformation really looks like in real time.

You’ll hear stories of women letting their guards down, forming lasting friendships, and reconnecting with themselves in a way that’s often impossible in the day-to-day pace of life.

In This Episode:

• What actually happens inside a transformational retreat experience
• The power of white space and why slowing down is so uncomfortable (and necessary)
• How emotional release, breathwork, and vulnerability create lasting change
• Why deep, meaningful connection is often what we’re truly craving
• The difference between active listening and deep listening, and why it matters in leadership
• How practicing presence (instead of fixing or rescuing) can transform your relationships
• Real reflections and breakthroughs from women who attended the retreat

RESOURCES:

2026 Lead Your Life Asheville Retreat:

https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/lead-your-life-retreat-asheville

SIGN UP FOR THE APP:
https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/lead-your-life-app

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themilitaryyogi

Podcast Website: www.leadingwithheartpodcast.com

SHOW NOTES: https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/blog/episode92

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen), or on Instagram @themilitaryyogi

More about Christina Mattison and the Leading with Heart Podcast
Hey there! I'm Christina Mattison, an Air Force Officer, yoga teacher, dedicated wife, and proud mother of two. But most importantly, I'm here as a wellness and leadership coach for women in the military. I want you to know something: It doesn't have to be this way.

I've walked in your combat boots, and I understand the chaos that often accompanies military life. But I'm here to share a powerful truth with you: You have the innate ability to transform your own life. I've personally experienced this transformation, and I've witnessed it in the lives of countless clients I've had the privilege to guide.

Welcome to the Leading With Heart podcast your ultimate resource for discovering how to infuse joy, peace, and true success into every facet of military life.

**The views and opinions expressed within this podcast episode are those of the individual, and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Defense or its components.

Are you getting everything done… but internally you feel fried?

If you’re productive on the outside but operating in survival mode on the inside, snapping more easily, feeling scattered, exhausted, or quietly burned out, this episode is for you. Christina gets real about energy management in the middle of real life (including a week of solo parenting) and unpacks why so many high-functioning women push through their body’s warning signs until they crash.

In this conversation, you’ll learn how to recognize your personal energy patterns, stop overriding your nervous system, and build simple recovery rhythms into your daily life, not just your annual vacation. This isn’t about doing less. It’s about sustaining your performance without sacrificing yourself in the process.

In This Episode:

• The 4 Energy Zones (Performance, Survival, Burnout, and Recovery) and how to identify where you’re living
• Why military and leadership culture conditions us to override our bodies
• The difference between pushing through when it’s necessary vs. when it’s harmful
• How to recognize your personal warning signs before burnout hits
• Why recovery isn’t weakness, it’s part of the performance cycle
• Simple 2–5 minute “downshift rituals” you can start today

If you’ve been operating in high-functioning survival mode for too long, this episode will help you tune back in, rebuild self-trust, and create small, sustainable rhythms that protect your energy.

RESOURCES:

High-Yield Self Care Guide:

https://fabulous-pioneer-9504.kit.com/e83556732b

SIGN UP FOR THE APP:
https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/lead-your-life-app

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themilitaryyogi

Podcast Website: www.leadingwithheartpodcast.com

SHOW NOTES: https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/blog/episode91

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen), or on Instagram @themilitaryyogi

More about Christina Mattison and the Leading with Heart Podcast
Hey there! I'm Christina Mattison, an Air Force Officer, yoga teacher, dedicated wife, and proud mother of two. But most importantly, I'm here as a wellness and leadership coach for women in the military. I want you to know something: It doesn't have to be this way.

I've walked in your combat boots, and I understand the chaos that often accompanies military life. But I'm here to share a powerful truth with you: You have the innate ability to transform your own life. I've personally experienced this transformation, and I've witnessed it in the lives of countless clients I've had the privilege to guide.

Welcome to the Leading With Heart podcast your ultimate resource for discovering how to infuse joy, peace, and true success into every facet of military life.

**The views and opinions expressed within this podcast episode are those of the individual, and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Defense or its components.

Have you ever done all the “right” self-care things, taken the bath, bought a planner, scheduled the massage, and still felt completely exhausted?

In this episode, we’re unpacking why that happens. Most women aren’t bad at self-care. We’re just investing in practices that don’t actually restore us. In a culture that praises hustle, sacrifice, and pushing through (hello, military life), it’s easy to lose touch with our own needs. Over time, we forget how to answer the question: What do I actually need right now?

I introduce the concept of low-yield vs. high-yield self-care, and why high-yield practices are deeply personal, discovered through reflection and experimentation, not copied from the internet. When you learn to identify your unmet needs and choose practices that truly replenish you, everything shifts. You regain capacity. You regain energy. You regain hope.

In This Episode:

• Why popular self-care trends often leave you feeling the same
  
  
• The difference between low-yield and high-yield self-care
  
  
• How military culture and life experiences disconnect you from your needs
  
  
• Why meeting your needs is not selfish, it’s essential
  
  
• A simple way to evaluate your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual buckets
  
  
• How to approach self-care with curiosity instead of judgment

RESOURCES:

High-Yield Self Care Guide:

https://fabulous-pioneer-9504.kit.com/e83556732b

SIGN UP FOR THE APP:
https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/lead-your-life-app

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themilitaryyogi

Podcast Website: www.leadingwithheartpodcast.com

SHOW NOTES: https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/blog/episode90

Connect with me in the Strong and Resilient Woman Community on Facebook HERE (https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogaformilitarywomen), or on Instagram @themilitaryyogi

More about Christina Mattison and the Leading with Heart Podcast
Hey there! I'm Christina Mattison, an Air Force Officer, yoga teacher, dedicated wife, and proud mother of two. But most importantly, I'm here as a wellness and leadership coach for women in the military. I want you to know something: It doesn't have to be this way.

I've walked in your combat boots, and I understand the chaos that often accompanies military life. But I'm here to share a powerful truth with you: You have the innate ability to transform your own life. I've personally experienced this transformation, and I've witnessed it in the lives of countless clients I've had the privilege to guide.

Welcome to the Leading With Heart podcast your ultimate resource for discovering how to infuse joy, peace, and true success into every facet of military life.

**The views and opinions expressed within this podcast episode are those of the individual, and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Defense or its components.