April 8, 2026

We like to think we’re making choices about how we live. But most of the time, we’re just repeating patterns we’ve been running for years.

In this episode, I’m joined by Marcy Axelrod, who shares why those patterns are so hard to break and what it actually takes to start showing up differently in this next chapter.

Marcy’s work explores how we show up in the world. Today, she introduces a 3-part framework for understanding how we operate—and why most of us are only partially present in our lives.

In this episode, we covered:

• Why most people are operating on patterns they don’t even realize
• How decades of routine shape the way we see ourselves
• The difference between “just showing up” and being fully present
• Why stress and fear keep us stuck in old ways of thinking
• The idea that we’re always playing multiple roles (not just one identity)
• A simple exercise to rethink who you are beyond your career

 

Resources:

Website: www.ChooseToShowUp.com
Instagram: @MarcyAxelrodArt
Instagram: @MarcyAxelrod

About Marcy:

Marcy Axelrod is a bestselling and award-winning author and 2X TEDx speaker. Her book How We Choose to Show Up is a #1 bestseller and Hayakawa Book Prize winner. Drawing on more than 20 years of research and experience on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, her work explores how people show up in their lives, work, and relationships.