How Mindful Retreats Transform Women’s Lives with Hattie Hawks
This time, I sit down with Hattie Hawks to talk about the power of emotional intelligence, her Mindful Retreats, storytelling, and how we can create more mindful, connected, and nurturing spaces—both at work and at home.
5 Keys You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The Power of Storytelling for Healing - Hear how Hattie Hawks uses storytelling in her podcast and retreats to foster connection and help others process life’s ups and downs (01:03).
- Breaking the Cycle of “Busy” - Discover how learning to slow down and care for your nervous system can dramatically improve your well-being—especially if you’re used to putting everyone else’s needs first (05:02).
- Why Environments Matter - Eric Pennington and Hattie Hawks explore how leaders (and all of us, really!) can create spaces that are both productive and nurturing, and why that’s absolutely vital—especially for women in high-stress roles (25:20).
- Intentional Connection in the Tech Age - As life gets busier and technology takes over, intentional relationships become harder…and even more important. Learn simple ways to foster real connection with loved ones and coworkers (35:07).
- The Stories We Tell Ourselves - Both Eric Pennington and Hattie Hawks get real about how inner narratives (sometimes totally made up!) can hold us back—and how awareness can help us move forward with courage (47:29).
This conversation is jam-packed with insights, plenty of laughs, and some touching realness about healing, leadership, and living with intention. Whether you’re a leader, a parent, or just someone trying to keep your head above water, there’s something here for you.
Moments
00:00 Exploring mindfulness and stress relief
05:25 Creating a calming environment
15:08 Balancing dreams with business reality
20:09 Importance of self-care and relaxation
26:11 Understanding Gender Perspectives on Safety
27:20 Discussing safety and trauma impacts
37:24 Strengthening intentionality with AI efficiency
39:50 Importance of Meaningful Connections
45:03 Hesitations about reaching out to guests
50:12 Second-guessing and overthinking ideas
59:09 Being a mentor and disciplinarian
01:04:39 Embracing Uncertainty and Faith
01:06:28 Facing challenges head-on
Here are a few key takeaways for anyone looking to deepen their own EQ journey or support others:
- Genuine Connection Beats Busyness: Many of us are feeling more disconnected than ever, even as we scramble to keep up with packed schedules and endless demands. Making time for real conversations and meaningful connections—with family, friends, colleagues, and ourselves—can transform our quality of life and our ability to handle challenges.
- Psychological Safety Breeds Potential: Creating nurturing environments is not just a “nice to have”—it’s essential, especially for women and anyone facing high expectations at work. When we feel safe (emotionally and psychologically), our nervous systems can rest, our creativity thrives, and we’re more likely to show up authentically and compassionately.
- Rewrite Your Inner Narrative: The stories we tell ourselves—about what’s possible, what we deserve, what’s “normal”—shape our choices and our wellbeing. By being curious and intentional about these stories and having the courage to question them, we open ourselves to transformation. It may feel uncomfortable, but growth starts when we challenge old patterns.
In each episode, Jeff and Eric will talk about what emotional intelligence, or understanding your emotions, can do for you in your daily and work life. For more information, contact Eric or Jeff at info@spiritofeq.com or visit their website,Spirit of EQ.
You can follow The Spirit of EQ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, or on your favorite podcast player.
New episodes are available on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays every month!
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Spirit of EQ
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Thanks for listening to Spirit of EQ
This podcast was created to be a tool to primarily help you to discover and grow your EQ. Science and our own lived experiences confirm that the better we are at managing our emotions, the better we're going to be at making decisions. Which leads to a better life. And that's something we all want. We're glad that you've taken the time today to listen. We hope that something you hear will lead to a breakthrough. We'd really appreciate a review on your podcast platform. Please leave some comments about what you heard today, as well as follow and subscribe to the podcast. That way, you won't miss a single episode as we continue this journey.
