Ep. 12: Soul-Driven Confidence: Shifting to Life on Your Own Terms with Cris Howard
Sometimes, no matter how impressive our resume or list of accomplishments are, we can’t seem to outrun the sense that we’re never going to be enough or do enough. And when we spend decades living under the shadow of that “not enoughness,” we learn to please everyone else except ourselves. As a result, we end up living life on everyone else’s terms instead of our own.
This week’s guest, Cris Howard, spent decades people-pleasing, trying to prove that she was enough, and living up to impossible standards of perfectionism. Despite a successful corporate career, being an elite Ironman triathlete, and several other accolades, she never loved and fully accepted herself. It wasn’t until she received a melanoma diagnosis that she paused to consider how she wanted to live life on her terms. She quit her job, listened to her inner voice, and decided to reconnect to herself by hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Cris’ journey is one of deep healing and unlearning the patterns that keep us in spirals of shame and unachievable perfectionism. By learning to listen to and trust who she is on a soul level, she was able to find a deep source of power that allows her to live life on her own terms.
This week’s conversation is sure to inspire you to find your own grit. To listen to your own inner voice. To reconnect to your soul wisdom. And to learn how to find a life on your own terms.
Cris is a seasoned project management executive with over 20 years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. As the Global Head of Project Delivery at Labcorp Drug Development, she led a team of 300 professionals across 24 countries and 29 locations, delivering operational excellence and strategic innovation for drug development projects.
Cris is passionate about transforming the clinical research landscape through agile and patient-centric solutions. She created and scaled the PM Academy, a pioneering initiative that optimized project team performance and achieved $11.7M in operational savings ahead of schedule. She simultaneously inspired employee loyalty and retention, winning the HERO’s Award and being selected for the prestigious ELEVATE Women’s Executive Leadership program.
She is a globally recognized speaker, educator, and board member in the field of project management; and she holds multiple degrees and certifications.
In addition to solo-hiking the 2200-mile Appalachian Trail, Cris is a retired elite triathlete who founded the Women for Tri Foundation and completed 12 IRONMAN competitions, including the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
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