Unlock Your Blocks with Elyssa
You know you are meant for more, but you keep getting stuck in the same frustrating cycle! I see you. I’ve been there. And I’ve got you! I’m Elyssa Smith, a trauma-informed life strategist and the host of Unlock Your Blocks Podcast. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by triggers, stuck in survival-mode, and cycles of self-sabotage. The great news is that you can overcome all of this! I know firsthand how to follow the roadmap to freedom. You can rewire your survival brain, heal the trauma holding you back, and unlock the next level of success and confidence! On Unlock Your Blocks, I’ll teach you the exact tools and strategies to break free from self-doubt, regulate emotions, and finally be able to follow through with your biggest goals! Subscribe now! Let’s get you the right keys to unlock your blocks and create the life you were made for!
Episodes

Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
🎙️ Episode Summary: Perfectionism might feel like your superpower, but what if it's actually keeping you stuck? In this episode, Elyssa breaks down the origins of perfectionism, how it shapes your self-worth, and why it's tied to burnout, procrastination, and negative self-talk. She shares eye-opening insights on how to shift from perfectionism to a growth mindset, so you can step into your full potential without fear of failure.
✅ Key Takeaways:
Perfectionism isn’t a strength—it’s a survival mechanism. As children, we learn to tie our worth to performance, often in response to the type of praise and attention we receive.
High achievement doesn’t require perfectionism. You can strive for excellence without the anxiety and self-criticism that perfectionism brings.
Perfectionism fuels procrastination. If you can’t do something perfectly, you may delay starting—or only start under pressure to have an excuse for imperfection.
Negative self-talk is a sign of perfectionism at work. If you constantly criticize yourself for not meeting impossible standards, it’s time to rewrite the narrative.
A growth mindset is key. The most successful people embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, rather than avoiding failure at all costs.
Shame keeps you in survival mode. Perfectionism is often rooted in shame, and while it may have helped you in the past, it’s now preventing you from truly thriving.
Episode Chapters:
00:06 - Elyssa shares how perfectionism has impacted her own life and the lives of her clients.01:58 - Understanding where perfectionism comes from—early childhood patterns and validation.06:29 - The hidden connection between perfectionism, burnout, and self-worth.08:41 - Why perfectionists often play small and fear stepping outside their comfort zone.11:04 - How shame-based thinking fuels perfectionism and keeps you stuck.
📢 If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow high-achiever who needs to hear this!
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:🌎 www.elyssasmith.com/focus📸 Instagram📘 Facebook Group

Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
In this episode of Unlock Your Blocks, Elyssa sits down with Paige Gott, an accountant and virtual CFO, to discuss her inspiring journey from traditional employment to entrepreneurship. Paige shares how she built a thriving business while balancing motherhood and personal growth, tackling challenges like imposter syndrome, pricing struggles, and setting boundaries. Through creative financial solutions, she designed a lifestyle that aligns with her dreams, allowing her to travel while running her business.
Paige and Elyssa dive into the importance of recognizing self-worth, raising prices with confidence, and the role of support systems in overcoming entrepreneurial roadblocks. They also explore self-care practices, the benefits of standardizing services, and how women can advocate for themselves in business. If you're an entrepreneur looking to level up your mindset and financial success, this episode is a must-listen!
Key Takeaways:✔ Imposter syndrome and pricing challenges are common struggles for entrepreneurs.✔ Raising prices can be an emotional hurdle but is necessary for business growth.✔ Standardizing services prevents burnout and improves efficiency.✔ Finding the right support system is key to overcoming blocks like perfectionism and self-doubt.✔ Setting boundaries is necessary for sustainable business growth.
Episode Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to Paige Gott and Her Journey04:07 – The Birth of Tidewater Consulting08:12 – Navigating Challenges in Business14:16 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome20:07 – The Emotional Journey of Pricing23:57 – Finding Confidence in Business Decisions24:20 – Valuing Your Worth and Raising Prices30:14 – Standardizing Services and Avoiding Burnout34:41 – Finding Support and Overcoming Blocks38:48 – Current Offerings and Future Plans
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:🌎 Website: www.elyssasmith.com/focus📸 Instagram: @elyssacsmith💬 Facebook Group: The Stress Less Lounge
📌Connect with Paige:🌎 Website:tidewater-consulting.com📸 Instagram:@paige.gott
If you loved this episode, share it with a friend and leave us a review!

Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Did you know that procrastination isn’t always about putting things off? It comes in many forms—some so sneaky you might not even recognize them! In this episode, Elyssa breaks down the different types of procrastination, how they show up in daily life, and why they might be a form of self-sabotage keeping you from your biggest goals.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ The real meaning of procrastination—it’s more than just delaying tasks.✔️ How procrastination is linked to self-sabotage and why it often comes with both excitement and guilt.✔️ The sneaky forms of procrastination that might be holding you back✔️ The role of your nervous system in procrastination and how understanding your stress response can help you shift out of these patterns.✔️Tangible strategies to overcome procrastination, move forward with your goals, and create real momentum.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who might need a little push to break free from procrastination. Let’s stop putting off our dreams and start making them a reality!
Resources Mentioned:
Book Recommendation: Get Rich, Lucky Bitch by Denise Duffield-Thomas (on “Procrasta-branding” and perfectionism in business)
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:🌍 Book your free session with Elyssa! www.elyssasmith.com/focus📸 Instagram: @elyssacsmith💬 Join the Facebook Community: The Stress Less Lounge

Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
In this episode of Unlock Your Blocks, host Elyssa Smith welcomes Brenda Mundt, a radiant soul energizer and grief recovery specialist, to discuss emotional healing, grief recovery, and the power of breathwork. Brenda shares her personal journey through grief after the sudden loss of her husband and how it led her to guide others in their healing journeys. Together, Elyssa and Brenda explore how breathwork can unlock deep emotional release, why self-awareness is key to transformation, and how finding the right support system can make all the difference.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ True healing begins with embracing your emotions.✔️ Having a strong support system is crucial in the healing journey.✔️ Self-awareness helps identify hidden trauma and when it’s time for change.✔️ Healing is a continuous journey that requires trust, effort, and compassion.
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Emotional Healing and Radiance
05:52 – The Importance of Support in Healing
11:55 – The Role of Breathwork in Transformation
18:12 – Advice for Those Hesitant to Start Healing
24:50 – Trusting Yourself in Trauma Healing
29:52 – Recognizing When It’s Time for Change
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:🌍 Website: www.elyssasmith.com/focus📸 Instagram: @elyssacsmith💬 Join the Facebook Community: The Stress Less Lounge
Brenda’s links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendmundt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015947192855&mibextid=LQQJ4d
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-mundt-b6b3352a?trk=contact-info
Website: https://www.energizedlifewellness.com/

Monday Mar 03, 2025
Monday Mar 03, 2025
If you struggle with procrastination, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, or harsh self-criticism—it's not your fault. These patterns aren’t just bad habits; they are deeply rooted in your past experiences and survival mechanisms. In this episode, Elyssa reveals the hidden cause behind these self-sabotaging behaviors: trauma.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ The 3 types of trauma: Big T, Little T, and Tiny T Trauma—and how they shape your mindset✔️ How your survival brain develops patterns that keep you stuck in self-doubt and overachievement✔️ Why past experiences impact your ability to set boundaries, take risks, and chase your goals✔️ The 3S Framework—Safety, Self-Nurturing, and Support—to rewire your brain and stop self-sabotage
Your survival brain may be working overtime, but the good news? You’re an adult now, and you can rewrite the story. Tune in to learn how to break free from perfectionism, procrastination, and people-pleasing so you can step fully into your power.
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:🌍 Website: www.elyssasmith.com/focus📸 Instagram: @elyssacsmith💬 Join the Facebook Community: The Stress Less Lounge

Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
In this episode of Unlock Your Blocks, Elyssa sits down with Trisha Camacho, a seasoned pattern maker and costume designer with over two decades of experience. Trisha shares her journey from working behind the scenes in live entertainment to becoming a successful online teacher and entrepreneur. She opens up about navigating imposter syndrome, shifting her business during COVID-19, and the importance of self-care. The conversation dives deep into money mindset, limiting beliefs, and the transformative power of inner child work. Plus, Trisha gives an inside look at PatternCon, her exciting new convention dedicated to pattern making and community building.
Key Takeaways:
Imposter syndrome is a common challenge, but recognizing it is the first step to overcoming it.
Redefining success means aligning personal values with business goals.
Money mindset plays a crucial role in achieving financial success—identifying limiting beliefs is key.
Investing in yourself is one of the most powerful ways to grow personally and professionally.
Building a supportive community fosters learning, growth, and lasting impact.
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:👉 www.elyssasmith.com/focus👉 Instagram👉 Facebook Group: The Stress Less Lounge
📌 Connect with Tricia:👉 https://www.instagram.com/creative.costume.academy/👉 https://www.creativecostumeacademy.com

Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
In this episode of Unlock Your Blocks, Elyssa Smith takes a deep dive into the hidden patterns driving self-sabotage for women who grew up as the "good girl," the "helper," or the "responsible one." If you’ve ever felt burned out from constantly putting others first, struggled with perfectionism, people-pleasing, or negative self-talk, this episode is for you. Elyssa explains how childhood roles shape adult behaviors, introduces the concept of the "family mobile," and unveils the hidden force working against your best efforts: the inner rebel.
Key Takeaways:
The "Good Girl" Identity: If you were the responsible child, always helping and keeping the peace, you likely developed habits that now contribute to burnout, procrastination, and self-doubt.
The Family Mobile Effect: Families function like a mobile hanging over a crib—when one person shifts, the whole unit adjusts. As a child, you learned to stay in your role to keep the family balanced, often at the cost of your own needs.
How Thought Patterns Form: Your survival brain adapted by instilling beliefs like "I must keep others happy to be safe" and "My needs don’t matter." These subconscious scripts now fuel self-sabotaging behaviors.
The Inner Rebel: A hidden part of you that pushes back when you’ve over-given and ignored your own needs for too long. It manifests as revenge bedtime procrastination, doom scrolling, perfectionism, and resistance to structure.
Breaking Free: Recognizing these patterns is the first step to reclaiming your time, energy, and identity. Elyssa shares practical ways to start shifting your mindset and stepping into a healthier, more balanced version of yourself.
Listen & Subscribe:Tune in to Unlock Your Blocks for more insights on nervous system regulation, mindset shifts, and personal growth. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode with anyone who needs to hear it!
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:www.elyssasmith.com/focusInstagramFacebook Group – The Stress Less Lounge

Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
In this episode of Unlock Your Blocks, Elyssa sits down with marketing strategist and coach Ina Coveney to explore the emotional and strategic challenges of entrepreneurship. From overcoming imposter syndrome to setting boundaries and navigating people-pleasing tendencies, this conversation dives deep into the mindset shifts required for personal and professional growth.
Elyssa and Ina discuss how self-awareness plays a crucial role in success, the impact of comparison on self-worth, and how business owners can build confidence—even with a small audience. They also unpack emotional triggers, toxic relationship patterns, and the physical effects of stress, offering actionable insights on self-validation and boundary-setting.
Whether you're struggling with self-doubt, feeling stuck in people-pleasing tendencies, or looking to create a thriving business while staying true to yourself, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.
Key Takeaways
✅ Self-awareness is crucial for success in business.✅ Imposter syndrome can block progress and self-acceptance.✅ Vulnerability in business fosters connection and growth.✅ Mindset shifts accelerate personal and professional growth.✅ Emotional triggers reveal deeper personal patterns.✅ Self-validation is a practice that requires multiple strategies.✅ Seeking support from trusted individuals is a strength, not a weakness.
Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Unlocking Potential02:14 – The Journey of a Business Coach04:40 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome09:59 – Navigating Vulnerability in Business11:55 – The Challenge of People-Pleasing18:54 – Setting Boundaries and Self-Awareness29:25 – Navigating Emotional Arrows32:46 – Recognizing Toxic Patterns34:02 – Understanding Panic and Physical Reactions38:21 – The Journey of Self-Validation41:38 – Empowering Through Expert Support48:05 – Building a Business with Confidence
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:👉 www.elyssasmith.com/focus👉 Instagram👉 Facebook Group: The Stress Less Lounge
📌 Connect with Ina Coveney:
👉 https://www.realsuperhumans.com/
👉 https://www.instagram.com/inacoveney/

Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Welcome back to another episode of Unlock Your Blocks with Elyssa Smith! Today, we're diving deep into the world of self-sabotage—what it is, how it manifests in our lives, and most importantly, how to break free from its grip.
In This Episode:
What is self-sabotage? A breakdown of how procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, and negative self-talk are all forms of self-sabotage.
How self-sabotage is rooted in survival mode—your nervous system reacts to stress as if you're being chased by a wild animal, making rational thinking and higher-level decision-making difficult.
The biological response to stress: why your brain shuts down digestion, immunity, and logical thinking in favor of survival instincts.
The impact of chronic stress and how modern-day triggers keep us in a perpetual state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
How self-sabotaging behaviors act as protective mechanisms developed in childhood to keep us "safe."
The key to overcoming self-sabotage: recognizing these behaviors as signals that your brain feels unsafe and responding with self-compassion instead of self-criticism.
Real-life client examples of how self-sabotage shows up and practical steps to shift out of survival mode.
The importance of working within your window of tolerance to make lasting change without triggering more stress.
Key Takeaways:
Self-sabotage is a survival response. Your brain is trying to protect you from perceived threats, even if those threats are just work deadlines or social media expectations.
Noticing your coping mechanisms is the first step to change. Whether it's doom-scrolling, staying up too late, or avoiding important tasks, awareness is key.
Self-compassion is the antidote. When you catch yourself engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors, pause and acknowledge that your brain is feeling unsafe.
Change happens within your window of tolerance. Trying to force big changes can trigger more resistance—gentle, incremental shifts are more sustainable.
Resources & Next Steps:
Take Elyssa’s Self-Sabotage Quiz to identify your biggest blocks: elyssasmith.com/quiz
Join the Next Level Membership for expert guidance and community support: elyssasmith.com/membership
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:
www.elyssasmith.com/focus
https://www.instagram.com/elyssacsmith/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thestresslesslounge
Thank you for tuning in! If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more women unlock their blocks and step into their power. See you next time!

Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of procrastination, perfectionism, or people-pleasing? You know what you want to do, but somehow, life keeps getting in the way—and the things that matter most keep getting pushed to the back burner.
In this introductory episode of Unlock Your Blocks, Elyssa Smith breaks down the sneaky ways self-sabotage shows up—and why it’s not your fault. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your to-do list, struggled with imposter syndrome, or second-guessed yourself at every turn, this episode is for you.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ How the “3 P’s” (Procrastination, Perfectionism, and People-Pleasing) work together to keep you stuck.✔️ Why high-achieving women, especially “responsible daughters,” are more prone to self-sabotage.✔️ The truth about negative self-talk and why it’s not just a bad habit—it’s a coping mechanism.✔️ The first step to recognizing and breaking free from these patterns.
✨ If you’re ready to stop playing small and start unlocking your potential, hit play now!
📌 Follow Elyssa for More:
www.elyssasmith.com/focus
https://www.instagram.com/elyssacsmith/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thestresslesslounge