Podcast
Beyond The Quo
Hosted by Stacey Luces · EN
If you’ve felt that restlessness—that feeling like there’s more than the midlife crisis or navigating a never-ending To do List - something beyond the status quo…. you’re in the right place.
Beyond The Quo isn’t about following the script; it’s about tearing it up. I’m Stacey Luces, and each week, I invite you to join me and our extraordinary guests - leaders, innovators, disruptors, and dreamers who’ve dared to challenge “the quo.”
This podcast is where we go past the expected, beyond the ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts,’– we break down old narratives about success, purpose, and authenticity.
In each episode we explore raw and honest stories filled with profound insights, strategies and practical advice that leads to bold transformation.
So, if you’re ready to claim your next chapter on your terms, If you’re done with the limits, the labels, and you’re ready to redefine success, and build a life that goes beyond the ordinary, hit that subscribe button and Join us each week for Beyond The Quo.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to shows that inspire change…you’ve already done ‘the quo’—now let’s go beyond.”
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 76 - Beyond the Beautiful Life: Does Your Life Actually Feel Good to Live In? with Shelley Morelli
4d ago00:45:48Tap to summarize“People spend years building beautiful lives on paper, but many never stop to ask: does this life actually feel good to live in?”In this episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces sits down with interior designer and longtime friend Shelley Morelli for a deeply honest conversation about modern life, emotional sanctuary, marriage, family, friendship, and what it really means to create a life that feels like home.Shelley has spent more than 15 years designing homes for highly successful families, but as Stacey shares, her real gift is not simply design. It is creating spaces that feel warm, grounded, intentional, and deeply human. Together, they unpack why so many people are overstimulated, exhausted, and disconnected despite outward success, and why joy, faith, relationships, and community matter more than ever.This conversation moves far beyond furniture and aesthetics. It becomes an exploration of identity, nervous system fatigue, parenting adult children, caring for aging parents, marriage over decades, modern loneliness, and the quiet power of creating environments that allow people to exhale.With humor, warmth, and raw honesty, Stacey and Shelley reflect on what happens when we stop performing perfection and start building lives that actually nourish us.🎧 In this episode:• 02:15 Why warmth feels rare in modern life• 05:40 The emotional energy inside our homes• 11:20 Parenting adult children and letting go of control• 18:15 Navigating aging parents and the sandwich generation• 24:30 Why surrender becomes essential in midlife• 31:18 Designing spaces that emotionally support people• 39:42 The pressure of perfection and overstimulation• 46:10 Women in male-dominated industries• 54:28 Why men need community and emotional safety too• 1:02:15 Faith, intuition, and trusting yourself again💡 Key Takeaways:• Your environment affects your emotional state more than most people realize. A home is not just functional space. It reflects emotional safety, nervous system regulation, identity, and how we experience daily life.• Many successful people are secretly overstimulated by the lives they built. Achievement without peace eventually creates exhaustion, disconnection, and emotional fatigue.• Surrender is not weakness. It is maturity. Whether parenting adult children, caring for aging parents, navigating marriage, or building a business, trying to control everything eventually becomes unsustainable.• Joy is not irresponsible. It is necessary. Friendship, laughter, dinners around the table, faith, and moments of connection are not distractions from life. They are life.• Community is part of resilience. Healing, growth, parenting, grief, and leadership become far harder when we try to navigate them alone.You’ve already done the quo. Now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey:staceyluces.comIG @Stacey.LucesLinkedIn @StaceyLuces✨ Connect with Shelley Morelli:IG @shelleymorellidesignShelley Morelli Design
Transcribe →Ep. 75 - Beyond the Alibis: The Real Reason You’re Not Moving with Stacey Luces
2w ago00:24:38Tap to summarize“It’s not a lack of resources. It’s a lack of resourcefulness—and the stories we tell ourselves to stay safe.”In this episode of Beyond The Quo, Stacey Luces unpacks the quiet, sophisticated excuses, what she calls "alibis", that keep even the most capable, high-performing leaders stuck.Drawing from her own life, executive coaching experience, and time spent reflecting during a recent reset, Stacey breaks down why we don’t pursue what we say we want - not because we can’t, but because we protect ourselves from discomfort, uncertainty, and identity shifts.From “I don’t have time” to “it’s not the right time” to “I need to figure it out first,” she exposes how these alibis sound responsible, but quietly cost us momentum, opportunity, and alignment.This is not about laziness, it’s about fear, identity, and the subtle ways we stay in motion…without actually moving forward.🎧 In this episode:• 01:10 Resources vs resourcefulness• 04:30 The “I don’t have time” alibi• 09:15 Perfectionism disguised as strategy• 14:40 “It’s not the right time” myth• 19:20 Midlife + sandwich generation pressure• 24:50 Boundaries and hidden burnout• 29:30 “I don’t have the right connections”• 34:10 What’s really underneath the alibis• 38:20 The true cost of staying stuck• 41:00 A simple 3-step shift forward💡 Key Takeaways:• Alibis don’t sound like excuses, they sound responsible. “I don’t have time,” “I need to figure it out,” and “it’s not the right time” often mask fear, not logic.• Clarity doesn’t come before movement, it comes from it: Waiting until you feel ready is often what keeps you from ever starting.• The real cost isn’t delay, it’s the life you don’t build. Every avoided decision compounds into missed opportunities, identity stagnation, and unrealized potential.You’ve already done the quo ---now it’s time to go beyond.Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share, and follow Beyond The Quo• Leave a five-star rating so more leaders can access these conversationsConnect with Stacey:staceyluces.comIG: @Stacey.LucesLinkedIn: @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 74 - Beyond Laughter: How Comedy and Clarity Fuel Authentic Leadership with Sam Ghanem
3w ago00:55:54Tap to summarize“What if the key to breaking free from the status quo wasn’t working harder but using laughter as the ultimate tool for resilience, clarity, and leading a life unapologetically true to yourself?”In this episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces sits down with Sam Ghanem, Strategic CEO of SG Inc., co-founder of Let’s Go 180°, and aspiring stand-up comedian. Sam’s story is anything but ordinary—she shares how comedy transformed her life from one of burnout and self-doubt to one of clarity, resilience, and authentic leadership. Sam’s unique perspective, shaped by her journey from leaving home at 14 to thriving as a multi-faceted entrepreneur, is a masterclass in how vulnerability, humor, and authentic self-expression can redefine success.Together, they explore the surprising intersections of humor and leadership and how laughter can help reframe challenges, the courage it takes to break free from societal expectations and embrace personal sovereignty and the transformational impact of small shifts—both personal and professional—on creating a life and legacy aligned with your truth.This episode offers actionable insights on how to navigate life's ups and downs with a light-hearted perspective, reminding us that sometimes, the best way to overcome obstacles is to laugh through them.In this episode: • 03:49 Balancing Ambition and Self-Care• 07:24 Redefining Boundaries and Expectations• 21:45 The Role of Humor in Overcoming Adversity• 28:52 Redefining Success and Breaking Norms• 36:54 The Power of Self-Reflection, Finding Purpose and Coaching• 39:29 Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity• 45:02 The Importance of Community and SupportIf you’re ready to redefine success and embrace authenticity in both your personal and professional life, tune in to this episode. Follow Beyond the Quo for more stories of resilience, courage, and reinvention.You’ve already done the quo—now let’s go beyond.Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe to Beyond the Quo and leave a five-star review.• Share this episode with someone who’s ready to embrace their next chapter.• Join the conversation on social media and connect with Stacey and her guests.Connect with Stacey Luces:• Website: www.staceyluces.com• Instagram: @Stacey.Luces @beyondthequopodcast• Rising Beyond Global Community: https://www.skool.com/risingbeyondglobalcommunity/about• YouTube: staceyluces/podcasts• Disclaimer: staceyluces.com/disclaimerConnect with Sam Ghanem:• Website: www.thinksgink.com/• Instagram: @samwghanem @think_sgink_branding• FB: @thINKsgINK
Transcribe →Ep. 73 - Beyond “One-Size-Fits-All” Leadership: Transforming Cities with Former Mayor Dr. Jeri Muoio
4w ago00:59:01Tap to summarizeWhat if I told you that only 26% of U.S. mayors are women—and today’s guest is one of them? Get ready for a masterclass in leading with authenticity and purpose.In this episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces interviews Dr. Jeri Muoio, founder and CEO of Great Cities for All, and former two-term mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida. They explore themes of authentic and servant leadership, emphasizing trust, purpose, and community involvement. Dr. Muoio shares insights from her extensive career in public service and education, stressing the importance of listening, building relationships, and empowering others. The discussion touches on the challenges women face in leadership roles, balancing work and personal life, and encouraging risk-taking. This masterclass in leadership offers invaluable advice for anyone looking to lead with courage, empathy, and lasting impact. The episode concludes with practical advice for becoming involved in community service and fostering positive change.🎧 In this episode:• 01:10 Journey of Transformative Leadership• 03:07 Inspiring Leadership and Building Trust• 22:51 Core Values and Personal Growth• 29:47 Career Progression, A Mother's Panic and Resilience• 33:19 Balancing Parenthood and Career• 34:57 Legacy and Impact Reflections• 43:21 Community Service and Volunteering• 46:12 Empowering Women and Future Generations💡 Key Takeaways:• How servant leadership shifts the focus from authority to service, empowering teams and creating lasting impact.• Strategies for women to lead authentically and confidently in industries or roles where they’re underrepresented.• Insights into overcoming challenges like the “likeability trap” and finding balance between likability and competence.• Why success is often on the other side of fear and how messy action leads to growth.• Lessons on resilience and vulnerability as a parent, partner, and leader.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe to Beyond the Quo and leave a five-star review.• Share this episode with someone ready to embrace their authentic power.• Follow Stacey and her guest to continue the conversation.✨ Connect with Stacey Luces:• Website: www.staceyluces.com/podcast• Instagram: @Stacey.Luces | @BeyondTheQuoPodcast• Rising Beyond Power Collective: https://www.skool.com/risingbeyondglobalcommunity/about📩 Connect with Dr. Muoio:• LinkedIn: @ jerimuoio
Transcribe →Ep. 72 - Beyond the Horizon: Why the Artemis Mission Woke Something Up in All of Us with Stacey Luces
Apr 1500:21:21Tap to summarize“60% of leaders feel isolated. 70% are dealing with stress and anxiety. Yet, we didn’t just watch the Artemis mission, we felt something. The real question is… why did that moment break through everything else in our life?” In the episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces reflects on unexpectedly feeling deeply invested in NASA’s Artemis mission on the eve of the crew’s reentry, arguing it cut through modern overstimulation and collective stress to spark awe, perspective, hope, and a sense of possibility. She connects this “pattern interruption” to the realities of midlife leadership, widespread isolation, chronic stress and anxiety, and exhaustion that erodes meaning…and warns of the quiet, cumulative health consequences of burnout, citing workplace-stress-related deaths and her own autoimmune crisis and emergency surgery. Stacey challenges listeners to use this moment as a signal to reassess alignment and purpose, offering strategies: capture and write down moments of awe, identify where you’ve been head-down too long, consider where your current pace leads in five years, intentionally reintroduce expansion through new ideas and experiences, stop outsourcing possibility to screens, and lead with more reflection and vision rather than only output and speed. 🎧 In this episode: • 01:13 Noise And Overwhelm • 03:37 Leaders In Midlife • 06:34 Pattern Interruption • 07:27 Awe Hope And Love • 09:24 Burnout Consequences • 15:33 Strategy Expand Intentionally • 17:24 Lead Differently Now • 18:36 Hope And Horizon 💡 Key Takeaways: • Moments of awe are not random, they are signals. That feeling you had watching Artemis? That pause. That perspective. That sense of possibility and hope…That is data. It’s showing you where your life feels too small, too tight, or too disconnected. • Ignoring misalignment doesn’t keep your life stable, it reshapes it. The cost of staying the same isn’t neutral. Chronic stress leads to: Burnout. Health breakdown. Emotional disconnection. You are already being shaped by the decisions you are not making You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond. 🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself! • Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn! ✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 71 - Beyond “I’m Fine”: Why a ‘Good Life’ Can Still Feel Empty with Stacey Luces
Apr 800:20:47Tap to summarize“What if nothing is wrong… and that’s exactly the problem?”In the episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces explores “functional burnout,” a stealth form of burnout where people remain highly productive while slowly disconnecting from work and life. Drawing from her own dramatic health crisis and recovery, she explains how burnout can be insidious, showing up as numbness, flatness, constant need to escape even after vacations, and a gradual erosion of joy, especially among high-performing executives and midlife “strong woman” caregivers in the sandwich generation. She challenges the comfort of an “okay” status-quo life and outlines small, practical shifts: name what you’re feeling without minimizing it, identify where you feel numb, tell one person an unpolished truth, and remove a couple of energy drains. She also urges leaders to model healthier norms, and invites listeners to notice where they’re still performing but no longer connecting.🎧 In this episode:• 00:44 Functional Burnout Explained• 01:37 Health Wake Up• 04:20 Executive Burnout Signs• 06:26 Vacation Escape Trap• 07:37 Strong Woman Erosion• 10:42 The Drift of Fine• 11:53 Why Status Quo Hurts• 14:41 Shift Strategies💡 Key Takeaways:• Burnout isn’t always loud - it’s often a slow, invisible disconnection.You can be successful, productive, and praised… and still feel flat, numb, and detached from what used to matter. • “Nothing is wrong” is one of the biggest warning signs. When life is just fine, career okay, relationships okay, everything acceptable…that’s where people get stuck for years, even decades, without questioning if it actually fits. • Small, honest shifts, not dramatic change, are what break the cycle.Naming what’s not working, telling the truth to one person, and removing even one draining element can begin to restore alignment and energy over time.them.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 70 - Beyond Being the Strong One: The Hidden Cost of Always Holding It Together with Stacey Luces
Apr 100:22:45Tap to summarize“You can be the most dependable person in every room…and still feel completely unseen.”Stacey Luces reflects on the personal and professional cost of always being the dependable one who fixes, carries, and gets everything done, noting that the stronger and more capable you appear, the more invisible your needs can become and the less people check on you. She explores how many people tie their worth to being useful, leading to chronic stress, emotional isolation, and difficulty resting or asking for help, and highlights fears about what happens if you stop holding everything together. Luces shares strategies to break the cycle: say one true thing out loud, stop automatically filling every gap so others can step up, and redefine core values and what “success” looks like in this season, shifting from achievement to peace, space, connection, and authenticity. She emphasizes you can stay strong without staying invisible and deserve to be supported, heard, and cared for.🎧 In this episode:• 01:10 The Strong One Trap• 02:10 Invisible Needs and Stress• 03:31 Why We Avoid Help• 07:39 Fear of Letting Go• 11:48 Only Known for Doing• 13:14 Strategies💡 Key Takeaways:• Strength without support leads to isolation. The more capable you become, the less people assume you need help, and the more you carry alone. • You trained people how to show up for you. If you’ve always been the one who handles everything, people will stop checking in, not out of neglect, but because of expectation.• You cannot be fully seen if you are only known for what you do. Real leadership requires shifting from performance to truth—asking for help, setting boundaries, and allowing yourself to be supported.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 69 - Beyond the Lie of Kindness: Why Growth Requires Telling the Truth in Midlife Reinvention with Stacey Luces
Mar 2500:26:39Tap to summarize“You’ve changed… so why are you still acting like the old version of yourself for everyone else?”In the episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces explains a subtle tension many high performers feel in midlife: they’ve changed internally but still show up in old roles and behaviors because it feels easier than facing others’ reactions. She explores how “being nice” can become self-betrayal, saying yes when you mean no, overextending, avoiding honesty, or chasing being needed, often driven by fear of judgment and disappointing people. Luces reframes kindness as telling the truth with care, not avoiding it, and notes the personal cost of staying misaligned, including resentment and diminished self-trust. She offers practical micro-shift strategies: start with one honest moment, stop overexplaining, use resentment and bodily signals as cues, separate caring from compliance, and expect discomfort as you align your behavior with who you’re becoming.🎧 In this episode:• 01:01 Midlife Shift Tension• 05:27 The Gap Explained• 08:04 Midlife Recalibration• 13:06 Kindness Versus Truth• 17:01 Micro Shift Strategies• 23:00 Discomfort And Consistency• 25:06 One Truth This Week💡 Key Takeaways:1. The real tension isn’t change, it’s the gap between who you’ve become and how you’re still showing up. Most people don’t struggle with awareness. They know they’ve changed. The struggle is continuing to perform an outdated version of themselves for the comfort of others. 2. What we call “kindness” is often avoidance of discomfort: Saying yes when you mean no. Overextending. Softening truth. It can look like care, but often it’s fear of reaction, judgment, or disruption.3. Reinvention is not one big decision, it’s a series of small, honest moments. You don’t need to blow up your life. You need: One honest conversation. One boundary. One aligned decision. Sustainable change happens in micro shifts, not dramatic declarations.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 68 - Beyond Reinvention Shame with Stacey Luces
Mar 1800:38:45Tap to summarize“What if the shame you feel in midlife is not failure, but evidence that something deeper in you is waking up?”In the episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces discusses a recurring theme she’s hearing from high-performing leaders: a deep desire for change that often arrives when life looks “successful” on paper, followed by a quiet sense of shame about wanting something different. She connects this to midlife transitions like grief in the sandwich generation, empty nesting, and shifting relationships, and challenges the linear success story that equates consistency with loyalty and changing your mind with failure. Stacey reframes reinvention as a sign of evolving priorities and a need for alignment, offering practical reflection prompts: what energizes you, what drains you, and what version of you built your current life. She emphasizes small “two millimeter shifts,” truth-telling, releasing the permission trap, and a 30-day practice of becoming a “guardian” to yourself to restore care, boundaries, and integrity.🎧 In this episode:• 03:33 Reinvention Shame Explained• 06:30 Redefining Success as Peace• 10:16 The Linear Success Lie• 20:11 Three Reinvention Audit Questions• 27:22 Small Steps Not Big Leaps• 30:45 Drop the Permission Trap• 33:27 Guardianship Over Yourself• 36:04 Reinvention Is Expansion💡 Key Takeaways:• Reinvention is not failure. It is often a sign of growth, evolution, and deeper self-awareness. This episode challenges the belief that changing direction means something went wrong. Instead, it reframes reinvention as a natural response to shifting priorities, values, and seasons of life.• Midlife brings an identity reckoning. Between grief, empty nesting, changing relationships, caregiving, health, and career pivots, many leaders begin asking harder questions: Is this still the life I want? Is this still who I am? The episode names the shame that often follows those questions.• Small acts of honesty can begin a major life redesign. Listeners are encouraged to do a personal reinvention audit by asking what energizes them, what drains them, and what version of themselves built their current life. The episode emphasizes that reinvention begins with truth-telling, not perfection.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces
Transcribe →Ep. 67 - Beyond the Midlife Crisis: Rewriting the Rules and a Return to Self with Angela Burk
Mar 1100:53:48Tap to summarize“What if midlife is not a breakdown, but the first time you finally tell yourself the truth?”In the episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces welcomes Angela Burk, author of "Real Girl’s Guide to Midlife," to challenge the narrow “midlife crisis” narrative and reframe midlife as a powerful beginning. They discuss how multiple shifts can collide at once, from hormones and menopause/perimenopause, career pivots, divorce, parenting changes, and caring for aging parents to how unexamined patterns like people-pleasing, overachievement, and never questioning expectations can lead to overwhelm, burnout, and health consequences. Angela shares her own story of career risk, divorce, early menopause, and the isolation of thinking everyone else has it together, emphasizing the importance of pausing for an “identity audit,” naming needs out loud, setting boundaries, and making progress without a perfect plan. They explore grief, fear, societal judgment, “doing it scared,” and small daily choices that calm the nervous system, plus what Gen Z models about autonomy and self-preservation. Angela shares where to find her book and writing online..🎧 In this episode:• 03:07 What Breaks Midlife• 09:56 Hidden Signs Misalignment• 11:30 Burnout Identity Tension• 16:24 Grief And Change• 22:54 Sloppy Leap Mindset• 25:15 Money Fear Divorce• 28:49 Releasing Shame and Fear• 37:55 Stop Shrinking Speak Up• 42:11 Breaking the Fixer Identity💡 Key Takeaways:• Midlife is not a crisis. It is a reckoning and a reset. What looks like falling apart is often the moment people finally get honest about what has been misaligned for years. This season can be less about loss and more about awakening.• What breaks in midlife is often the version of you built for survival. People pleasing, over-functioning, hyper-independence, being the fixer, the good wife, the good boss, the dependable one. Midlife exposes the cost of identities that once helped you succeed but no longer let you live fully.• Reinvention does not require a perfect plan. It requires truth and movement. The shift begins when you name what you need, say it out loud, interrupt old patterns, and take the next small step. Not the whole staircase. Just the next honest step.You’ve already done the quo—now it’s time to go beyond.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself!• Subscribe, share and follow Beyond the Quo and I’d deeply appreciate your five-star rating so more people can listen and learn!✨ Connect with Stacey: staceyluces.com IG @ Stacey.Luces LinkedIn @StaceyLuces✨ Find Angela Burk here: Instagram @realgirlsguide55; Substack http://realgirlsguidetomidlife.com; Book www.realgirlsguide.com/book
Transcribe →