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.”
42episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 86 - Beyond Comfort: Why the People Who Love You Should Expect More with Stacey Luces
4d ago00:24:56Tap to summarize"The people who love you shouldn't just celebrate your potential. They should expect you to live up to it."In this episode of Beyond the Quo, executive coach and founder Stacey Luces challenges one of the biggest myths about healthy relationships: that love means never making each other uncomfortable. She argues that the strongest friendships, partnerships, and leadership relationships aren't built on constant encouragement—they're built on shared accountability and a commitment to helping each other become who we said we wanted to be.Drawing on research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development and the American Society of Training and Development, Stacey explores why so many Gen X leaders quietly settle into comfortable patterns despite having enormous potential. She reflects on her own relationship with her co-founder, the tension between support and challenge, and why excuses often become the greatest threat to growth.She also shares practical strategies for creating a personal "board of directors," asking deeper questions in your relationships, giving trusted people permission to challenge you, and building a culture where accountability is an act of love rather than criticism.If you're in midlife, leading a business, raising a family, caring for aging parents, or simply trying to become the next version of yourself, this episode is a reminder that the people closest to you shouldn't just cheer you on—they should help you grow.🎧 In This Episode00:00 Why support without challenge isn't enough03:45 The Gen X trap: carrying everything alone08:20 What the Harvard longevity study teaches us about relationships12:40 Why accountability changes behavior more than intention18:30 The danger of comfortable excuses23:10 How to build your personal Board of Directors27:45 Better questions that deepen friendships and leadership32:20 Why the people you love deserve your honesty36:45 The challenge: stop letting each other settle💡 Key TakeawaysReal love isn't passive—it calls people forward. The healthiest relationships don't simply validate who you are today; they remind you of the person you said you wanted to become.Excuses compound just like good habits do. Left unchallenged, small compromises become comfortable patterns that quietly shape the life you never intended to build.Accountability is one of the greatest gifts you can give—or receive. Give a few trusted people permission to interrupt your excuses, challenge your thinking, and help keep you aligned with your values and goals.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 QuoLeave a five-star review to help more leaders discover the show.✨ Connect with StaceyWebsite: staceyluces.comInstagram: @stacey.lucesLinkedIn: Stacey Luces
Transcribe →Ep. 85 - Beyond Wellness: Why Your Health Is Your Greatest Leadership Strategy with Stacey Luces
2w ago00:31:58Tap to summarizeI flatlined ten years ago. Most people don't get a second chance to rethink their life. I did. And if there's one thing I know now that I didn't know then, it's this: Success means very little if your body can't come with you. Today we're talking about wellness—not as self-care—but as one of the most strategic leadership decisions you'll ever make. “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 longevity and argues that a key competitive advantage is recovering better rather than just working harder. Drawing on her burnout, autoimmune challenges, and a near-death medical episode, she reframes wellness as a leadership and business issue tied to decision quality and nervous system health. She cites statistics from WHO, Gallup, APA, McKinsey, and Deloitte to highlight widespread stress, burnout, and midlife pressures, especially for Gen X and the sandwich generation. Stacey outlines consequences of neglecting recovery—decision fatigue, emptiness despite achievement, and leaders normalizing exhaustion—and offers strategies: redefine wellness as capacity, protect energy like money by tracking what drains/restores you, and design your life so your calendar reflects your values. She closes with reflective questions and shares her own struggles with fatigue and sleep while building We Whistle Global. 01:35 Burnout Wake Up Call 03:32 Why Wellness Is Leadership 06:24 The Data Behind Burnout 07:27 Midlife Sandwich Squeeze 12:11 When Success Feels Hollow 13:54 Leaders Normalize Exhaustion 19:50 Protect Energy Like Money 22:47 Gen X Conditioning And Rest 24:07 Women And Men In Midlife 💡 Key Takeaways: 1. Wellness is no longer a personal goal. It's a leadership strategy. The quality of your decisions, relationships, creativity, and resilience is directly connected to the health of your mind and body. In today's world, your capacity may be your greatest competitive advantage. 2. Success that costs your health is not sustainable success. Many high performers spend years building careers, businesses, and families while quietly depleting themselves. Midlife isn't about working harder—it's about redefining success in a way that allows you to enjoy the life you've built. 3. Small, intentional shifts create extraordinary change. You don't need a complete life overhaul. Protect your energy, design your calendar around your values, and build simple daily habits that restore your capacity. Wellness isn't something you earn after the work is done—it's what makes your best work possible. 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. 84 - Beyond "I'll Be Happy When...” with Stacey Luces
3w ago00:27:37Tap to summarizeWhat if somewhere between building a successful life and carrying everyone else, you quietly lost your joy? Executive coach Stacey Luces explores why joy often disappears as people take on more responsibility, stress, and constant stimulation, leaving nervous systems rarely returning to baseline and life feeling “fine” but emotionally flat. She distinguishes joy from curated happiness and argues joy requires space - time to breathe, be bored, create, and connect - yet many postpone it for “later,” which never arrives. Stacey outlines three consequences of joylessness: emotional flatness, reduced creativity (which she says comes from curiosity, play, and rest), and relationships becoming purely functional. She offers three practical strategies: conduct a one-week “joy audit” by tracking what energizes vs. drains you, schedule joy like any other commitment, and “borrow joy” by spending time with joyful people or environments until your own returns. She closes with a challenge to interrupt patterns and do something purposeless that makes you feel alive. Highlights: • 02:38 Joy vs Busy Success • 04:49 The Big Joy Question • 05:29 Overstimulation and Stress • 08:31 The Myth of Later • 10:27 Three Consequences • 14:51 Strategies • 22:58 Final Challenge and Wrap Key Takeaways 1. Success without joy eventually becomes survival: Many high performers don't lose joy overnight. They slowly trade it for responsibility, achievement, and the belief that they'll enjoy life "once things settle down." The problem is... they rarely do. 2. Joy doesn't just improve your life - it improves your leadership: When joy disappears, creativity shrinks, relationships become transactional, and life begins to feel emotionally flat. Joy isn't a reward for success; it's one of the things that sustains it. 3. You don't have to reinvent your life - you simply have to interrupt it: Small, intentional moments of delight compound over time. By auditing what gives you energy, scheduling joy like any important meeting, and surrounding yourself with joyful people, you begin reconnecting with the version of yourself that feels most alive. 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. • If this episode resonated with you, I'd be grateful for a five-star review. It helps more leaders discover these conversations. Connect with Stacey Website: staceyluces.com Instagram: @stacey.luces LinkedIn: Stacey Luces
Transcribe →Ep. 83 - Small Acts, Epic Impact – Reclaim Your Power with Stacey Luces
4w ago00:25:24Tap to summarizeWhy saying ‘yes’ makes you powerless—and how one four-word habit changes everything.In this episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces steps in solo to discuss a crucial and recurrent theme among leaders, particularly women: owning your power. While addressing unexpected challenges, Stacey dives deep into personal experiences and client stories to outline the importance of self-leadership, authentic living, and courageous leading from within. Drawing from workshops, coaching, and personal anecdotes, she explores the costs of powerlessness, strategies to reclaim one’s power, and the significance of building supportive power circles. With actionable tips and a 7-day power audit challenge, Stacey empowers listeners to set boundaries, make clear decisions, and prioritize their well-being. Join this transformative discussion and learn how to redefine success on your own terms.🎧 In this episode:• 01:12 The Concept of Owning Your Power• 02:25 Diverse Perspectives on Power• 05:46 The Cost of Powerlessness • 15:05 Signs of Leaking Power• 20:34 Strategies to Reclaim Your Power• 28:42 Non-Negotiables for Owning Your Power• 33:29 Building Your Inner Power Circle💡 Key Takeaways:• Owning Your Power Isn’t Optional - Power is something you reclaim, not wait for—and if it’s left unclaimed, it leaks through over-apologizing, decision delay, and saying “yes” out of guilt.• Boundaries Build Confidence - Respecting your body, time, and energy—like saying no without explanation or carving out solo thinking time—is how you reinforce integrity and reclaim authority.• Small Shifts = Big Gains - Progress starts with tiny actions: a weekly “power audit” of what you’re saying yes to (or avoiding) and small boundary experiments recalibrate your entire life.• Cultivate a Core Power Circle - Surround yourself with a small group: a mirror (truth-teller), a firestarter (encourager), and a strategist (planner). They fuel accountability and keep you aligned.• Legacy Requires Guarding Your Light - When you own your power, you inspire others to do the same—leading courageously doesn’t just change your life; it creates ripple effects across your family, work, and community.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 Luces: Free Global Community - Rising Beyond Power Collective: https://www.skool.com/risingbeyondglobalcommunity/about
Transcribe →Ep. 82 - Beyond the Followers: Own Your Story, Build Wealth & Have Creative Freedom with Dr. Sheena Howard
Jun 2400:49:51Tap to summarizeIf you missed it the first time — consider this your sign. And if you've already heard it? Good. You're ready to hear it differently.What if everything you've been told about visibility and success is wrong?You don't need millions of followers. You don't need to wait for a publisher, platform, or gatekeeper. And you certainly don't need to water down your brilliance to fit someone else's mold.In this encore episode of Beyond the Quo, host Stacey Luces sits down with the award-winning author, filmmaker, professor, and creative powerhouse Dr. Sheena C. Howard — the first Black woman to win an Eisner Award at San Diego Comic-Con.Her success didn't come from playing the game. It came from rewriting the rules. Through her platforms Nerdworks and Power Your Research, she teaches creatives, scholars, and entrepreneurs how to own their voice, monetize their genius, and build six-figure brands — without waiting for permission.Together, they unpack the emotional labor of representation, the myth of perfection, and what it really takes to thrive as a culturally-rooted entrepreneur in spaces that weren't built for you.Whether you're an academic, a creator, or a leader building something bold — this episode will remind you: your story is your power.
Transcribe →Ep. 81 - Beyond 2025: Intentions, Not Resolutions Revisited with Yulimar Trumbo
Jun 1701:03:13Tap to summarize"Grownups can be dream killers."This one stopped listeners in their tracks when it first aired — and it's just as relevant now. We're bringing it back because some conversations don't have an expiration date.Stacey Luces sits down with Yulimar Trumbo — investor in the future of entrepreneurs and world-class sales facilitator who has worked across 40+ countries with Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, and government sectors — for a conversation about courage, safety, and choosing possibility again.Together they explore why intentions create alignment while resolutions create pressure, why authentic connection matters more than proximity, and how protecting your time is really about protecting your life. Through personal stories about family, entrepreneurship, partnership, and change, they dig into leading yourself first, trusting what your body knows, and building "a new same page" in relationships and communities.🎧 In this episode:02:39 Intentions vs. resolutions05:06 Decisions that shaped the last decade10:47 Protecting your time and saying no26:24 Dreams, courage, and refusing to shrink29:07 Youth, innovation, and social entrepreneurship39:36 Relationships, loneliness, and real connection💡 Key takeaways worth revisiting:Intentions create alignment. Resolutions create pressure. This episode reframes goal-setting as an invitation to rise — not a demand for compliance."No" is autonomy in motion. Self-betrayal starts small. Boundaries are built in the everyday.Courage must be protected or it will be negotiated away. When safety becomes the goal, imagination shrinks.Transformation begins with a new internal language. Swap sacrifice, balance, and guilt for integration, equanimity, and surrender — and watch how you lead, love, and choose differently.You've already done the quo — now it's time to go beyond. 🔥Loved this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a five-star rating so more people can listen and learn.✨ Connect with Staceystaceyluces.com · IG @Stacey.Luces · LinkedIn @StaceyLuces✨ Connect with YuliLinkedIn @yulimar-trumbo
Transcribe →Ep. 80 - Beyond Independence: The Lie High Performers Tell Themselves with Stacey Luces
Jun 1000:28:51Tap to summarizeBeyond Independence: The Lie High Performers Tell Themselves with Stacey Luces "Many successful people don't have a capacity problem. They have a support problem. And somewhere along the way, strength became carrying everything alone." In this solo episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces explores one of the most celebrated—and costly—traits among high achievers: hyper-independence. For many leaders, founders, caregivers, professionals, and high performers, self-sufficiency became a survival skill. It helped them build careers, raise families, navigate adversity, and earn trust. But what happens when the very thing that made you successful becomes the thing limiting your growth? Drawing from her own experience with severe burnout, executive leadership, entrepreneurship, and coaching hundreds of leaders, Stacey unpacks the hidden cost of carrying too much alone. She explores why asking for help feels uncomfortable, why receiving can feel harder than giving, and how many successful people quietly become isolated while appearing completely capable. This episode challenges the idea that maturity means needing less and offers a different possibility: that the next level of leadership may require learning how to receive support, build trust, and stop carrying everything by yourself. 🎧 In this episode: • 02:15 Why high performers struggle to ask for help • 06:40 The hidden connection between success and burnout • 11:25 How Gen X, immigrants, caregivers, and founders were wired for self-sufficiency • 16:10 The Strong Friend Syndrome and leadership isolation • 21:30 Three lies high performers tell themselves • 29:15 The real cost of hyper-independence • 33:45 Building your personal Board of Directors • 38:10 Why receiving is a leadership skill • 42:00 The shift from self-reliance to interdependence Key Takeaways: • Hyper-independence often masquerades as strength. Many successful people learned early that being dependable, useful, and resilient created safety and value. But what begins as resilience can eventually become isolation. • The cost of carrying everything alone is not just burnout. Over time, hyper-independence limits growth, trust, collaboration, creativity, and the ability to receive support from others. • Leadership is not about carrying more. The next chapter of success requires building relationships, support systems, and communities that allow you to expand beyond what you can accomplish alone. • Receiving is not weakness. Allowing others to contribute, support, challenge, and care for you is one of the most powerful leadership shifts available in midlife. Final Thought One of the greatest myths many successful people carry is that strength means independence. But perhaps healthy leadership isn't about needing less. Perhaps it's about knowing when to lean on others. Because eventually the thing that got you here won't get you there. And the next level of success may not come from carrying more. It may come from allowing others to walk beside you. Feeling inspired? Don't keep it to yourself! • Subscribe, share, and follow Beyond the Quo • Leave a five-star review so more people can discover conversations that challenge conventional thinking about success, leadership, and life. Connect with Stacey: Website: StaceyLuces.com Instagram: @stacey.luces LinkedIn: Stacey Luces
Transcribe →Ep. 79 - Beyond Friendship: The Loneliness No One Talks About with Stacey Luces
Jun 300:27:22Tap to summarize"We're more connected digitally than ever, yet many people quietly feel like they don't have their people anymore."In this solo episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces explores one of the most overlooked challenges of modern adulthood: loneliness, disconnection, and the changing nature of friendship. Drawing from personal stories, coaching insights, and research on human connection, Stacey examines why so many successful, capable adults find themselves surrounded by people yet craving deeper relationships.From group chats and social media to networking events and busy calendars, we have more ways to connect than ever before. Yet many people still feel unseen, emotionally isolated, and disconnected from the kinds of friendships that truly sustain us.Stacey explores how adulthood changes our friendships, why high performers often become emotionally isolated, how trust has become more complicated, and why community, belonging, and genuine connection are not luxuries but essential ingredients for health, happiness, longevity, and a meaningful life.This episode is a reminder that success without belonging can feel surprisingly empty and that some of the most important work we do in midlife is building and nurturing the relationships that help us feel fully alive.🎧 In this episode:02:10 Why loneliness is rising despite constant digital connection06:45 What the Harvard longevity study reveals about relationships10:20 Why adulthood makes friendship harder than ever14:35 The hidden loneliness of high performers and leaders20:15 Trust, guardedness, and emotional isolation26:40 Why friendships naturally change as we age32:05 The health and longevity benefits of community36:20 Three practical strategies to deepen connection and belonging40:10 Why success without meaningful relationships eventually feels hollow💡 Key Takeaways:• Many adults are grieving friendships they never realized they lost. Life transitions, caregiving, careers, parenting, entrepreneurship, and personal growth often reshape our relationships more than we acknowledge.• High performers often have extensive networks but very few safe places. Being known for what you produce is different from being deeply known for who you are.• Friendship requires intentionality in adulthood. The strongest relationships are rarely accidental. They are built through consistent rituals, presence, trust, and shared experiences over time.• Community is not a luxury. It's part of a healthy life. Research continues to show that meaningful relationships improve physical health, emotional wellbeing, resilience, happiness, and longevity.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don't keep it to yourself!Subscribe, share, and follow Beyond the Quo.Leave a five-star review so more people can join the conversation about leadership, reinvention, wellbeing, and living beyond the status quo.✨ Connect with Stacey:Website: StaceyLuces.comInstagram: @stacey.lucesLinkedIn: Stacey LucesYou've already done the quo. Now it's time to go beyond.
Transcribe →Ep. 78 - Beyond Exhaustion: Why So Many High Performers Are Quietly Running on Empty
May 2700:26:41Tap to summarizeThere’s a version of exhaustion that doesn’t look dramatic.You’re still producing.Still showing up.Still leading.Still getting things done.But internally? You feel emotionally overextended, overstimulated, and disconnected from yourself.In this solo episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces unpacks the hidden cost of high performance culture and why so many capable people are quietly running on empty. Drawing from her work coaching executives, founders, and women leaders across industries, Stacey explores the nervous system fatigue, identity conditioning, and “busy equals worthy” mindset that keeps people stuck in survival mode.This conversation goes beyond burnout. It’s about the long-term consequences of building externally successful lives that internally no longer feel sustainable.If you’ve been feeling emotionally flat, constantly overwhelmed, or unable to fully rest even when life looks “fine” from the outside, this episode is your invitation to pause and reassess what success is costing you.🎧 In this episode:• 02:10 Why exhaustion has become normalized in modern culture• 06:45 The difference between burnout and emotional disconnection• 11:20 How high performers unconsciously tie identity to productivity• 16:05 Why rest feels uncomfortable for ambitious people• 21:18 The quiet relationship cost of chronic exhaustion• 27:40 Why “busy” has become a socially acceptable alibi• 31:55 Three strategic shifts to reclaim alignment and energy• 36:20 Redesigning success around sustainability, not optics💡 Key Takeaways:• You can be highly productive and deeply disconnected at the same time. Many people do not recognize exhaustion because they are still functioning well externally.• Exhaustion is often less about workload and more about misalignment. What drains you emotionally matters just as much as what fills your calendar.• Rest is not weakness or something to “earn.” Sustainable leadership requires recovery systems, boundaries, support, and self-awareness.• The goal is not just success. The goal is building a life that actually feels good to live in.🔥 Feeling inspired? Don’t keep it to yourself.Subscribe, share, and leave a five-star review so more people can join the conversation about leadership, reinvention, wellbeing, and living beyond the status quo.✨ Connect with Stacey Luces• Website: StaceyLuces.com• Instagram: @stacey.luces• LinkedIn: Stacey Luces
Transcribe →Ep. 77 - Beyond the Nest: The Identity Shift No One Talks About Before Empty Nesting with Stacey Luces
May 2000:30:29Tap to summarize“What happens when the people you’ve spent decades caring for stop needing you the same way… and you quietly realize parts of you have been waiting to come back to life too?”In this deeply personal episode of Beyond the Quo, Stacey Luces explores the emotional and identity shift that happens before becoming an empty nester. Not the dramatic version people post about online, but the quieter, more complicated reality many midlife women are navigating in real time.As children become more independent and households begin to quiet down, many women find themselves standing at a strange emotional precipice. Still needed, but differently. Still busy, but beginning to notice themselves again. Stacey unpacks the invisible emotional labor women have carried for decades as organizers, nurturers, emotional regulators, and caretakers, and what happens when those roles begin to shift.Drawing from her own experiences as a mother, executive coach, daughter, wife, and woman navigating midlife reinvention herself, Stacey explores how this season impacts identity, marriage, friendships, purpose, health, nervous system fatigue, and the deeply uncomfortable question many women quietly avoid:“What do I actually want now?”She also discusses why Gen X women are among the most stressed demographics today, the emotional cost of constantly “holding everything together,” and why many women realize they have become exceptional at managing everyone else while quietly disconnecting from themselves.But this episode is not about loss. It is about possibility.It is about what happens when women stop seeing this season as an ending and start viewing it as a reintroduction to themselves.🎧 In this episode:• 01:12 The meaning behind Beyond the Quo• 04:30 The strange in-between before empty nesting• 08:14 The emotional labor women quietly carry• 12:40 The identity shift nobody prepares you for• 17:05 Gen X exhaustion, burnout, and nervous system fatigue• 22:48 Marriage, partnership, and reconnecting after parenting• 27:35 The parts of ourselves we quietly abandoned• 32:11 Why this season can become liberation• 36:22 Rebuilding your relationship with yourself• 41:17 The question many women avoid asking themselves💡 Key Takeaways:• Empty nesting begins emotionally long before children physically leave home.Many women quietly begin confronting identity shifts, changing roles, and emotional recalibration years before the nest is officially empty.• Midlife is not just a parenting transition. It is an identity transition.This season impacts friendships, marriage, purpose, health, ambition, nervous systems, and the relationship women have with themselves after decades of caregiving and responsibility.• You are allowed to want more for yourself without guilt.Wanting peace, joy, creativity, travel, rest, purpose, intimacy, and expansion does not make you selfish. It makes you human.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
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