262804066 169. Journal with me: Goal setting without the overwhelm (5 Min prompts) - Journal Entries

Episode 169

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Published on:

14th Aug 2025

169. Journal with me: Goal setting without the overwhelm (5 Min prompts)

What if pursuing your goals felt free, aligned, and way easier than you've been making it? You start with all this motivation, then suddenly your dreams feel more like burdens than possibilities.

I was talking with someone inside Emotionally Empowered recently who's working full-time AND starting her master's program. She described her brain as "a ball of yarn" and said she felt like the clock was ticking on her dreams. After we journaled through it together, that tangled mess became clear direction and relief.

This happens way more than you think. Our goals become sources of chaos instead of clarity because we've been taught that worthwhile dreams require struggle.

What we're journaling through today:

  • Why your goals might feel scarier to achieve than you realize
  • The sneaky beliefs that make success feel impossible
  • How overwhelm actually protects you from getting what you want
  • A completely different way to think about pursuing your dreams

3 Journal Prompts (grab a notebook or just think through these):

Prompt 1: Write down a goal you're currently working toward. Describe how you want to feel when you achieve it, then write how you actually feel right now while pursuing it.

Prompt 2: Get brutally honest—what are you afraid would happen if you achieved this goal easily, without all the struggle? What if it didn't require sacrificing everything else you care about?

Prompt 3: Complete this sentence: "I make my goals overwhelming because if I don't struggle enough, then..." (Whatever comes up first is usually the most honest answer.)

Most of us unconsciously use overwhelm to prove we deserve our dreams. But what if Oprah was right when she said you'd never have a dream if you didn't already have everything needed to pursue it?

Resources Mentioned:

Ways to work with Samantha:

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 1 spot open. Learn More here: www.samanthapenkoff.com/working-together

Get on the Waitlist: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/assessments/2148353310

Connect with Sam on IG: https://www.instagram.com/samantha.s.says

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About the Podcast

Journal Entries
Journal Entries is the podcast for ambitious women in business and leadership who want to stop bringing their work stress home.

Host Samantha Hawley, MBA and Clarity Coach, specializes in the ripple effect — how your internal state at work directly impacts your patience, presence, and peace at home with your family.

If you're making $100k+ but find yourself snapping at your kids after a tough workday, overthinking during bedtime, or feeling like you can't turn off "boss mode" — this podcast will help you master the transition from boardroom to living room. Because success shouldn't cost you your sanity or your family connection.
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Samantha Hawley