I'd made it. By my mid-twenties I'd become a Director-level executive at a nonprofit and was elected Chairperson of a county Commission by 14 women - half of whom were twice my age.
I'd made it... But I still felt lonely, small, and nearly invisible in my family relationship and even with friend... not to mention I could never quite tell my boyfriend (who later became my husband) exactly what I wanted in a way that was clear but not unnecessarily firm. And then an unexpected twist...
Who is Lena Athena?
In short? A woman who traded her Director-level role and a prestigious political career full of awards and praise to help changemakers own their power to show up as the wise leaders they are in their most important relationships...
How It Started
Times I moved away to just escape the life I created? Twice.
Disrespectful relationships I put up with? More than a few...
Moments I avoided saying what's on my mind because I was too scared to upset someone? Um... 7 Million?
Growing up I was unaware I was a chronic people-pleaser.
And when I became aware, I thought the answer was to swing in the other direction: Big career swings, fancy titles, control.
But no matter how respected I was for my leadership... I was still shrinking and minimizing myself in my most important relationships... and I felt invisible... and it felt lonely as fck.
My philosophy and approach to life took big swings from leaning into deep empathy and community mindedness, to learning into self-care and individual fulfillment... and I can tell you from years of experimenting that one without the other is utterly worthless.
We each have accountability to fulfilling our purpose and enriching the world with our unique perspective. Which means our power to make the world a better place isn't found in completely independence or in codependence, but in healthy interdependence with the world at large.
When you soothe feelings, you become a bandaid. When you ignore feelings, you become disconnected from your own humanness. When you mirror opportunities for meaningful growth, you become even more of a leader and truly serve the people in your presence. Which is why I gave up all the fancy titles and perfectly laid out future I had, to help sensitive high-achievers with big dreams to step into their power and fully own your capacity to lead every relationship in your life - whether it's with you man, your mom, your team members... or yourself.
and No amount of prestige made me feel safe or seen "enough" if we still play small in our most important relationships
Turns out connection totally outweighs success metrics...
My Take on Personal Power & Leadership:
When women reclaim their innate power to lead themselves and everyone, personally and professionally, their lives change.
From: Anxious and shame-spiraling...
To: Calm as a cucumber and "empathetic but unbothered" during mom's Grade A class guilt-trips!
From: Debilitating stage-fright that swallowed her whole week...
To: Taking weekly improv classes and loving it!
From: Being guilted into paying (non-working) parents' rent...
To: Letting them to learn to be self-accountable.
From: Feeling sucked into "obligatory" 3-hours (or even longer) calls comforting and listening to her mom every single day...
To: 15-minute catch ups on days she genuinely wants to connect.
From: Burned out and always too busy to rest...
To: Guilt-free 3-hour bubble baths every week!
My clients prove time and time again: You can change any difficult dynamic... Without any cooperation or approval.
"Lena's coaching is truly remarkable.
Lena has been instrumental in helping me carve out meaningful time for self-care and personal growth. With her unwavering support, I've embraced a more holistic way of living, building confidence and evolving into a more fulfilled individual."
- Bianca -
"I was able to have revelations that I didn't even have in the past TEN YEARS that I've been doing personal development and working on my mindset. I'm so excited for the future now because of the tools that Lena gave me. I highly recommend working with Lena!"
- Alysha -
"I'm all about making sure the people in my life feel understood and seen and loved, and I thought setting unapologetic boundaries would be hurting them BUT it's actually empowering them - and I wouldn't have been able to see that without Lena and her coaching."
- Destiny -
See How Lena Helps Her Clients:
Lena is constantly speaking on podcasts, at events, and on IG Lives, on a variety of topics, including: sovereignty, boundaries that build intimacy, feminine leadership, empowered decision-making, and more.
If you'd like to host Lena to speak to your community, visit Lena's speaker page to learn more about her expertise and to request to have her for your audience.
Learn More