Permission to Pause: Reclaim Your Identity Outside of Work with Jen Davis

For years, Jen Davis did what high performers are taught to do. Say yes. Move faster. Carry more responsibility. Lead at a high level and keep pushing. From the outside, her career looked like the definition of success.

Inside, something felt off.

In this conversation, Jen sits down with Jay Papasan to talk about the moment she realized her calendar no longer reflected her priorities, her identity had become tied to her work, and margin had disappeared from her life. Stepping away from running one of the largest coaching organizations in the industry wasn’t about quitting. It was about creating space to think, to feel, and to reconnect with who she wanted to be as a mom, leader, and human being.

Jen shares what surprised her most during the pause, why busyness can be a form of self-soothing, and how decision fatigue quietly erodes both joy and clarity. Together, she and Jay unpack the difference between reacting and responding, the power of reflection, and why 15 minutes of intentional thinking can become the first domino toward a healthier, more grounded life.

Challenge of the Week:

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Put your phone face down in another part of the room. No scrolling. No reading. No to-do lists. Just sit with your thoughts and decide what truly matters today.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:
[00:00] Introduction to Jen Davis
[03:38] When Did the Calendar Stop Reflecting Real Priorities
[05:22] What Happens When Your Body Forces the Pause You’ve Avoided
[12:24] Who Are You When the Job Title Disappears
[20:36] Is Busyness a Form of Self-Soothing
[24:16] What Does Margin Actually Look Like in Daily Life
[30:29 Can 15 Minutes of Thinking Time Change Everything
[36:46] How Do You Build a Life You Don’t Need a Vacation From
[38:27] Give Yourself 15 Minutes to Pause


Links & Tools from This Episode:
Visit Jen Davis’s Website: https://www.holthomesgroup.com/team/j...
The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham: https://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Less-...
Follow our friend Jordan Freed:   / coachjordanfreed  
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Defoe: https://drrobyne.ca/

Free Resources: https://the1thing.com/free-resources-v2

Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at https://www.speakpipe.com/the1thing.

Produced by NOVA: https://novapodcasting.com/