This episode is for every leader, entrepreneur, and creative who’s ever felt “too sensitive” for the world—because your sensitivity might just be the superpower that sets you apart.
▶ Full Transcript
Hey everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Action Speaks Louder podcast Today is the release day of the second volume of the actions speaks louder, and my guest is Lisa Jeffs. Hey, welcome. Thanks for having me. I’m excited. Happy Release. Say, yeah. Lisa, you’re life coach and an executive coach, one of the top ones in Toronto at the moment.
So it’s really exciting having you in the book and it’s the second time that you’re contributing to the book you shared your story of how you actually started or how you became a coach in the first book.
What us Now in the second book you talk about your high sensitivity. What inspired you to choose this specific topic? I thought back to. What’s an element of my journey that I can share with leaders because I work with leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, it’s all individuals who have to be in the spotlight somehow.
And I know a lot of the challenges I had in my journey, especially from childhood. Were to prepare me for this work that I’m doing now, which I see as being my purpose, my life’s purpose, and the high sensitivity was such a huge part of my journey because a lot of people that see me now. When they, they’re describing me they describe me as being extroverted, really confident, really like da.
And it’s one, I’m extremely introverted. Second of all, I didn’t always have this ability to just get on a camera and get in front of a microphone and speak. There was a time which I share in the book where my mother would drop me off at our kid co-op. I would literally walk. She would drop me off.
I would walk inside and I would walk directly to the corner, and I would hide in the corner like this. And I would just stand there. I would just stand there because there was so much going on. I couldn’t process it. And. The people labeled me as shy. Like teachers or kids like, oh, Lisa, she’s so shy.
She’s so shy. But that never fit who I was. I was like I’m really not feeling like I’m a shy person. I feel like this is just so much and I wanna go in my cocoon. And I know a lot of leaders and entrepreneurs and people who wanna step in the spotlight, who are also highly sensitive, often have this label on them that they’re shy or introverted, but introverted in a really weird, twisted way.
That’s not actually what. Introversion is it’s labeled as a bad thing or they feel like anxious anxiety, but sometimes that anxiety is not actually anxiety. It’s that they’re overstimulated, right? They’re so sensitive to sounds and smells and all these things that they want to hide out when really their gift.
When we harness. High sensitivity, which is what I wanted to share in my story. It’s an ability for people to use their God-given you skills, their gift of high sensitivity, to tap into another person, connect with them so deeply, and be able to know immediately what that person needs, know immediately what that person wants.
And if we’re seeing it as a hindrance, then we just stay in our cocoon and we just hide out when we can see it as a superpower, we’re like, oh, how can I use this in my work? And how can I learn the boundaries it takes to maintain my boundaries? So I’m not getting overstimulated. It’s not becoming a hindrance.
It’s actually becoming a I would never give up my high sensitivity. I love it. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. It’s something you really need to learn to handle. Yeah. It’s like something like, I, I will not say that I be high sensitive, but I know when I’m ex, especially when I’m in the creative phase as a writer, I don’t need any people around me and I’m get easily triggered by sound.
So it’s like. Why has the sound I need just wanna focus? And there’s even just the dog barking is it can trigger something in, in myself oh my God. And then of course, the version of oh, you’re introverted. You’re not like social. It’s I didn’t see the reason to be social because I’m in my world.
I’m right there. And then after that I just wanna kinda bring myself down so I don’t need to be out because I’ll, as you said, it’s overstimulated and it’s always. Overlooked and put in the negative frame as well. Yeah. So that’s what I really liked. I saw myself a little bit in, in your chapter as well especially with hiding, you wanna have your safe corner somehow.
And I think when you are young, a lot of people do have this. But they, whether they’re just. Like society says, oh, tough up. Like extremely Oh yeah. Used to it. But then real, they’re just hiding their true selves in a way. So for me, it’s now when people say, oh, you’re not social, it’s yeah, I can live with that’s fine.
For me, that’s exactly. I actually don’t care. So this is the best version of myself. And yes, if it means that I’m not going out into the pubs or wherever to concerts every, every week. That’s fine. I can go a whole month without talking to someone sometimes, and then other times I’m looking forward to meet my friends, to go out for dinners and all this stuff.
It’s like a good analysis. I really like this about chapter because it was I think a unique topic, that many people have insight, but do not really look into it or don’t listen and, yes. So it was really good. But doing the writing, did you come up like with some surprises or challenges while you were writing the book?
Surprises or challenges? Not, I wouldn’t really call them surprises or challenges. I feel like once my, I think my biggest thing is. Getting into the flow. So once I’m in the flow and I’m writing, it just flows into each other. So it’s if there’s not really a point where, do a little bit and then I’m like, I don’t know what else to do.
It just flows. I think it’s more starting the writing. Like where do I start this? What anchors in the story? Where do I want to start the story for people? Yeah. You give, I have your outline though that you give. So I just follow that outline. If I didn’t have that outline, maybe I would be like I don’t know how to do this, but I follow your outline.
Which is Right. It’s like the hero’s journey. Yeah. But it puts it in such a easy way to follow from start to end to make sure you have all the components. And that’s what made it, yeah. ’cause you don’t need to make things difficult. I always grew up with this mantra, keep it simple, keep it clear.
’cause it’s and every time, like when people, like when I talk to them about the book and how it’s such an easy process because a lot of people, the biggest fear is people saying, oh, I’m not a writer. I’m not like, I’m, I think they start overthinking. Yeah. So just from your perspective, because you have written two chapters, would there be something you would say to people.
That came up with, oh, I’d to be part of the book, but I am not a writer. That you would have any advices or something maybe helped you. Let me see what was the biggest part that has helped me? Because I, I noticed for myself, like I. I haven’t really had so much of that being a challenge for me.
But I know even with my clients a lot of them will get in their head about writing or sharing something or I’m not a writer. One of the things when I was in Ha Hay hay House, a writer’s community, it’s like a community for people that were writing. One thing that always stuck out to me was.
I forget her name, but she was is one of the main editors and she said to someone who was having a challenge, similar to that, you are an author, you are a writer, you’re not supposed to be an editor, you are supposed to have the story. It’s the editor that will bring it together and really, comprise it into, because I think a lot of people that say I’m not a writer.
Instead of thinking, I have a story to share. I don’t need to write it like a New York best, seller. I can just share, I can just share my story and it’s going to, as long as I have a framework, I can put it together. But they really put themselves into this end game. And it’s even the authors that do that they’re, they have editors.
The editors are making it like a, or they have ghost writers. Yeah. You really as being an au When I think of being an author now, it’s do I have a story to share? That’s it. And that’s what I think most people need to take away with it, is you have a story to share. If you’re a leader or an entrepreneur or someone that says, you know what?
I had these challenges to share with other people, then that’s enough. You can make it into a store that people are gonna gain a lot of value from. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So I think what you said with the end game is so right, people already see the end product and this is what they wanna write straight away, but it’s not a long journey, especially with this project it’s not a long journey to write your chapter and, but people already, and then sometimes I get chapters and you can tell.
This is she pt. This is, doesn’t sound like you. And then mostly I get on the phone with them and talk to them as well. Just write, don’t care about punctuation, about whatever. Even with the wording, you repeating your wording doesn’t matter at the beginning. It’s just like start, but have an authentic voice.
I think that’s the most important thing as well. Yes. Be authentic and voice. Note it. When you said that, that reminded me of voice noting, which is such a powerful strategy for people that kind of get stuck when they’re like at the computer writing. Yeah. Speak it in, speak your story into a voice note.
Have it transcribed. I know. Use technology nowadays, like that’s the thing. I think I had one. I think I had one author in this book he said, ah I can’t write. Said just speak it like the way, because she said, I’m a good speaker. I said, just record your speaking and transcribe it. And, but then yeah, the struggle with the overthinking and the self-doubt started once she saw the writing.
It doesn’t. Read like the way I would say it, it’s doesn’t matter. Just because it’s your perspective and I think another advice would just ask a friend or someone maybe they can read, so because a lot of people have self-doubt. Yeah. When writing, but also when other things starting your business and everything.
It’s like the, I don’t know where it is coming from that we always, that self doubt is always stopping us. I don’t know where, you work with a lot of people so I can imagine it’s something you always have to break in people this pattern. I can imagine. And I think it’s only gotten worse with social media especially ’cause people are comparing themselves to highlight reels that aren’t even real now with ai.
It, we don’t even know what’s real, what’s not. The self-doubt can start to really come over or this feeling of I’m not enough. I don’t have a I don’t have a story to tell. It’s not as good as these people. I can’t tell it in a way that’s as good and all of this nonsense comes over as opposed to, I often tell my daughter that.
Right before she was born, actually, right when she was born, we had film cameras, so there was no going back. There’s no filters, there’s no you get the picture, you get whatever you get when you order it and it comes in and it’s that is real humanity. Not this, edited, filtered, Chay btd version Polish world.
Yeah. Yeah. It’s, this is why I think a lot of people go back to the analog stuff nowadays. A lot of, I, I just see the younger gener generation, or even it was me like 15 years ago when I was traveling in Australia. I bought this like secondhand camera with film in it, and, and even now when I look like even through my Instagram, like I uploaded, because some years ago I had this shoebox full of films undeveloped, and I started developing them all.
It’s like even when I look through this picture, these are still the best pictures I took, actually, my phone or something because it’s authentic. It’s real. It’s real. It’s real. Anyway I really like your chapter, your theme of the chapter with the high sensibility. And, but I was wondering how does your current work connect to the story that you shared in your book?
It, I work with a lot of leaders that have, I would even call it I call it in the book, high sensitivity, I would even call it, what’s the word I’m looking for? Not even when I say high sensitivity, a lot of people think it means like I’m sensitive, right? Like I am emotional that I cry or, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s really about sensory, so it’s like high sensory.
When I work with a lot of leaders, they are intuitive and they are in touch with energy and they can they’re in that realm. And again, I go back to why I wanted to share because a lot of people hide that or they’re embarrassed or they don’t wanna talk about it because the still in the society that we live in, that’s looked at as.
Somehow less than the hustle or if I wanna get ahead in leadership, it’s about hustling and pushing and manipulating, and it’s no. Sure. That’s one way to do it and it’s a sure way to, have a dumpster fire at some point, or Right. It’s tapping into where we’re going in leadership, which is much more heart-centered, empathic connection, human base, especially now with the AI coming out.
And highly sensory leaders are gonna be so needed and. Valued because they, they are the ones that can so easily connect with other people. Absolutely. Connect with the society, say, what does society actually need? So that’s why it’s connects to that, because I think that’s where we’re going.
Yeah. As a, society. Absolutely. As you said with the ai everyone is so afraid of the ai. AI will replace so many jobs. But I don’t think, especially when it comes to coaching, you do have coaches that just have their one-on-one formula. You can get that even chat PT can give you, but what this whole AI thing can never tap into is the emotions and the true experience of living and the feelings and as you said, what the, what we need is coaches that do tap into the high sensitivity. Because you, as you write in your chapter as well, you can feel, you can see you reading between the lines.
Pretty much with the ability to feel different than just a regular person, let’s say that. So it makes you as a coach, also very unique and I think that’s one reason why a lot of people feel aligned when or when you’re working with you. I can imagine. Yeah, because it’s a lot of times people.
Come for a one reason, but someone with high sensitivity, or at least I can see the whole scope and be like, okay, this is what you’re saying, but this is what I’m getting. Does this resonate? They’re like, oh my God. Okay. Yes, and it saves us so much time. Then if I was just looking at the surface and just listening to what they were saying, we’d just be going around in circles.
Yeah, it’s absolutely, because a lot of people don’t get you. It’s even with my partner, I just feel like she is discovering that she is in many points, high sensitive and she has a coach and feels like she doesn’t understand me. She just doesn’t, and she feels lost in a way. So it’s good that people are.
Out there and you’re highlighting in your chapter the high sensibility and what does it mean? What stigma do we actually have about this subject as well? And so if you’re interested in reading more about high sensitivity, about Lisa Jeffs, then I highly recommend getting the new addition of the action speaks louder.
And so last but not least what’s next for you? When I’m looking into 2026, we’re looking at more leadership. So really focusing in on where is leadership going specifically with female leadership? What do, I don’t know if you felt it, but there’s a huge shift in right, female leadership, female energy in general.
Massive. And how in my work can I support that best in where we’re going in the, like what’s in the zeitgeist and part of it’s gonna be the high sensitivity. And then the next part is going to be really just helping women tap into their innate. Power that’s been really just hidden and pushed down, right?
Oh, woman’s intuition. Okay. It’s no woman’s intuition is extremely powerful and the more that women can realize that leaders. That are typically, more a type. So they, and I’m a more a type leader, but tapping into the female intuition, prioritizing, rest, no. Seeing that rest isn’t a bad thing and setting this vision for themselves that’s truly aligned with where they wanna go, not with what’s been told they should go.
That’s what the gist of where we’re going. That sounds amazing and I see it with the book as well. The majority of people involved are female coaches and not even coaches, like people starting their own business, getting tired of the status quo that’s been told for decades.
Starting carving their own path basically. Yeah. Yeah. So I think it’s really powerful thinking this way and looking into the future with. More like the female iation, because it’s always been, it’s been a man’s world all the time. I’m a dude. So for me it was never really and I grew up in the underground scene like the hardcore punk where it’s never, nobody cared if you’re a woman or man.
It’s just equally. But now looking out in the society, especially in the workplace, it’s oh shit. A shift is needed because we are just. It’s running in circles, basically. Yeah. Look at politics nowadays. It’s just running and circle. It’s going again and again. Nothing changes.
It’s just going again and it’s just getting worse, it’s good that like you are putting it out there and you going extremely high, like going straightforward to empower other female entrepreneurs, people getting out of the comfort zone. And I hope they all come and share their story as well.
Yeah. It’s Neva. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Cool. Thank you so much for taking the time talking to me with the podcast about your chapter, and Of course. Yeah. I love it. I love being here. I’m excited for the book. Everybody get your copy. It’s really say. Okay. Awesome. Cool. Thank you.
