The Philosophy
The Power of Conscious Presence
Notice when your default brain turns a comment, email, or meeting into a story about your worth, safety, or future—so that story does not automatically run your day.
Meet Liz Jolley
I was successful—and still struggling
I’m Liz Jolley—an electrical engineer turned leadership coach, a people leader for more than 15 years, and a former Director of Innovation & Culture. My work focused on creating cultures that drive innovation, teamwork, and performance. I’m also the founder of The School of Courage™ and a working mother of three.
For a long time, my life looked strong on the outside. I was leading in high-stakes environments, showing up for work, carrying a lot at home, and doing what capable women do so well: performing, producing, and pushing through. But internally, I was paying for that competence with overwhelm, reactivity, and disconnection from myself.
I was powerful in one room and quietly unraveling in another.
I know what it feels like to be trusted by other people and disconnected from yourself. I know what it feels like to hold pressure, responsibility, motherhood, leadership, and emotional labor all at once while still believing you should be able to handle it better. That tension is not abstract to me. It is part of the life this work was built from.
The turning point was not becoming more disciplined, more impressive, or better at managing my life. It was learning how to see what was happening inside me more clearly, make the unconscious conscious, and create more space between what happened and how I responded. That changed the way I lived, led, loved, and carried my life.
What I Couldn’t See
The situation was real. So was what my brain made it mean.
A difficult boss, ridiculous politics, and an overwhelming workload can be genuinely awful. Learning to examine my own thinking did not make other people’s behavior acceptable. It helped me stop giving every difficult moment the rest of my day too.
I began to see what my default brain did under pressure. One comment became “They do not respect me.” One mistake became “I am failing.” One hard week became “I have to get out of here right now.” The moment would end, but my brain kept it going.
I could not always change the person, the pressure, or the decision in front of me. But I could learn to notice the fear, urgency, and old stories before they automatically decided what I said, avoided, overworked, or carried home.
That became the foundation of my work: create enough space to see what is true, solve the actual problem, and choose what you want to do next.
Creating space between what happens and how you respond is where your power lives.
The Body of Work
What changed my life became a practical way to handle work differently.
I did not want to create more advice for women who were already trying hard enough. I wanted to teach them how to see what their default brain was doing, create space before reacting, and choose what they actually wanted to do next.
Notice what is happening. Create space. Choose what comes next.
This does not make a toxic boss, ridiculous politics, or an impossible workload acceptable. It helps you stop letting your first reaction make every decision—and gives you more clarity about the problem you are actually trying to solve.
The Philosophy
The Power of Conscious Presence
The philosophy beneath the work: notice when your default brain is running the day so you can choose how you want to show up instead.
The Methodology
The Power of Creating Space
The practical method: catch the hook, examine the thought, and create enough room to respond instead of automatically reacting.
The Identity Outcome
Grounded Self
The outcome: become a woman who can handle a hard boss, difficult conversation, or major decision without losing herself in it.
Together, these ideas help women move from “Work sucks” to “I know how I want to handle this—and what I want to do next.”
The Body of Work
What changed my life became a practical way to handle work differently.
I did not want to create more advice for women who were already trying hard enough. I wanted to teach them how to see what their default brain was doing, create space before reacting, and choose what they actually wanted to do next.
Notice what is happening. Create space. Choose what comes next.
This does not make a toxic boss, ridiculous politics, or an impossible workload acceptable. It helps you stop letting your first reaction make every decision—and gives you more clarity about the problem you are actually trying to solve.
The Philosophy
The Power of Conscious Presence
The philosophy beneath the work: notice when your default brain is running the day so you can choose how you want to show up instead.
The Methodology
The Power of Creating Space
The practical method: catch the hook, examine the thought, and create enough room to respond instead of automatically reacting.
The Identity Outcome
Grounded Self
The outcome: become a woman who can handle a hard boss, difficult conversation, or major decision without losing herself in it.
Together, these ideas help women move from “Work sucks” to “I know how I want to handle this—and what I want to do next.”
The philosophy behind the work
Three ideas that help you stop living at the mercy of work.
Together, they explain why one email can ruin your day, how to create space before reacting, and who you become when work no longer controls how you feel.
The Methodology
The Power of Creating Space
Catch the hook, examine the thought, and make room for a response that helps you solve the problem, have the conversation, or decide what comes next.
The Identity Outcome
Grounded Self
Become the woman who can handle a hard boss, a difficult conversation, or a major career decision without losing herself in it—and leave work at work.
How it all connects
Start with the work problem that is making you miserable.
Maybe your boss is toxic. The politics are ridiculous. You are doing too much, replaying conversations at night, and wondering whether you should stay or leave. Wherever you begin, this work helps you handle what is happening now and get clearer about what you want next.
You do not have to solve your whole career today. Start with what is happening now.
Start here · Free weekly webinar
Stop Hating Your Job
If work is ruining your days, start here. Learn how to deal with a toxic boss, difficult people, office politics, and an overwhelming workload without letting work take over your whole life.
Stop Hating Your JobPersonal support
1:1 Coaching with Liz Jolley
Work directly with me on your boss, your reactions, the conversation you need to have, or the decision you cannot stop thinking about.
Listen and learn
The Great Leader, Great Mom Podcast
Honest conversations and practical ideas for women carrying pressure at work and at home who are tired of feeling overwhelmed, guilty, or behind.
Continued practice
The School of Courage
Ongoing tools, coaching, and community for women who want continued support practicing this work in their real lives.
The work is connected by The Power of Conscious Presence, The Power of Creating Space, and Grounded Self—a practical path from “Work sucks” to “I know how I want to handle this and what I want to do next.”
How it all connects
Start with the work problem that is making you miserable.
Maybe your boss is toxic. The politics are ridiculous. You are doing too much, replaying conversations at night, and wondering whether you should stay or leave. Wherever you begin, this work helps you handle what is happening now and get clearer about what you want next.
You do not have to solve your whole career today. Start with what is happening now.
Start here · Free weekly webinar
Stop Hating Your Job
If work is ruining your days, start here. Learn how to deal with a toxic boss, difficult people, office politics, and an overwhelming workload without letting work take over your whole life.
Stop Hating Your JobPersonal support
1:1 Coaching with Liz Jolley
Work directly with me on your boss, your reactions, the conversation you need to have, or the decision you cannot stop thinking about.
Listen and learn
The Great Leader, Great Mom Podcast
Honest conversations and practical ideas for women carrying pressure at work and at home who are tired of feeling overwhelmed, guilty, or behind.
Continued practice
The School of Courage
Ongoing tools, coaching, and community for women who want continued support practicing this work in their real lives.
The work is connected by The Power of Conscious Presence, The Power of Creating Space, and Grounded Self—a practical path from “Work sucks” to “I know how I want to handle this and what I want to do next.”
Where to begin
You do not have to keep feeling this miserable at work.
Start with help for what is happening right now—your boss, the politics, the workload, or the work problem you cannot stop thinking about.
Start here · Free weekly webinar
Stop Hating Your Job
Learn how to stop letting work ruin your whole day, handle difficult people more confidently, and get clearer about what to do next.
Stop Hating Your Job Free weekly webinar with Liz JolleyReady for personal support?
1:1 Coaching with Liz Jolley
Get direct help with your specific work situation, how you are reacting to it, and the decision you need to make.
Explore 1:1 CoachingFAQ
About Liz Jolley and this work
Who is Liz Jolley?
Liz Jolley is an electrical engineer turned leadership coach, a people leader for more than 15 years, and a former Director of Innovation & Culture. She is the founder of The School of Courage and host of The Great Leader, Great Mom Podcast.
Who does Liz Jolley help?
Liz helps high-achieving women dealing with toxic bosses, office politics, overwhelming workloads, difficult coworkers, and frustrating companies stop being miserable at work and feel more confident about what to do next.
What does Liz Jolley teach?
Liz teaches women how to notice when work has triggered an automatic reaction, create space to think clearly, and choose how they want to respond. Her body of work includes The Power of Conscious Presence, The Power of Creating Space, and Grounded Self.
Where should I begin?
Start with Stop Hating Your Job, Liz’s free weekly webinar. If you already know you want personal help with your boss, your job, or a career decision, explore 1:1 Coaching with Liz Jolley.