Emotional Mastery Coach Lenora Edwards helps high-performers break free from emotional eating and overwhelm using her innovative BEFREE Method. With a blend of clinical expertise and mind-body techniques, this TEDx speaker and former Speech-Language Pathologist guides leaders and visionaries to rewrite their inner narrative and find genuine freedom in food, focus, and performance. Her approach? As strategic as it is soulful—because true transformation happens when you heal at the root.

In this powerful episode of Conversations That Grow, host Sadaf Beynon sits down with Lenora Edwards, a TEDx speaker, emotional mastery coach, and creator of the Be Free Method. Lenora reveals how a simple bedtime quote from her father became the foundation for transforming her relationship with her inner dialogue. The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Lenora shares her decades-long struggle with an eating disorder and the crippling shame that kept her silent for over twenty years. She explains how our inner critic isn't actually "ours" - it's a collection of voices and experiences from our past that we've unconsciously adopted. Through her journey of working with practitioners and developing her SHIFT Protocol, Lenora demonstrates that we can become the "guard at the doorway of our mind," choosing which thoughts deserve our attention. Lenora emphasises that mastering our inner dialogue isn't about toxic positivity, but rather developing the ongoing practice of conscious thought management to reclaim control over our emotional responses and business outcomes.

3 Key Actionable Takeaways

1. Recognise That Your Inner Critic Isn't Actually Yours

Your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk aren't innate - they're recordings from past experiences, environments, and other people's voices that you've unconsciously adopted. When you hear thoughts like "I'm not worthy" or "I'm not good enough," ask yourself: "Who taught me this thought?" and "Whose voice is this really?" This awareness alone begins to separate you from the thought, giving you power to choose whether to keep it or let it go. Understanding that these voices aren't fundamentally "you" is the first step to reclaiming control over your mental landscape.

2. Use the SHIFT Protocol to Transform Limiting Thoughts

When negative thoughts arise, use Lenora's five-step SHIFT Protocol: Spot the negative thought, Hear whose voice it really is, Investigate when you first decided to believe it, Frame it in a different light (perhaps through the perspective of a trusted friend or mentor), and Trade it for a better-feeling thought. The key is to trade, not transform completely - going from "I'm not worthy of this promotion" to "I'm learning to recognise my worth" is more believable to your nervous system than jumping straight to "I'm totally worthy." This gradual shift allows your body and mind to accept the new thought pattern.

3. Develop Certainty Over Confidence in Business Settings

Instead of trying to project confidence (which can feel external and forced), focus on cultivating inner certainty. Certainty is that grounded feeling in your nervous system that says "I've got this" - not because you know everything, but because you're certain you'll find a way or ask for help when needed. Practice sitting with requests or challenges and notice the difference between the anxious "yes" (voice going up, posture tensing) and the grounded "yes" (relaxed, neutral, certain). This inner certainty translates to better boundary-setting, clearer communication, and more authentic leadership presence.