In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment, Ilene Schaffer sits down with SVChange coach Alex Jack to explore practical, evidence-informed tools for calming your nervous system in real time.

This conversation is part of our new mini-series, Inside the Coach Toolbox, where Ilene interviews SVChange coaches about the practices they personally rely on when life feels overwhelming.

Drawing from positive psychology and lived experience, Alex shares five simple tools he uses regularly to reset stress quickly:

• Intentional breathing
• Music as emotional regulation
• Grounding through sensory awareness
• Movement and dance
• Connecting with someone you trust

From watching Planet Earth to standing barefoot on grass, Alex explains how small, accessible practices can shift your state in seconds and why these tools are backed by research, not just preference.

If you’re leading a team, navigating uncertainty, or simply feeling stretched thin, this short episode offers practical ways to return to calm and clarity, starting now.

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Inside the Coach Toolbox is a special In the Moment mini-series from What’s Possible, where Ilene Schaffer sits down with SVChange coaches to explore the real-life practices they use to regulate stress, manage pressure, and stay grounded in high-stakes moments.

These brief, practical episodes offer science-backed tools you can use immediately — whether you're leading others or simply trying to show up as your best self.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

What do you do when your nervous system spikes right before something important? In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment, Ilene Schaffer is joined by SVChange coach Stephen Burke to share the 10-minute grounding practice he uses before high-stakes moments.

This conversation launches a new mini-series, Inside the Coach Toolbox, where Ilene sits down with SVChange coaches to explore the real practices they rely on when life feels stressful.

Stephen walks us through a simple reset rooted in somatic awareness, noticing thoughts and emotions, and practicing self-compassion. It’s a practice that helps him steady himself, reconnect to his body, and return to clarity and curiosity, especially when the pressure is on.

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Inside the Coach Toolbox is a special In the Moment mini-series from What’s Possible, where Ilene Schaffer explores the calming practices SVChange coaches rely on in their own lives.

These short episodes offer practical, human tools you can use immediately, whether you’re leading a team, navigating uncertainty, or simply wanting to show up with more steadiness and intention.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Meetings are one of the biggest drains on time, energy, and focus at work, but they don’t have to be. In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with organizational scholar Rebecca Hinds, author of “Your Best Meeting Ever,” to radically rethink how meetings are designed, facilitated, and experienced.

Together, they explore why most meetings fail, how to purge unnecessary ones, and how to intentionally redesign the meetings that remain, whether they’re hybrid, one-on-one, walking meetings, or leadership team sessions. Rebecca shares research-backed insights from her work at Asana and Glean, practical tools like calendar resets and decision-focused agendas, and why subtraction is the key to better work.

If you’ve ever ended a day wondering how you were busy all day but accomplished very little, this conversation will change how you think about meetings and how you use your time.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.