Welcome back to Rebuilding Trust With Your Body. It’s Katy here and as you can tell from the title, this episode is about building confidence and self-trust with yourself. My guest today is Aly Breathe, a mindset coach for women, and the creator of the program, From Self-Doubt to Self-Trust.

After immigrating solo to Canada at age 22, with nothing but courage, Aly rebuilt her life and her business from the ground up. Her story is absolutely incredible. Today, she helps successful women rise above the overwhelm, stop second-guessing themselves, and lead with clarity, confidence, and trust in their own power.

Through her coaching, her podcast, Brave Enough to Win, and her signature frameworks, Aly’s mission is simple, to show women that mindset is not just part of success, it’s the foundation of it. She has some great strategies and frameworks that she shares that you can start applying in your own life right away.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it. Here is my interview with Aly Breathe.

Katy:
Aly, thank you so much for being here. I can’t wait to dig into this conversation today.

Aly Breathe:
Me too! Thank you so much. I’m really excited. We’ve already done an Instagram Live together, and it was such a pleasure. I can’t wait to dive deeper into this conversation.

Katy:
We had so much fun! I’m glad we have a little more time today to go deeper. Can you tell listeners a bit about your story? I’m amazed that you moved to Canada at 22 all by yourself,  that must have taken so much courage. How did that experience shape the way you see self-trust?

Aly Breathe:
It’s a big story, but everything is connected. I was born and raised in Russia and traveled quite a bit ,  Germany, the U.S. through a work-and-travel program,  and after saving up, I wanted to immigrate somewhere warm, English-speaking, and easier to get into than the U.S. or the U.K. I was planning on Australia, but then COVID happened, so I chose Canada.

I didn’t know anyone here. I trusted my gut,  that inner voice saying, “Keep exploring.” That was my first real act of self-trust. When I landed in Canada, I ran into problems at the airport, had to buy a new flight on the spot, and lost half my budget. A month later, I was laid off. It was terrifying. But instead of giving up, I leaned into self-trust again and used my sales skills to pitch myself to a company. They created a new part-time role just for me.

That moment taught me how life’s hardest situations can lead to the best outcomes when you trust yourself. I’ve moved several times since then and built my life here. Every time something hard happens, it feels like life saying, “Do you really trust yourself?”

Katy:
That’s amazing. Do you feel like this time around, after being laid off again,  you’re handling it differently?

Aly Breathe:
Yes. This time, I have so much more support. My mom is my biggest cheerleader, even though it was hard for her when I left. When I told her about the layoff, she reminded me: You’re not starting from zero. You’ve built connections. You have experience. You’ll figure it out. That really grounded me.

I also have incredible friends here now who remind me of my strength when I doubt myself. That’s why I tell people,  your environment shapes you. Surround yourself with people who reflect your potential, not your fears.

Katy:
So true. It’s hard to believe in yourself when everyone around you is doubting you.

When I got laid off years ago, I didn’t realize it then, but it pushed me to go full-time in my business. It’s scary at the time, but it can end up being the best thing.

Aly Breathe:
Exactly. I used to think I needed everything perfectly planned before taking risks. But life doesn’t always wait for that. Sometimes you have to leap and trust that you’ll figure it out. I’m giving myself space now,  a few months to focus fully on my business. If it doesn’t work out, I can always find another job. That belief alone feels freeing.

Katy:
Yes, it’s such a shift when you realize you can trust yourself to figure it out either way.

Now, for people listening, I want to connect this back to the theme of self-trust,  because for many women, trusting ourselves feels so hard. How do you help your clients tell the difference between healthy caution and self-doubt?

Aly Breathe:
That’s such a great question. I always say every person is like an ocean ,  vast, full of depth, and filled with treasures like confidence, joy, and strength. But we all have invisible “nets” ,  beliefs like “I’m not thin enough,” “I’m not good enough,”  that keep us from accessing our full potential.

When we’re thinking rationally, our choices come from self-love and stability. For example: “I want to read the label because I care about what I put in my body.” That’s healthy.

But when thoughts come from fear or shame, like “I shouldn’t eat that or I’ll get fat”,  that’s self-doubt. The difference is the energy behind it. Self-trust starts from “I love myself.” Self-doubt starts from “I’m not enough.”

Katy:
That makes so much sense,  it’s all about where the thought is coming from.

Aly Breathe:
Exactly. The first step is awareness. Our thoughts create our emotions, which shape our lives. Two people can weigh the same, but one feels content and confident while the other feels shame. The number isn’t the problem,  it’s the meaning we give it.

When clients see that, it’s often their first “aha” moment. They realize they have the power to decide what’s “enough” for themselves,  whether it’s work, food, or body image.

Katy:
I love that. I can imagine some people thinking, “But I can’t just pretend I’m okay with my body when I’m not.” What do you say to that?

Aly Breathe:
I used to feel exactly that way. I thought I had to lose weight before I could love myself. But my coach told me the opposite, love yourself first. Acceptance doesn’t mean pretending you’re happy with everything; it means acknowledging reality without judgment.

When you stop fighting yourself, you make space for peace,  and ironically, that’s when change becomes possible. People love us when we love ourselves first. The energy you radiate matters more than the number on the scale.

Katy:
Yes,  people are drawn to that kind of calm confidence.

Can you share your journaling practice? I know you’ve mentioned it before, and people love practical tools.

Aly Breathe:
Absolutely. Every morning, I do a brain dump,  15 minutes of writing whatever’s in my head. I use two pens: black for the fears and negative thoughts, and blue for love and wisdom.

The blue pen represents my “wise self.” I’ll write, “What would love say right now?” or “What would my best friend tell me?” That helps me reframe everything and strengthen that loving voice inside.

At night, I journal three things: a win, something I’m grateful for, and a lesson from the day. It’s simple but powerful,  it trains your brain to see progress and feel grounded.

Katy:
That’s beautiful. I love how it combines self-awareness with compassion.

Aly Breathe:
Yes,  and over time, you start to become the version of yourself you’ve been trying to reach. The confident, kind, and self-loving version. It’s not about forcing change,  it’s about becoming the person who naturally lives that way.

Katy:
So good. Okay, for fun, I always end with a few quick questions. What’s your favorite snack lately?

Aly Breathe:
Honestly, granola bars,  the blue-pack ones from Costco! Not “healthy,” but delicious.

Katy:
Perfect. No food judgment here. Are you more of a dog or cat person?

Aly Breathe:
Dog person,  though I don’t have one right now!

Katy:
Mountains or beach?

Aly Breathe:
Ocean. I could stay there for hours.

Katy:
Any books or shows you’ve been into?

Aly Breathe:
Yes,  The Diary of a CEO podcast on YouTube. It’s incredible.

Katy:
And finally, favorite form of self-care?

Aly Breathe:
Journaling. Always. If you sent me to an island, I’d bring a notebook and two pens.

Katy:
That totally tracks! Aly, thank you for this beautiful conversation. Where can listeners find you?

Aly Breathe:
The best place is LinkedIn or @aly.breathe.coaching you can also check out my podcast Brave Enough to Win, where I share real coaching sessions. And I have a course coming soon called From Self-Doubt to Self-Trust that goes even deeper into everything we talked about.

Katy:
Perfect. We’ll link to everything in the show notes. Thank you again, Aly,  this was such a powerful conversation.

Aly Breathe:
Thank you! And to everyone listening, just take one small action today that brings you closer to who you really are.

Katy:
Yes,  I love that. Listening is great, but taking action is what changes everything.

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