S7e4: Kristen Esquivias – From Perfectionism to Freedom and Possibility

Certified executive coach and leadership consultant Kristen Esquivias sits down with Sharon for this intimate conversation about deep personal change, difficult times, and inner growth.

Personal work offered through the Hoffman Institute invites students to step into real change in their lives.  Wholeheartedly accepting this invitation, Kristen dove into the transformation awaiting her. She has done both the Hoffman Essentials course (2020) and the Hoffman Process (2021).

Patterns of perfectionism can be very painful. Kristen describes the heaviness, suffering, and isolation that come from her experience of her perfectionist patterns. They can make life painful and lonely. She shares with us a moment during her Process when she realized that all of her patterns were completely absent. In those moments, she experienced freedom and a profound sense of possibility. Now embodied, Kristen carries this experience forward in her work with clients.

Kristen shares how her work in both Hoffman Essentials and the Hoffman Process has helped her navigate the big changes she’s been through over the past three years. These changes have included her parents moving away, her divorce, the pandemic, her kids doing school at home through Covid, and setting out on a new career path as an entrepreneur. She also shares a somatic ritual she uses to bring herself back to the present moment, to give herself comfort and touch, and to give her a sense of belonging and rootedness.

We hope you enjoy this insightful episode with Kristen and Sharon.

Discover more about Kristen Esquivias:

Kristen Esquivias is a certified executive coach and leadership consultant. She has nearly 15 years of experience in Strategy and Analytics roles in Corporate Retail in the SF Bay Area. She now works with individuals, teams, and organizations on personal growth, leadership development, and team dynamics. Kristen draws upon a variety of modalities to support her clients in leading and living a more fully expressed version of their authentic selves. She guides them as they upgrade their inner operating system in support of their growth and expansion. Kristen has an uncanny ability to create a compassionate, safe space for her clients. She brings levity to the depths and fullness of the human experience. She holds deep reverence for the sacred inner work her clients courageously navigate on their journey toward achieving their goals, vision, and greater impact in their world.

A mom of two, Kristin is also a certified yoga teacher, a self-proclaimed personal growth junkie, a beach lover, and a sunset chaser. She values connection, authenticity, and growth. Kristen holds a Master’s and an Undergraduate degree in Statistics. She also has a minor in Psychology. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the ICF. She’s received certifications from the Coactive Training Institute and the Institute for Coaching Mastery. Kristen is also trained in the Enneagram and Leadership Circle 360 assessment.

Find out more about Kristen and her work, here. Follow Kristen on Instagram.

As mentioned in this episode:

2-Day Hoffman Essentials (H. E.)
In this live virtual 2-day Hoffman Essentials program, Hoffman teachers will guide you through experiential activities, individual assignments, and engaging discussions to bring more understanding, love, and aliveness to your life. Become aware of and dismantle the barriers that stand in the way of living your best life. (Please note: This program is for people who have not participated in the Hoffman Process.) The experiences and learning from this program are designed to provide useful tools and practices that you can carry with you for a lifetime. Find out more here.

Inner Child Work
The Hoffman Quadrinity Process® helps participants identify negative behaviors, moods, and ways of thinking that developed unconsciously and were conditioned in childhood.

Working with a Hoffman Coach
Hoffman Life Coaches are certified, experienced Hoffman Process teachers. You can work with a Hoffman coach you already know or someone new.

Hoffman terminology:

Positive Legacy:
The positive gifts we receive from our parents. Read a post on our blog that speaks to the power of positive legacy.

Awareness Hell:
In awareness hell, we know we are aware of our patterns. We’re aware of the things we do that we wish we didn’t do. Yet, we are still unable to change. We understand but feel stuck in this place of hell even though our awareness keeps expanding.  To get out of awareness hell, our work to grow and transform must include three additional steps for change to take place. These three steps are Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation.