With Neeti Keswani & Courtney Stanfield | Luxury Unplugged Podcast
Introduction
Welcome back to the Luxury Unplugged Podcast, where we believe luxury is not just material—it’s emotional wellness, inner calm, and feeling whole in your truth. I’m Neeti Keswani, your host and a business storytelling coach, here to guide you through real conversations that make a real difference.
Today’s guest is someone whose mission deeply aligns with our core theme of inner transformation—Courtney Stanfield, a Canadian broadcaster turned mental wellness advocate and the creator of Air Out, an anonymous journaling platform that gives voice to emotions we usually keep locked away.
We’re discussing motherhood burnout, emotional resilience in the workplace, and tools to regulate your mental well-being when everything feels too much.
Let’s dive in.
Q1: Neeti – Courtney, welcome to the Luxury Unplugged Podcast! What inspired you to create Air Out, and how does it connect to your personal journey?
Courtney: Thank you, Neeti. So honored to be here! The idea for Air Out was born out of my own experience with burnout and emotional repression—especially during the early stages of motherhood and navigating a high-performance work environment. I realized how many of us were holding in emotions because we didn’t feel safe expressing them, especially in professional settings. Air Out became my way to offer people a non-judgmental space to anonymously release what they’re feeling. Sometimes, the act of writing something out—even if nobody else sees it—is enough to begin healing.
Q2: Neeti – You talk about giving people “emotional permission.” Can you elaborate on what that means, especially for new moms?
Courtney: Absolutely. New moms are told they should feel grateful, joyful, fulfilled—and while those things can be true, they don’t cancel out exhaustion, identity loss, or resentment. Emotional permission is about validating the full spectrum of emotions, even the messy or shameful ones. Air Out lets women say, “I’m not okay right now,” and still feel seen, not judged. That’s powerful. Because only when we acknowledge the truth can we begin to process it.
Q3: Neeti – That resonates deeply. From your research and experience, how do suppressed emotions affect our productivity or creativity?
Courtney: Oh, immensely. Suppressed emotions live in the body. They manifest as fatigue, procrastination, brain fog, even chronic health issues. Emotionally, we become disconnected from our purpose. Productivity and creativity require flow—and you can’t flow when you’re emotionally blocked. By offering tools like journaling, breathwork, or even anonymous venting, we’re allowing those blocks to soften. You’d be amazed how clarity returns when you feel safe enough to tell the truth—even to yourself.
Q4: Neeti – What specific tools have helped your users or yourself the most when dealing with workplace stress or postpartum burnout?
Courtney: Great question. For workplace stress, something simple like a “brain dump” journal session can help prevent emotional overflow. For new moms, I recommend a 5-minute nighttime ritual: write 3 sentences about your truth that day—no filters. Add one sentence of gratitude, even if it’s “I got through the day.” Also, movement helps—walks, stretching, even dancing with your baby! Air Out complements these tools by allowing emotional processing without needing a therapist or feedback loop. It’s you, being witnessed by yourself.
Q5: Neeti – How do you think anonymous expression differs from talking to a friend or therapist?
Courtney: It removes the fear of judgment. When we talk to a friend, we often censor ourselves. We downplay the rage, guilt, or envy. With a therapist, we might still perform or intellectualize. But when you write anonymously, the ego steps aside. There’s no “how does this make me look?”—just raw truth. And paradoxically, that raw honesty is what sets healing in motion. It’s the first step toward vulnerability, which you can then take into other relationships.
Q6: Neeti – We live in a time of constant digital engagement. How do you suggest people create emotional space while still being connected?
Courtney: Boundaries. Schedule emotional check-ins the way you’d schedule meetings. Literally block out time to do nothing, or just breathe, or write. Also, audit your digital inputs. Are you following people who inspire emotional safety or people who trigger insecurity? Emotional health is not about avoiding tech—it’s about using it to support, not sabotage, your nervous system. That’s also why I built Air Out without likes, followers, or feedback—just space for release.
Q7: Neeti – I love that. What do you say to someone who feels selfish prioritizing emotional health—especially in motherhood or leadership?
Courtney: I say this gently but firmly: You’re not selfish, you’re sustainable. Emotional neglect doesn’t make you a better mom, partner, or leader—it makes you brittle. When you regulate yourself, you model that emotional hygiene for your children and your team. They learn it’s safe to feel. That’s legacy work. Prioritizing your emotional health isn’t indulgence. It’s responsibility. Because your presence—fully aligned, emotionally clear—is the most powerful gift you can offer the world.
Q8: Neeti – As a coach and podcaster, I often meet women who are high-achieving but emotionally exhausted. What’s one ritual you’d recommend to start re-centering?
Courtney: Create a “truth corner.” One physical or digital space where no masks are allowed. Light a candle, breathe deeply, open your journal, or log in to Air Out. Then ask yourself: “What emotion am I refusing to feel today?” And write without censoring. Do this for just five minutes a day. Over time, this practice creates emotional flexibility. You’re no longer afraid of the truth—you trust that you can hold it. That’s when your nervous system begins to relax and your resilience rises.
Q9: Neeti – What’s one belief you’ve had to unlearn on your own emotional wellness journey?
Courtney: That productivity equals worth. For years, I measured my value by what I accomplished—never by how I felt. Unlearning that meant redefining success. Now, if I wake up and feel peaceful, grounded, connected—that’s a win. Some days, that’s more important than the to-do list. And ironically, when I treat my emotional health as the foundation, the productivity follows—naturally, joyfully, without burnout.
Q10: Neeti – Lastly, what’s your hope for people using Air Out?
Courtney: That they stop apologizing for their emotions. That they feel seen, even when they don’t feel safe showing up in public. That they learn emotional fluency as a form of freedom. My hope is that Air Out becomes a sacred pause—a mirror for your inner world—so that when you walk back into your roles, you’re not performing. You’re aligned. You’re whole. You’re finally breathing in your truth.
Final Thoughts
What Courtney shared today is something every one of us needs—permission to feel, space to reflect, and tools to emotionally regulate without shame.
If you’re a new mom navigating identity shifts, or a professional navigating corporate chaos, know this: your emotions matter. Your mental clarity matters. And there are sacred tools like journaling, breathwork, and even anonymous writing through Air Out that can support your journey.
Healing begins not when you fix things, but when you finally allow yourself to feel them. Let this episode be your first step.
About Neeti Keswani
I’m Neeti Keswani, business storytelling coach, certified Ho’oponopono practitioner, and host of the globally loved Luxury Unplugged Podcast. I help soul-led entrepreneurs tell unforgettable stories that sell—not by pushing, but by radiating truth. I’m also the bestselling author of Live Your Dreams.
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