Self-Worth vs. Self-Esteem: What You’re Getting Wrong with Deborah Weed

When was the last time you felt fully aligned, body, mind, and heart?

In this soul-stirring episode of Midlife Strategies for Badass Women, host Sue Willoughby sits down with author, producer, and creative visionary Deborah Weed, the powerhouse behind Paisley’s Last Quill, a children’s book-turned-Broadway-bound musical about reclaiming self-worth and personal power.

Deborah’s story takes us from the corporate world to the depths of a mysterious illness, misdiagnosis, and loss, all of which forced her to rebuild from the inside out. Through that journey, she discovered the difference between self-esteem and self-worth and how true power begins when we stop proving and start aligning.

Together, Sue and Deborah dive deep into what it means to lose your voice, give away your “quills,” and finally find your way back to yourself.

✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The life-changing difference between self-esteem and self-worth
• How corporate success can disconnect us from our hearts and how to come home again
• Why women give away their “quills” to belong (and how to get them back)
• How Deborah turned her pain into a musical that empowers others to reclaim their voices
• The truth about failure, creativity, and why alignment, not achievement, is the key to wholeness

This is more than a conversation; it’s a creative call to rise, reclaim your worth, and live from your heart, quills up.

Chapters

[00:00:00] Opening: self-worth teaser and intro
[00:02:22] From empath to corporate identity
[00:05:57] Health crisis and self-worth revealed
[00:08:26] Misdiagnoses, invalidation, vow to act
[00:11:49] From pain to purpose: Paisley conceived
[00:14:40] Paisley’s world, themes, and reception
[00:18:00] Strategy to stage: budget and album
[00:22:22] Practical empowerment and alignment
[00:28:28] People-pleasing roots, badass redefined
[00:32:48] Alignment metaphors: horses and eye test
[00:37:25] Wrap-up: website, talent call, final advice

Connect with Deborah Weed
Website: http://www.paisleysfashionforest.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.weed.1 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborah.weed/ 

FOLLOW and CONNECT
Website - https://www.willoughbycoaching.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willoughbycoaching/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sue_willoughby/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suewilloughby/

Thanks to my amazing Producer and Editor Jess Grace Garcia (they/them) of Springwood Productions. https://www.springwoodproductions.com/

If you want to start your own podcast feel free to reach out to us. Jess and I would love to help you on your journey to sharing your story and passion.

#LifeWorthBeing #Transformation #LifeCoach #Women #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #PurposefulLiving #MidlifeTransformation #Mindfulness #Mindset #SelfDiscovery #WomenEmpowerment #midlifestrategies 

🔥 Welcome to Midlife Strategies for Badass Women 🔥

I’m Sue Willoughby—Badass Midlife Strategist, life coach, and your partner in breaking rules, rewriting the script, and thriving unapologetically after 40.

This channel is for women who are DONE playing small. If you’re ready to ditch the “shoulds,” reclaim your power, and live a bold, joyful, purpose-driven life—you’re in the right place.

Each week, you’ll get real talk, raw stories, and badass strategies to help you:
✨ Smash through self-doubt and limitations
✨ Reclaim your confidence and clarity
✨ Build resilience and embrace reinvention
✨ Create a midlife that feels authentic, aligned, and f*cking powerful

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. A community of women who are tired of waiting and ready to step into their next-level life, unapologetically.

👉 Hit subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss an episode. Let’s rise, rebel, and reinvent midlife—together.