Nicole Bensen

the Tea Time blog

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I just counted 49 networking meetings and events on my calendar that I’ve attended in the past six months. Forty. Nine. (!!!) That’s a lot for me, and I’ve met a lot of people—a few gems, but most of them I’ll probably never talk to again. Maybe we didn’t align on values, or didn’t get past small talk. […]

This past weekend I had brunch with a new friend, Jen, and I haven’t stopped thinking about a term she used: ROEI. Return on Emotional Investment. We originally bonded over the fact that we both have Korean moms and American dads who served in the military. Then we found out we share the same birthday—including […]

Last week, I had a 90-minute Strategy Session with a client; let’s call her M. Before each session, I ask clients to come in with two things: 1. A big-picture goal 2. A clear intention for what they want to walk away with that day M’s big goal = To live her most luxurious lifeHer session goal = Develop […]

Hi friend! Last week I shared the story of how I asked the Universe for a business bestie…and then hesitated when I got a coffee invite from someone who checked several of the exact boxes I’d been journaling about. 🙈 If you missed it, you can catch up here. I shared “7 signs your subconscious might be […]

I just had the most incredible day! Maeve and I spent the morning at this trendy new co-working space with gorgeous natural light, the comfiest pink velvet chairs, and the most perfect strawberry matcha. We laughed a lot. We mapped out our upcoming launches. I finally checked off a major to-do list item that had been hanging […]

Wanna hang out the weekend of April 25th? My new friend, Kelsey, is hosting her Burnout Relief Wellness Retreat on a beautiful, peaceful property outside Seattle, The Lodge at St. Edward: This is actually where I spent my birthday last year with two of my friends, and I’m so excited one of those friends is flying back […]

At 16, I was absolutely obsessed with Starship Troopers. Okay, so specifically, I was obsessed with the actor, Casper Van Dien, who played the main character. There was no one who could convince me he wasn’t the “hottest guy ever.” (Or at least in the top three—Chris O’Donnell and Chipper Jones rounded out my list.) Fast forward to […]

As we enter 2025, ask not “What more can I do?” but “What can I let go of?” Release the burdens of others’ expectations, constant availability, and comparison. Growth begins with the courage to let go. Here’s to less pressure and more you.

Do you ever feel this way in life? We might chase the shiny, the different, the “latest thing our favorite influencer recommended,” only to realize it’s not what WE want at all.

Did you hear that Cambridge Dictionary just named “Manifest” their Word of the Year?

Why? Because millions of people are excited, or at least curious about, the powerful idea of turning dreams into reality.

But here’s the thing: manifesting isn’t magic—it’s backed by science.