Preventing Burnout in Dentistry with Dr. Josie Dovidio
December 25, 2025
This is What Finally Set Me Free
January 5, 2026
How Knowing Myself Made Me a Better Leader
“You don’t need to become someone else to lead powerfully. You just need to remember who you are.” -Dr. Sonia Chopra
Welcome back to University of Why, the podcast where we explore the deeper motivations behind our choices, careers, and relationships so we can live and lead more intentionally. I’m your host, Dr. Sonia Chopra, and in this solo episode, we’re talking about something close to my heart: how self-awareness shapes leadership.
If you’re a practice owner, entrepreneur, parent—or all of the above—you’ve probably felt the weight of leadership. But what if that pressure is actually a mirror? What if burnout, miscommunication, and overwhelm are signals, not flaws?
In this episode, I take you behind the curtain and share how tools like astrology, human design, Enneagram, and DISC helped me decode my leadership style and reconnect with my true self. And no, it’s not woo. It’s the energetic clarity I wish I had 10 years ago.
Burnout Was the Mirror
Like many leaders, I didn’t get a manual when I started my practice. I had the credentials, the drive, and a vision—but no clue how to actually lead a team in a way that felt aligned. Add in pregnancy, hormone shifts, and the demands of running a growing business, and it’s no surprise that burnout hit me like a freight train.
But here’s what I learned: Burnout isn’t a failure. It’s feedback.
It was my body and soul telling me I was living out of alignment. And through that fire, I found the tools that helped me rebuild not just my schedule or my systems—but myself.
Understanding My Soul Print
I started with astrology. Why? Because it had always quietly resonated. I’m a Sagittarius Sun (passionate, freedom-loving, a truth-seeker), Capricorn Rising (grounded, ambitious, the go-to person), and Aries Moon (emotional intensity, fierce feeler). This trifecta? It explained so much of how I operate.
Then came human design. I’m a 5/1 Generator—built for mastery and service. I have energy for days if I’m doing something that lights me up. If not? Burnout city. Learning how I process energy literally changed my life.
These weren’t just fun facts. They were frameworks that helped me see my patterns—and choose how I wanted to show up.
Soul Meets Structure: DISC and Enneagram
I didn’t stop at the soul-level insights. I brought it into my business.
When I hired my first coach, we started using the DISC assessment to understand workplace behavior. I’m a high “D”—dominant, direct, and driven. (No shocker there.) I also have high “I”, but low “S”. That means I’m a go-getter who needs to be mindful of softening my edges.
Then I discovered the Enneagram. I’m an Eight: The Challenger. I crave justice, hate BS, and struggle with vulnerability. But once I understood that, I could stop seeing it as a flaw—and start learning how to wield it with intention.
And when I combined all of these systems? Something clicked. My team started understanding me. I started understanding them. And our communication leveled up fast.
Soulful Leadership Isn’t Optional Anymore
We’re in a new era of leadership. The old model of powering through, suppressing emotions, and doing it all yourself? That’s done.
Real leadership requires inner work.
And understanding your soul print—who you are, how you’re wired, what energizes or depletes you—is the most powerful foundation you can build on.
Leadership isn’t about molding yourself into someone else’s ideal. It’s about becoming more you—with grace, intention, and awareness.
Watch the Full Episode:
Show Notes with Timestamps
00:00 — Welcome + new podcast studio reveal
01:57 — How I started this show before I was “ready”
04:45 — Burnout as a turning point in my leadership journey
07:04 — My first steps: astrology, DISC, and personality frameworks
09:23 — Understanding sun, moon, and rising signs
11:39 — Discovering human design (I’m a 5/1 Generator)
14:07 — What burnout taught me about energetic alignment
16:27 — Using DISC and Enneagram to understand my workplace behavior
18:51 — Applying personality systems to team building
21:18 — Enneagram 8: The Challenger and learning softness
22:55 — Marriage, opposite types, and growing through friction
26:09 — Leading in your light vs. your shadow
28:07 — Final reflection: You don’t need to change who you are
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Which personality framework has helped you the most? What have you discovered about your own leadership style through reflection, feedback, or soul work?
DM me on Instagram @drsoniachopra or share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with more intention and alignment.
University of Why
Love the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs this message. Your support keeps this show going!
