About The Inspired Road

Hi, I’m Diane Hallenbeck

I’m the CEO and Founder of the Inspired Road. I’m also an author, speaker, and coach.

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, “This is impossible? I don’t know how I’m going to get through all this stress. I don’t have what it takes. I can’t change anything, it is hopeless.”

That was my childhood. It was like walking a tightrope across an abyss of trauma and violence, with the voices of others shouting, “You’ll never make it, you can’t do it, who do you think you are?” Not every voice was cruel, not every memory harsh, but the residual effect of those early years was grief, loss, and the painful feeling of insecurity and fear: “I’m not enough, I’ll never be enough, and someone else needs to tell me I am enough.” And, “I’m not safe, and those I love are not safe.”

One of my brothers died when he was 17, my dad died at 52 years old. Before I was 20 I had lost two family members. My Mom died at 64; I've expereinced a lot of loss, trauma and grief.

A negative + a negative + a negative adds up to more negatives!

That’s not an easy equation to build a life on, but somehow, some way, I survived and lived to tell about it. I share more of my story in my book; Rejecting Fear, Learning To Be Led By Love

How did I find my inspired road?

I happily went through all the motions of motherhood and raising a family. I’ve been married to my husband for 35 years, and our main focus was our family. We were picturesque: picnics, strawberry-picking, hiking, camping, baked birthday donuts, homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning… on and on and on. But I still felt like I was never enough. No matter what I did, it was never enough.

My thoughts would spiral, leading me to constantly try to do more and be more for my family.

Here was my thought process during this time of my life:

  • If I baked donuts for birthdays, why didn’t I also make them for the first day of school? 

  • If I sewed matching Christmas pajamas, why didn’t I also make handmade ornaments each year?

  • If I made 52 -jars of jam each year, why not 60, to give even more away?

Do you see how the years went?

I loved it all, and yet, underneath was an unacknowledged fear of not being safe, the people I loved not being safe. And me never being enough.

Finding My freedom in Italy

In the Summer of 2019, my interior fears were triggered on a trip through Italy. I realized that my road to healing meant I had to go back and face my pain head-on. All that I had been carrying from my history had to be reconciled. As C.S. Lewis beautifully said, “A sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on.”

Years of fear gave way to immense peace when I came face to face with my old narrative. But this time, I didn’t run. I found new courage: to see things differently, hold thoughts differently, and notice that the fear wasn’t rooted in my current reality. I was set free. I COULD CHOOSE. I had AGENCY.

A ·gen·cy (noun): a thing or person that acts to produce a particular result.

EX: "I could make my own decisions without fear by finding my agency."

Do you know you have agency? You already have all that you need within you to create what your heart is longing for.

No matter what road you find yourself on, I want you to know that you can walk the inspired road when you are willing, to be honest about the pain you carry. This can be SO scary, especially alone. But I’m here to tell you that I’ve walked this road and am ready to help you on your journey.

Loving Lessons Learned

 As I left Italy in the Summer of 2019, I felt joy, freedom, and love I had never known. I had always had love and acceptance in my life, but I withheld it from myself. For three weeks in Italy, I learned these powerful lessons.:

  • I could notice and challenge my thoughts.

  • I made up a story based on thoughts I repeated, and not all of them were true!

  • My emotions needed expression, and allowing them space lightened the load I carried and lessened many of my harsher thoughts.

  • I could reconcile my past by “righting the sums” by healing the story I held onto about myself and others. 

The most profound lesson that’s helped me and 100s of the people I’ve coached is that you have the power of choice (aka agency). You can choose the life you’ve always wanted. I found my sense of agency, and it healed me so much.

I tell my bike where to go, and it goes there! I was free because I listened to my thoughts and then let go of fear's grip over me.

Each morning in Italy, I chose to believe three affirmations; I am loved, I am safe, and I can choose. Please write them down, say them out loud, and if you need help, use the contact button below to schedule a quick introductory call with me or send me a brief email.

I’m here for you 💜. Schedule a 30min introductory call here.

"When working with Diane, I walk away with clarity and insight. She shows me the way forward that helps me tackle real life situations with wisdom and courage."

– Pam D.

  • The world can be a brighter, lighter place when you learn to bring light and love to all the places in your life that feel overwhelming and even a little dark. Bringing light and clarity to others is what brings me joy.

    Insight is needed in life, and finding a way to release the burdens we carry is crucial. If you need a guide, I’ll join you on your journey to freedom.

    You can sift and sort what is yours and leave behind what belongs to another.

    Your life story is a gift when you place what belongs to your history in the past, and you walk in newness and possibilities.

    Live from a healed heart.

  • Need insight?

    Have you ever felt confused about how to set and keep emotional and relationship boundaries? Sometimes it takes another person to see what you cannot see, to be able to shift and move in new directions. Our lives are messy, and giving others hope that they can make it through the mess really excites me.

    Looking for clarity about how to let go of the past so that it doesn’t define you? If you have an internal conversation that sounds harsh and critical, it is time for that to stop! I can help you unmask the inner critic and replace it with self-compassion.


    Tangible and proven tools are needed for you to work through old patterns of relating and thinking. If you want to live from a healed heart, I can help you with specific tools: thought trackers, resentment walls and story simplifiers!

    If you need freedom you’re almost there! Join The Inspired Road your path to hope, joy and peace within. As you sift and sort your story will will find the freedom to create the life you want, driven by love, power. I’m here to guide you!

    What's your story?

    Want to be free?

  • For over 35 years Diane has developed content for conferences, overseen volunteers, and staff, and created training material to equip leaders to serve with authenticity, power, and integrity.

    She has built and grown teams that have worked together with joy and passion, facilitating their personal growth as well as the team’s professional cohesiveness.

    She has gathered leaders for celebration and collaboration and marvels as powerful people work together to accomplish goals and objectives.

    After 12 years leading conferences in New England, Diane launched The Inspired Road, bringing her transformation leadership development and training to the world.