In today's encore episode, I'm sharing one of my favorite mindset reminders: how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Expecting and embracing discomfort is where real growth happens—personally and professionally.

I'll revisit a memorable parenting moment to show how stepping into discomfort creates growth, and share the mindset shifts I use with clients and family. If you're facing a new challenge or feeling stretched in your current chapter, this episode is for you. You'll get practical tips on why discomfort is normal, temporary, and totally survivable.

Join me for a fresh perspective and actionable insights to help you push past limits and step into new opportunities for brilliance!

Show Highlights:

• Who needs the lesson in this episode the most? [02:06]
• Beauty-is-pain heels vs. life's necessary discomfort. [03:24]
• The core story of a child who fears finishing a timed mile last. [05:01]
• Embrace discomfort instead of de-emphasizing it. [06:46]
• A strategy to visualize and anticipate discomfort. [07:41]
• The power of mindset over physical preparation. [11:07]
• Why you should not "tough it out" with discomfort. [14:33]
• Understanding the brain's primitive and evolved parts. [15:39]
• Patterns of growth through discomfort in coaching clients. [18:10]
• A warning about your inner critic. [21:42]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Have you ever found yourself staring at a gratitude journal, knowing you have so much to be thankful for, but just not feeling it? This week, I'm sharing a candid look into why gratitude can feel so out of reach when we're tired, stressed, or running on empty, even as the world tells us it's the season to count our blessings.

As ambitious women with full plates and big dreams, it's easy to fall into the trap of forcing gratitude, but in this episode, I reveal why rest and presence (not pressure) are the secret ingredients. I'll show you how letting go of the "gratitude checklist" and learning to savor real moments can reignite that sense of appreciation you crave.

If you're ready for a fresh perspective on thankfulness that actually fits your busy, brilliant life, this episode is for you. Let's give ourselves permission to experience gratitude as it was meant to be…joyful, effortless, and truly rewarding.

Show Highlights:

• What is the gratitude gap? [00:49]
• The neurological reason fatigue blocks positive emotions. [02:55]
• The importance of rest to restore positivity. [05:41]
• Why forced gratitude doesn't enter the heart. [06:37]
• Vividly reliving, embodying, and savoring positive moments. [08:24]
• How the pace of life affects gratitude. [10:39]
• Research findings on mindful slowing and pausing. [12:28]
• Making "gratitude pauses" a threshold ritual. [13:33]
• The power of being grateful for small joys. [14:36]
• Inviting you to subscribe and gift someone this episode. [17:39]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

This week, let's confront an enemy many of us deal with: ourselves. If you find yourself stuck in a pattern of perfectionism, second-guessing your work, or feeling unsatisfied no matter what you accomplish, you're definitely not alone, and this episode is for you.

I'm taking a closer look at how we sometimes pile pressure on ourselves, whether that's thanks to our inner critic, tying our self-worth to how much we get done, or just moving the goalposts on what "success" even means—but this isn't about stacking on more guilt. I want to call out these patterns and talk about practical ways we can be kinder to ourselves, get out of burnout mode, and enjoy our wins.

Join me to find out how self-compassion can create greater energy, creativity, and true fulfillment for you, and how to become your own biggest supporter before you write your next brilliant chapter.

Show Highlights:

• Understanding self-created pressure. [00:47]
• Why overpreparing is a negative achievement pattern. [02:43]
• Signs of an overdeveloped inner critic. [05:30]
• The trap of equating effort with worth. [07:05]
• Moving goalposts vs. celebrating accomplishments. [09:07]
• Give yourself the empathy you would give others. [10:42]
• What is compassion as a performance strategy? [11:16]
• The power of coaching and peer support to end self-sabotage. [14:27]
• Inviting you to join BOLD or schedule an exploratory call. [16:04]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

In today's episode, Cherylanne invites you to infuse a little extra joy into your holiday season. As we navigate the busy month of December, she shares practical tips for self-care and finding moments of delight in the midst of the holiday hustle. 

From treating yourself to a holiday beverage and a red manicure, to embracing traditions like matching holiday PJs and spreading joy to delivery drivers, Cherylanne's suggestions are sure to inspire you to bring a little more joy into your own holiday experience. 

Let's discover how to reclaim the magic of the season for ourselves.

Show Highlights:

• How to rest and recharge your batteries for holidays? [01:50]
• Catch a cheesy Christmas movies this year! [05:10]
• What's with the red nail? [06:26]
• How to add holiday decorations to your car  [07:13]
• Find out a fun way to create holiday memories with your family  [07:55]
• The stress free gift-exchange  [09:09]
• Mistletoe can do what no one else can! [09:51]
• Find out the key to stress-free shopping. [10:12]
• Investing in small everyday pleasures for festive fun [11:12]
• A way to ensure community engagement  [12:35]
• Your pet needs attention too! [13:27]
• How to show gratitude to delivery drivers  [14:18] 

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In this episode, Cherylanne tackles the often stressful topic of holiday gifting. With the season in full swing, she offers practical strategies to help you navigate the complexities of gift-giving in a way that's both mindful and budget-friendly.

Cherylanne emphasizes the importance of avoiding "debt and regret" when it comes to gifting, as well as the overwhelming clutter that can accompany the holidays. She provides practical tips such as having a master gift plan, knowing your numbers, and giving what she calls "disappearing" gifts. 

Tune in to discover how you can make your gifting experience memorable, meaningful, and guilt-free. It's all about balance.

Show Highlights Include:

• Learn to avoid regret by making thoughtful gift-buying choices [00:01:38]
• How can you avoid clutter overload during the holiday season? [00:03:08]
• Learn how to create a comprehensive gift plan that helps you stay organized and on budget [00:04:27]
• Explore strategies for determining the number of gifts per person and establishing a budget for holiday shopping [00:06:42]
• Declutter your life and make room for joy with these space-saving gift ideas [00:13:11]
• How can you make gifts memorable and meaningful? [00:17:42]

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and festive cheer. But for many busy moms, it can also be a time of stress, overindulgence, and disrupted routines. Looking for practical tips on navigating the holidays while staying on track with your health and wellness goals? This episode is for you.

Get ready to feel inspired and empowered as Cherylanne helps you create a healthy and enjoyable holiday season that is brilliantly balanced!

Show Highlights Include:

• Managing treats and activities during the holiday season and the pressure they can put on your food and fitness routine [00:01:38]
• How to prioritize a middle-ground approach, even when you love food [00:02:14]
• Learn the importance of setting reasonable goals to maintain a sense of balance during the holiday season [00:04:28]
• Discover the benefits of creating a consistent routine to support your overall well-being during the holidays [00:07:01]
• Explore the concept of minimum viable dose and how to apply it to your workouts [00:10:31]
• How repeating a routine can reduce your cognitive load and put healthy habits on auto-pilot [00:15:01]
• Learn how maintaining a baseline of healthy eating and fitness habits allows you to find joy in special indulgences [00:16:59]
• The force multiplier for staying on track [00:20:47] 

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In today's episode, Cherylanne shares strategies to help busy professional moms to handle holiday to-dos. This kicks off a series of holiday episodes that will carry you from here to the New Year with more ease and more joy.

As the holiday season approaches, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the tasks that need to be done. But fear not, Cherylanne has some ideas to streamline your schedule and make this season more joyful. 

From discovering what you hold sacred, to creating a holiday roadmap, to strategies for outsourcing and simplifying, she covers it all. 

Discover how to handle the holiday hustle with grace and balance. Stay tuned for more episodes in this series, where we'll explore healthy eating, fitness tips, gift giving, and finding calm amidst the chaos. 

Let's make this holiday season one to remember. Let's be brilliant.

Show Highlights Include:

• The nostalgia of early Holiday traditions  [00:03:05]

• How will you plan for the weeks ahead?  [00:04:39]
• What is at the center of your season?  [00:05:22]
• Are you struggling to manage holiday commitments?  [00:07:00]
• Do this and stop spreading yourself too thin  [00:10:15]
• Discover how to shorten your list  [00:12:30:00]
• Who can do what you can't?  [00:14:36]
• How to simplify and save time  [00:16:30]  
• It's ok to be a little less perfect  [00:19:30]
• This will bring you more joy this magical season  [00:20:44]

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In today's episode, Cherylanne shares powerful techniques to help mothers reduce stress and find more balance in their lives. 

With practical strategies and expert advice, she discusses how mindful prioritization, single tasking, and mindful transitions can make a significant impact on stress levels. 

We will discuss the world of mindfulness and discover proven strategies to create a more peaceful and fulfilling motherhood journey. 

Stay tuned for actionable tips and insights that will leave you feeling empowered and ready to reduce stress in your own life. 

Let's get started!

Show Highlights Include:

• Mom Overwhelm: Are we cracking under pressure?  [00:00:51]
• What is mindfulness?  [00:04:35]
• Maximize your energy and time: Time and body hacks for working moms  [00:07:46]
• The power of single-tasking  [00:12:24]
• How to shift gears and show up intentionally  [00:14:29]
• How can brief reflection enhance your calendar?  [00:18:05]
• Can you change your state without overthinking?  [00:18:45]
• Discover these body-centric practices for clarity, focus, and calm  [00:19:25]
• Clear your mind and embrace your body  [00:27:16]

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Feeling lonely or isolated while juggling the demands of work and family? We've got you covered in today's episode of the Brilliant Balance show. Join Cherylanne Skolnicki as she reveals the remarkable impact of finding your people and the power of community. 

Get ready for insights, inspiration, and data that highlight the importance of social connections in our lives. Plus, you won't want to miss the strategies recommended by the US Surgeon General to build a healthier and more connected society. 

Tune in now to dive deep into this essential topic and find out how you can create your own support system or join the one within Brilliant Balance. Let's be brilliant together!

Show Highlights Include:

• Discover one secret to finding work-life balance  [00:02:07]
• Learn tips to live a healthier, more connected life  [00:04:37]
• Discover the power of institutions and community programs to mitigate loneliness [00:06:20]
• How to foster connection and combat loneliness?   [00:07:02]
• Find out how technology impacts your relationships  [00:08:06]
• Discover the power of a buzzing community and unlock possibilities with Brilliant Balance  [00:13:44]
• How to connect with like-minded women  [00:15:15]
• Discover the power of a supportive circle  [00:19:46]
• What happens when coaching becomes interactive?   [00:22:45]
  

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

References: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

In this encore episode, we'll explore the power of our choices and challenge the belief that we don't have options. Cherylanne shares insights on how recognizing our choices can empower us to create change in our lives and find greater fulfillment. 

So grab a beverage, get comfortable, and let's dive into the world of choices together. 

Are you ready to be brilliant? Let's go!

Show Highlights Include:

• Discover the surprising power of choice in your life  [00:03:06] 
• Explore the hidden choices you may have been overlooking  [00:04:49] 
• Uncover the consequences of not taking ownership of your choices  [00:08:00] 
• Endless workday, but is it worth it?  [00:14:33] 
• How choices can empower you and start challenging outdated patterns  [00:19:00] 
• Get uncomfortable and expand your perspective  [00:20:48] 

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In today's episode, we'll discuss the powerful topic of turning setbacks into comebacks. As women, we all face setbacks at various points in our lives - whether it's a personal challenge, a career setback, or even a major catastrophe. 

But what if these setbacks could be the catalyst for our greatest comebacks? 

In this episode, we'll hear how a childhood experience has shaped Cherylanne's understanding of resilience and how we can use setbacks as stepping stones towards success. 

Get ready to be inspired and gain practical insights on how to navigate setbacks with grace and determination. So grab your headphones and get ready to be brilliant. 

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• An unexpected River Flood Changes My outlook Forever  [00:01:00]
• Resilience: How to Overcome Life's Setbacks  [00:05:21]
• 7 steps to bounce back from setbacks  [00:06:56]
• Unlocking Your Brain's Potential and Moving Forward Confidently  [00:10:12]
• Discover the secret to moving forward  [00:13:19}
• Embrace setbacks and ignite your comeback  [00:16:38]
  

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In today's episode, we're diving into the topic of ageless ambition. Is it ever too late to pursue your dreams?  Cherylanne reflects on her own dreams and aspirations that may have fallen by the wayside. But here's the thing - it's never too late to start dreaming and working towards those goals.

We will explore common beliefs that hold us back from chasing our dreams and discover why it's never too late to start pursuing what sets your soul on fire. Get ready to be inspired, motivated, and reignite your ambition. Let's be brilliant together!

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Is it too late for my dreams?  [00:01:16]
• Am I still cut out for this? [00:05:47]
• Investing in personal dreams: Is it worth the risk?  [00:06:52]
• What will everyone think? [00:07:52]
• These successful women defied age expectations  [00:11:38]
• What's holding you back from your dreams? [00:16:15]

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In this episode of the Brilliant Balance podcast, Cherylanne welcomes Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a remarkable woman who has triumphed over stage four cancer and a heart transplant. Their conversation is filled with inspiration, resilience, and a profound perspective on living a healthy and fulfilling life. Dr. Mussallem shares her own experiences and offers valuable insights on nutrition, spirituality, and the transformative power of organ transplantation. 

This episode is a must-listen for women seeking motivation, guidance, and a reminder of the strength we hold within ourselves.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Transforming adversity into inspiration: Meet Dr. Dawn Mussallem [00:00:08]
• How do inherited emotions affect our well-being? [00:14:03]
• Overcoming tragedy and finding strength within grief [00:18:30]
• How a near-death experience can unlock beautiful stillness and love [00:21:47]
• Why a plant based diet is good for your health  [00:32:37] 
• The mysteries behind food choices and their consequences [00:37:02]
• The risks and benefits of different lifestyle choices [00:39:15]
• Why fitting into your old jeans might not be enough [00:42:17] 
• What can you do to improve your health? [00:47:35]
• Perfect isn't necessary, but how important is it? [00:48:50]

Resources referenced in this show:  https://www.mayoclinic.org.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-mussallem-do-dipablm-2b360b57/ https://lifestylemedicine.org/overview/.  https://www.lisamillerphd.com. 

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Have you ever felt like your to-do list is multiplying before your eyes and you're barely able to keep up? In this episode, I'm sharing my own experiences with overwhelm and why so many ambitious women struggle with it as they juggle big dreams, demanding careers, and packed lives.

You'll hear how to spot the subtle signs that overwhelm has crept in—not just as panic, but also as irritability, indecision, perfectionism, and even mental clutter—and discover the common triggers that set us up for that exhausting cycle. Most importantly, I break down the simple steps I use to clear my head, regain momentum, and create space for joy again.

If you're craving more balance and want to trade chaos for clarity, you're in the right place to find your way back to a lighter, more manageable life as you create your next chapter.

Show Highlights:

• Recognizing overwhelm. [00:47]
• Recent themes of reasonable limits and preventing burnout. [01:28]
• What overwhelm feels and looks like. [02:58]
• Is being overwhelmed having too much to do? [05:10]
• The unrealistic basis of chronic overwhelm. [05:48]
• Learning to delegate responsibility. [07:07]
• Poor or nonexistent boundaries. [11:02]
• How to do a brain dump. [12:54]
• The most powerful antidote to overwhelm. [15:35]
• Declare a daily finish line. [17:44]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Have you ever been called "superwoman" and felt a burst of pride in your ability to get everything and anything done? But realize later that the feeling was overrated?

While considering yourself a "superwoman" gives you a short-lived rush, it also burdens you with heavy and unrealistic expectations.

These unrealistic expectations can riddle you with guilt. It can feel like you're failing at your job.  But you're not. Because doing everything is not your job. 

Here's the truth: 

When others give you the "superwoman" tag, it gradually—then suddenly—takes a toll on your career, your relationships, and your health. 

So, how do you balance your drive to overachieve with the real-world consequences of "Superwoman Syndrome." 

In today's episode, you'll discover how to overcome your "Superwoman Syndrome" before it wrecks your career, relationships, and health. Plus, I reveal how to set realistic expectations so you don't fall into the trap of overachievement.  

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The 5 unrealistic characteristics of a 'superwoman' (and why you must quickly act to get rid of this burdening tag). (2:35)
• 5 drastic side effects "Superwoman Syndrome" has on your health, career and relationships. (6:44)
• Why these seemingly positive compliments can reinforce traditional gender stereotypes (and over-burdens you with unequal responsibilities). (12:45)
• 3 steps you can take to break free from unrealistic expectations put on you by society. (16:52)
• Why the 'superwoman' tag is not a compliment (how you can start to challenge it and save yourself from a cycle of overachievement). (20:33)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

There's a behavior almost all of us exhibit. 

We delay decisions, because we're not sure what we want yet. And so much time flies by without any action taken, because we're still unsure, saying 'maybe'.

It could be an important decision to change careers, pick a course to study, or even something as simple as changing the furniture in your living room. But since you're unsure, you don't do it. 

You say 'maybe'.

What you don't know is that your inability to say 'yes' or 'no' holds you back from achieving the level of transformation and growth possible for you. It's impossible to grow by saying 'maybe' and not committing to any one decision.

You have to say 'yes' or 'no'. You have to take that step forward. Because only you possess the power to change your life with a simple decision.

So what can you do to break out of that behavioral cycle of constantly saying 'maybe', and start making decisions that move your life forward?

In this episode, you'll discover why you're addicted to 'maybe.' You'll also figure out how to get yourself to eradicate indecision and finally take the steps that transform your life.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 3 recognizable patterns that keep you stuck at 'maybe' (and how these patterns slow your progress to a halt). (3:45)
• How having more than one option to choose from can paralyze you (and how to break out of this paralysis and make a decision). (4:05)
• How even your own brain works against you and keeps you from making bold choices that move the needle.(6:18)
• The 'time trap' most of us fall into when making decisions (and why you must develop the skill to make decisions now). (8:02) 
• 3 techniques to eliminate the 'maybes' (so you can make decisions that give you consistent progress towards your goals). (10:44)
• The "Small Decisions" secret for achieving consistent progress (and why this works better than making big commitments).  (16:03)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 
 
Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

You can be at the top of your career, successful, and great at what you do, and at the same time feel unsatisfied.

There's a time that comes when success is no longer enough. You could have achieved everything you'd ever dreamed of, accumulating wealth and accolades along the way, and it still may not be enough to satisfy you. You'll feel there's something more you could be doing.

Why?

If you're not making the impact you know you could be making on your family, yourself, and the world in general - despite the weight of your success, it could leave a bland taste in your mouth.

So when you get to that point, what do you do? How do you pivot and transition successfully into a career that allows you to create impact? How can you seek the life of significance that you crave?

That's what my guest today, Traci Barrett, will help us answer.

Traci is one of the co-founders of HGTV, and was involved in it right from the start, long before it exploded. She's a published author, speaker and a coach. She's worked in corporate America and has been a part of multiple successful startups, all while being an involved and present parent. 

In this episode, Traci shares her core message about how to seek and find a life of significance using her own experience, in which she walked out of  a very high paying job, and leveraged her existing skills to build a successful business.

Traci reveals how you can recognize when it's time to slow down when you're spread too thin, the best things to prioritize when choosing a career or building a business, and how to choose your next fulfilling path the right way.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• This mindset trick every entrepreneur should adopt in order to be successful.(16:02)
• How to recognize when it's time to slow down at your career/business. (17:00)
• How Traci leveraged her existing skills to build a successful consulting business (and how you can do it too). (22:40)
• Why money and prestige is simply not enough, and what to prioritize in your career to ensure you feel successful and content no matter how much you make. (26:40)
• An actionable tip you can implement today to help you make the right choice on the next step to take in your career. (32:58)

For a discount on Traci's course, follow her on Instagram at instagram.com/tracisbarrett and DM her the word "Cherylanne"

To find Traci online visit her website at:

https://tracischubertbarrett.com

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

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Relaxing is an important, objectively beneficial activity to the human body.

But most of us can't take a proper break without feeling guilty. Somehow it always feels like there is something we've missed that needs to be done…urgently.

That's why we have to learn how to make the time to unwind and hold that time as sacred.

You can't do this until you unhook from a few false beliefs you might have about relaxing. These beliefs are things we tell ourselves that keep us from enjoying leisure time without feeling guilty.

It's not your fault. These beliefs are lodged firmly in us by messages we've absorbed over the years. Eventually, we start to believe them as the truth.

If you're having a hard time relaxing, I want you to think about your relationship with these messages and how they might be affecting you.

In this episode, you'll learn what they are and how you've absorbed them over time. You'll also learn how you can reprogram your mind with more helpful messages, so you can enjoy more fulfilling and rewarding leisure experiences.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 7 messages you may have absorbed that deny you proper relaxation (and how to reprogram your mind to get rid of them). (5:33)
• Why being constantly busy is viewed as a status symbol (and how this affects your ability to relax). (5:43)
• A harmful core belief you might have that makes you unable to accept help from anyone else. (7:26)
• The wide-spread 'self-soothing' coping mechanism among women that stops them from relaxing (and how to create your own tolerance against it). (8:37)
• Why you run a huge risk if you tie your self worth to productivity. (10:30)
• How your definition of leisure might be hindering you from being able to take a satisfying break (and what it should be instead). (13:43)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Li hi sten to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

We all experience difficult seasons in our lives.

It could be losing your job through downsizing, or significant health issues in your family or even a child leaving for college (sniff).

These hard experiences are just a part of life, and they won't stop coming our way even when we want them to. 

They will always be there to challenge us.

And the truth is, the way we process experiences like this makes a huge difference in how well we move through them. 

There are two sides we experience when we encounter situations like this. We tend to lean into one of them, but the key is to use both to effectively go through these hard experiences. 

In this episode, you'll learn what these two sides are and how you can use them to process hard experiences, heartaches and disappointments.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Two primary lenses we use to process difficult experiences (and how you can leverage them to effectively overcome these experiences). (5:04)
• The best way to leverage the first lens (and what not to do when you're using it).(7:47)
• What to do if you can't easily access either of these two key lenses. (12:43)
• How we turned my uncles' heart attacks into a teachable moment, and how you can do the same for yourself. (14:17)
• How to use this second lens to feel a sense of agency over your life and future (18:42)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Women generally hold themselves to certain standards that keep us seen as 'good' in the eyes of society. We try to play safe and only exhibit certain 'accepted' behaviors because of this.

But why?

Why do we hold ourselves to these standards and deprive ourselves of our essential wants, desires, and even dreams?

Elise Loehnen helps us dig deeply into that today. She's the owner of the podcast Pulling The Thread, a podcast dedicated to pulling apart the stories we tell about who we are and putting them back together. She's also the former host of the Goop podcast and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children.

Elise helps us reconsider the origin of our desire to be seen as good, as girls and even as women. She challenges a number of long held beliefs, the historical context behind them, and whether it's still right to follow those structures.

She also reveals how you can break free of these high and unreasonable standards and expectations set by society for you, and trust your natural instincts, so you can live a more balanced, peaceful and spiritual life.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• How women tend to be harder on women than men (and how it affects us negatively). (06:22).
• How you can flip your envy to a net positive and gain from it (instead of constantly simmering with jealousy). (14:32)
• The disparity between how society treats men vs. women (and how it's destructive). (17:34)
• The shocking origin of the seven deadly sins, and how it influenced our view of religion and the sexes today. (18:42)
• How we set high, unreasonable standards for what a good woman is for ourselves (and expect every other woman to live up to it). (29:07)
• The health effects of constantly denying yourself your essential needs and wants. (36:55)
  

For Elise's Book and Substack, link to: 

https://eliseloehnen.com

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

If you're listening to this, you probably procrastinate. Maybe in all aspects of your life, maybe in just one, but you do.

Because even if you have everything running on time and seemingly perfectly in your life, there are still areas in which you might procrastinate.

The truth is there are some psychological patterns that actually drive procrastination. And we don't always recognize them.

So we keep blaming ourselves and the wrong things for our constant procrastination.

But you don't have to anymore.

In this episode, you'll discover 5 little known patterns that bring procrastination into your life and how to work with them to snap out of that procrastination cycle.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 5 little-known patterns that drive procrastination. (2:34)
• Why it's not always a lack of self-discipline that makes you procrastinate (and a system you can implement to help your defeat procrastination) (2:59)
• Why we really put off starting new things (and how to know if this phenomenon is what makes you procrastinate) (6:16)
• How huge projects can completely 'paralyze' you (and what to do to snap out of this state) (10:17)
• How gunning for perfect outcomes keeps you from actually executing anything. (13:38)
• The first step you should take to help manage your procrastination. (20:35)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

The whole world has been abuzz about one movie for the past several weeks.

Barbie.

My entire team has been talking to me about it, my friends have been chattering about it, and my kids couldn't wait to see it, so I finally got myself to a theater to see what the hype was about!

And it was a beautifully produced, impressive movie.

I wasn't necessarily blown away in the theater, but after breaking it down more "book club style" with a few people, I realized Greta Gerwig (the director) is a genius. The level of sophistication with which she threaded important messages into this movie was next level.

Today I'll reveal three insights I picked up from the Barbie movie. See if they help you out here in the real world.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The striking similarity between Barbie's growth and the evolution of women over the years. (6:18)
• America Ferrera's exceptional monologue (and how it encapsulates the struggles of the average woman in today's society) (7:47)
• How you might make the mistake of giving away agency and control over your life (and Barbie's advice on how to seize it back). (9:43)
• A priceless resource you can use to navigate difficult areas in your life and leverage to accelerate your progress. (14:54)
• How the Barbie movie brilliantly uses satire to pass across these hidden messages and analogies. (16:38)
  

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Do you ever feel like you're doing too much?

Rhetorical question, right? We often say we "have no choice"

And even though we end up acknowledging we're doing too much and taking on extra responsibility that's weighing heavily on us

We aren't doing the things that help us lighten this load.

The truth is, some behaviors and situations can keep you stuck in patterns of doing too much for a long time. And even when you try to break free, you can't because you don't know where to make a shift

So why are we still doing too much?

In this episode, you'll discover 5 internalized behaviors that keep us stuck in patterns of doing too much. You'll also learn how to overcome these behaviors and release the weight on your shoulders.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 5 reasons you might be stuck in patterns of doing too much. (3:04)
• The danger of defining your actions around expectations. (3:13)
• How to escape from this trap that keeps you stuck doing too much. (6:28)
• An overlooked, internal enemy that stops us from accepting help relieving heavy responsibility. (9:07)
• 3 emotions that hinder you from taking things off your plate or make you do too much. (14:00)
• A hidden trait that makes you do too much without even realizing it (and how you can analyze this trait and reduce your tendency to do too much).(17:14)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Midlife is not always an easy time for women.

And when you combine this season with the mental and physical effects of menopause and perimenopause that affect women during the very same time, it can be exhausting.

Unfortunately, women are often dismissed by healthcare providers, and can have most of their symptoms written off as hormonal or superficial.

As a result, there are a lot of questions and confusion around perimenopause, menopause, and women's health in general. We need an expert voice in the mix.

Enter Dr Lisa Larkin.

Lisa specializes in women's health, cancer survivorship, menopause management, female sexual health, and women's cardiovascular diseases. She graduated from Yale School of Medicine and has held various prestigious medical positions since then before returning to private practice.

She's perfectly very qualified to answer questions on perimenopause, menopause, and the health challenges women face around midlife.

Which is exactly what we do today.

In this episode, you'll discover the difference between the perimenopausal and menopausal effects on women's health, what you can do about it, and what you should watch out for at this stage of life.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Why midlife and menopausal women don't receive enough attention from the healthcare system (and who they can turn to in their trying times). (10:40)
• A huge problem with women's health in the social media space. (13:26)
• The symptoms of, and difference between menopause and perimenopause (and how to know which one you're experiencing) (14:39)
• Why it's important to educate men about women's health and aging. (19:18)
• Why hormones won't fix all your menopausal symptoms (and the overlooked culprit of huge changes in your body) (23:25)
• Why your hormone levels are an inaccurate representation of your menopausal status (and how to accurately know if you're in menopause or perimenopause). (28:05)
• How oral contraceptives can be used to treat  symptoms. (32:47)
• Why this 20-year age range can affect how long you live (and lifestyle practices you should implement to improve your health). (39:35)
  

For Dr. Lisa Larkin's practice including telehealth: https://lisalarkinmd.com

For a list of NCMP Physicians: 

https://menopause.org

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

I'm thrilled to introduce Michelle Grosser, a powerhouse former trial lawyer, law professor, and a mom of two, with a story so many of us can relate to: outward success paired with hidden exhaustion and stress. She seemed to be managing it all until her body and mind hit their limits.

Today, she's a nervous system strategist and the host of the Alive and Well podcast, who helps high-achieving women build burnout-proof lives. She'll guide you through science-backed strategies and simple, impactful daily habits that you can start using right away to break free from chronic stress and reclaim mental wellness. Together, we'll bust the cultural myths about success and perfection, and explore ways to create more energy, presence, and joy in our lives.

If you crave a fuller, healthier chapter and practical, empowering tools to support a vibrant, resilient life, join us for this energizing, wisdom-packed conversation.

Show Highlights:

• Fast-tracking to burnout and the roots of a driven nature. [02:23]
• Physical and mental signs of burnout. [05:30]
• Shift both the state and traits of burnout—recover and prevent. [07:37]
• The power of addition by subtraction to shed unneeded routines. [09:41]
• A simple tip to tune into your body and mind every day. [11:52]
• "Movement, stillness, play" daily trio for nervous system support. [19:23]
• What are somatic cues? [19:23]
• Life-changing tools to safely release emotions at home or work. [22:47]
• The role of the prefrontal cortex in nervous system strategy. [29:51]
• Access Michelle Grosser's podcast and her 17-page free guide. [33:02]

To find Michelle's work, including the Alive and Well podcast, please visit https://michellegrosser.com.

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

This episode marks the 300th time I've seated myself in front of a microphone to record this show.

Doing this consistently for 5 years has given me so much perspective and taught me more than a few things about life. 

Once you embark on a creative journey, you tend to feel the work growing with you. And if you're given to working on it actively and consistently, you're sure to encounter some of the lessons I did.

So what are these truths I've learned from podcasting for so long?

In this episode, you'll discover what I've learned by podcasting week in week out for 5 straight years. 

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 3 important lessons I've picked up after 300 podcast episodes. (3:03)
• Why you should never wait for the perfect time to start something new (and (3:03)
• How you can ensure you stay consistent at any activity. (5:16)
• A  method you can use to generate content that resonates with your audience, no matter who they are (10:02)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

I admire working moms.

They have high standards, have high professional ambitions, and are highly talented. Even though they have incredibly demanding work and family lives, they also have very high standards about showing up at home for their kids.

But there are things that no one really knows about them. The general public has somehow arrived at a lot of inaccurate conclusions about them.

And sadly, this is a theme I see across the collective of women I work with.

So I'm going to share a few things with you today about how working moms approach and go through life. All while keeping their high standard of showing up for their kids and maintaining their professional careers and ambitions.

In this episode, you'll discover 5 secrets working moms want you to know. You'll learn what you can do to help them feel seen and understood!

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 5 truths you should know about working moms (that might completely change how you view them). (2:22)
• What working moms really think about juggling work and home responsibilities. (3:12)
• How working moms contribute financially to their household (and why it's not how you think). (5:37)
• Why working moms are very strict with their time (even with the things they enjoy). (7:59) 
• The best thing to do if you want to help a working mom. (12:29)
• How general labels strip these women of their identities (and how they really want to be seen) (17:10)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

One important question I like to ask women in my coaching program is this - What would you do if you could do anything?

What's the change you'd like to see in the world?

The answer is always a variation of 'I want to help people.'

And whether young, old or in midlife, the universal desire to be of service is rooted in our DNA.

However there is a disconnect between the desire to be of service and the courage to start. A lot of women are scared of ever taking that first step, so they end up at jobs they don't enjoy, doing things they don't want to be part of to sustain their family. 

All while never fulfilling that strong desire to be of service.

My guest today, Courtney Johnson, was only 23 when she decided to follow her own prompting to use her life to be of service. She founded an organization called Culinary Care, providing meals to people undergoing cancer treatment, and has been at it for a decade.

How did she do it?

How did she take that bold step to start, build this service and scale it over the past 10 years?

In this episode, Courtney shares how she birthed the idea for Culinary Cares, found people who needed help, and was able to scale and sustain her non-profit over a decade.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• How the idea for Culinary Care was birthed out of tragedy (and what you can learn from that). (4:27)
• How to find people in need for your service by learning the exact steps Courtney took to find hers. (10:58)
• Why you need to wear all the hats early on in your service business (and why it isn't sustainable in the long term) (16:37)
• The number one attitude you should always have as an entrepreneur. (28:00)
• A perspective you should adopt to keep you from being overwhelmed at any point of your service. (31:40)

Visit the Culinary Care website.

www.culinarycare.org

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

There comes a time in your life when you need to level up. It might be your health, relationships, or career..

Only you know what you need to take to the next level.

But the problem is, you might be pushing it down and resisting it without knowing.

You could even be resisting it by doing NOTHING about it. 

The truth is: everything you want is on the other side of a decision - and the actions that follow it. It all starts with one moment of clarity.

But when you do take that action, the momentum kicks in, propels you upward and you're able to take your life to the next level.

The question is, will you?

In this episode, I'll show you some success principles you can apply to level up effectively and how to make sure you get to that destination smoothly and without falling into any potholes.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• How your future self could be signaling you to level up (and why you should stop squashing that signal). (0:41)
• Success principles you can use to propel yourself upwards (these make the difference whether level up or stay stuck). (16:10)
• The one thing you should always invest in when leveling up (or waste thousands of valuable hours achieving nothing) (18:46)
• The right way to start your journey moving up (so you don't get burnt out and give up too early). (20:49)
• A powerful step you can make to ensure you stay consistent through your upward journey. (23:30)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

When is the right time to educate your kids on money?

The truth is: not everyone's approach to teaching financial responsibilities has to be the same. Some people start giving kids allowances early on and teach as early as possible, and some prefer to keep their kids blissfully unaware until they're a little older.

So there's really no right answer.

But when we're ready to teach our tweens (or teens) about how to make the sound financial decisions, it's helpful to have a framework

You may be asking yourself:

How do I start? How much money do I want to give them access to? How much can I control their spending? How often do I step in to bail them out?

I'll answer those questions for you today.

In this episode, I'll show you 4 concepts you can use to teach your tweens and teens financial responsibility. I'll also show you how to help your kids get a handle on spending and learn important financial principles for wealth building over time.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 4 solid concepts you can deploy to effectively teach your kids financial responsibility and help them make better financial decisions. (2:58)
• How to get your child to understand money by earning (so they can start to learn financial responsibility). (6:28)
• How to get your kids to build the habit of giving back. (14:45)
• Two powerful reasons for accruing money you can teach your child. (17:16)
• Why you should encourage your child to spend some of the money they've earned (instead of saving every penny). (21:16)
• My favorite 'debit card on training wheels' you can use to get your kids prepared for having a credit card on their own (while controlling their spending now). (24:29)

Get the Greenlight app and card referenced in this episode: 

https://share.greenlight.com/126614900

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Neediness is often regarded as negative.

But why?

We're brought up learning to take care of other people's needs, and by adulthood we're often skilled at it. But when it comes to voicing our own needs, we become ashamed of speaking up and out.

The truth is, if you don't communicate your needs so they can be met, you'll never be satisfied.

And you'll keep living in a state of low-grade dissatisfaction or even resentment. 

But what if you could acknowledge and communicate your needs so you can get them fulfilled?

To help you with that, I invited Mara Glatzel, an intuitive coach, writer and podcast host to join us today. She teaches people how to embrace their own needs and how to articulate them so they have a chance of actually getting them met. 

Mara's perspective on needs is gentle but also reorienting. It will help you if you're someone who struggles to make your needs known by giving you permission to share them.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The actual reason we don't attend to our needs.. (5:32)
• How to curb and dissipate that feeling of brewing dissatisfaction (and what you do that makes you feel that way) (8:42)
• Why being called 'needy' says more about the other person than you. (10:40)
• How our needs and wants are actually intertwined (instead of two conflicting sets of ideas). (12:50)
• Why we're much more skilled at meeting other people's needs than our own (and how to create a balance so you don't end up feeling resentful). (14:57)
• Two steps you can take to communicate your needs properly (without slinking away in shame afterwards). (21:04)
• An effective approach to handling a partner that doesn't know how to articulate their needs (even if you're great at it yourself). (29:05)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Visit Mara Glatzel's website and take her quiz:

www.maraglatzel.com

Be honest - is there clutter accumulated in your space? Your office, home, garage or even your closet? We ALL have it!

But this clutter is insidious. Because after a while it can blend in and start to look as part of the decor  to us. So at some point instead of noticing it,  you just start to live with it.

It can also affect your inner calm/balance and even hinder you from seeing new opportunities to redesign or bring in new things into your home.

So, that clutter needs to go.

In this episode, you'll learn actionable steps to take to clear clutter that has accumulated in your space. You'll discover the benefits of having a clean, clear space without the piles of clutter lying about.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The biggest causes of clutter and why we allow it to pile up. (6:53)
• How indecision about whether to get rid of or keep an item contributes to clutter. (8:58)
• The 30-year rule you can implement to help you decide if you should get rid of an item or not (or give it to people who truly need it). (14:37)
• How you can create a sense of inner peace with your environment. (16:10)
• Actionable steps you can take to start decluttering your space today. (18:34)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

When summer begins for your kids, not much changes for YOU in terms of work life and rhythm, especially if you're a working mom.

Meanwhile your kids are clamoring for even more attention and care than during the school year.

As a working mom, summer is the time when kids' lives change pretty dramatically;  their rhythm and daily structures are entirely different but yours aren't.

You still have to wake up early, go to bed on time and give them the attention and care they need to make the summer a memorable one.

And that can be exhausting.

So what do you do when they have a summer but you don't? And how can you and your kids have an amazing summer break even if you have to work full-time?

In this episode, you'll learn how to create a summer schedule that helps you maximize time with your kids even if you work full-time. You'll also learn how to have an amazing summer break along with your children.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 4 strategies to adjust to your kids' summer so you can make enough time for them (even if you work full-time) (4:14)
• Why you might shift your waking and sleeping hours to align with the 'summer hours' schedule. (5:27)
• How to take the stress of housework off yourself and get more help at home with in-house internships. (7:25)
• Why you shouldn't stick to a stiff, regimented schedule throughout the summer (and how even boredom builds your kids' creativity). (14:23)
• The 'mom-guilt' keeping you from having a great summer (and the simple mindset shift that will help you enjoy it). (16:33)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Being able to articulate what you want so you can get it is a powerful skill.

It's also a foolproof way to take one step closer to achieving your dreams.

But after taking calls with some listeners of this podcast, I discovered most of them weren't getting what they wanted simply because they were afraid to speak up about what they wanted.

Here's the thing…

If you want to claim what you want in life, one big step you need to take is to declare it - to yourself, your friends, your family and your colleagues.

But this is hard for a lot of people. They struggle to articulate and claim what they want or stick to it. 

But why?

Why do they choose to put their desires on the back burner?

If this is you, it doesn't have to stay that way.

In this episode, you'll discover the limiting beliefs keeping you from declaring your desire and attaining your dreams. You'll learn how to shut them down and destroy the fear you have and speak up.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The three levels you need to scale past to attain and obtain what you want. (5:21)
• The 3 beliefs to dismantle so you can easily declare your desire and get what you want. (7:12)
• How to destroy your fear of being judged by others (and do what you want without having to apologize for existing). (8:08)
• The mechanism in your mind that protects you from embarrassment (but also robs you of potential success) (10:40)
• Why you think you will lose out if you talk about your dreams (and the true cost of not talking about them (13:07)
• How the dynamics of your relationships can make it difficult to declare what you want (and an environment you can do it without overthinking). (18:10)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Taking time for yourself is a powerful practice that allows you to reflect and reset from the stress of everyday work, life and family.

But most women don't do it.

Why?

They think they're busy with everything going on in their lives, so they can't afford the time to decompress. 

And that's normal.

But there will never be a perfect time to do it, so in order to have these experiences you have to acknowledge that you have to make time.

When you make time for yourself, you will return from your experience refreshed, stronger and more vibrant. The people important to you will see and reap the benefits of you taking time for yourself.

In this episode, you'll discover the power behind taking a break for yourself. You'll also learn how to relax, tap into renewed energy and decompress so you can enjoy the benefits of this experience.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The value of setting aside time for yourself (and how it helps you shift into reflection mode faster) (6:00)
• The magical calming effect of having someone else take care of you (instead of taking on everything yourself) (9:41)
• The debilitating effects of negative feelings when you don't take enough time to process them. (11:20)
• How you can reap the restorative benefits of your childlike energy. (12:52)
• Why you shouldn't feel guilty about taking time for yourself. (16:26)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

In this episode, I'm exploring a topic that touches all of us, yet one we so rarely anticipate: setbacks. I'll also reveal the art (and the necessity) of bouncing back from setbacks, how instead of defining us, they can shape us, helping us grow stronger, wiser, and more resilient.

I'm going to talk about the two different types of setbacks—permanent losses and temporary obstacles—and help you understand which ones require letting go and which call for persistence. I'm going to walk you through my "Bounce-Back Blueprint," a straightforward, three-step process that can help you recover from disappointments, extract meaningful lessons, reexamine your goals, and move forward with fresh energy and clarity.

If you've ever gotten thrown off course, whether in your career, relationships, or personal pursuits, this episode will offer practical advice and encouragement to help you regain your momentum and step boldly into your next chapter.

Show Highlights:

• Making sense of setbacks and resilience before bouncing back. [01:19]
• The type of setback the Bounce-Back Blueprint resolves. [02:47]
• The art of finding the lesson in a setback. [05:43]
• The power of seeing that life is "for" you. [07:01]
• Reevaluating goals after learning from a setback. [08:16]
• Learn to pause, recover, and then recommit. [09:58]
• A real-life scenario with the Bounce-Back Blueprint in action. [12:00]
• Plateauing with setbacks vs. rising with a comeback. [14:20]
• Do you need support from the Brilliant Balance community? [15:27]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

We all have those seasons - the ones that we experience as a surge. Fast. Full. Little time to rest. 

They take up most of our time and energy. And we need more concentration and agility just to stay afloat and not go under.

This can be hard, but it can also be JOYFUL and EXCITING.

The goal is to get through these busy seasons with your mental, emotional, and physical health intact and your relationships still healthy.

Because busy seasons never stop coming.

So how can you maintain a healthy lifestyle through these busy seasons?

Today I'll share a behind the scenes peek  into my recent busy season and what I'm doing to handle it. You'll learn how to keep your health and sanity intact during your own surges!

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The simple language shift that instantly puts me in a better headspace (use this once you're in a busy season) (0:45)
• A behind the scenes peek into my recent busy season and how I'm handling it. (3:26)
• Why the traditional narrative around busy seasons is harmful (and a better mindset to approach it with). (10:29)
• How you can keep your health and sanity in check during these busy seasons. (13:14)
• Why it's critical for you to get through a busy season with your health and relationships intact. (16:23)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

The mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee brought the school shooting count to 89 for the year in the U.S alone.

Guns are now the leading cause of deaths in children and teens. As a parent who speaks to an audience of parents, this is horrifying. We simply must find ways to curtail these acts of gun violence before they happen.

Why?

So we're not just left cleaning up the aftermath, putting traumatized children through therapy and counting our dead.

That's why I invited Dawn Lyons to join me for this episode.

Dawn is a former colleague and also a  Brilliant Balance alum. She's now the COO of Sandy Hook Promise, an organization dedicated to preventing gun violence in schools, homes, and communities.

In this episode, you'll learn how to spot patterns of behavior that can precede violence so you know how to proactively deal with it. If you've found yourself wanting to DO something when you watch these stories unfold, listen in.

Show Highlights Include:

• The tragedy that led to building Sandy Hook Promise (and how they're making sure you don't experience the heartbreak and pain they did). (5:00)
• Why the weakened general mental health in teens and kids since 2020 along with the rise in gun purchases in the U.S should not be taken lightly. (9:35)
• The critical behavioral warning signs of impending gun violence (this will help you recognize and stop imminent threats) (18:40)
• Why you should curb violent language in children as early and frequently as possible. (20:44)
• Specific actions you can take in your own home and community to dampen the spread of gun violence. (23:42)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Visit the Sandy Hook Promise website:
sandyhookpromise.org/

We're wired to hustle. We've been trained to hustle since childhood and most of us don't know any other way.

From babysitting, to working through college, to working through grad school. We don't know any other way to navigate life than by grinding it out.

But there are certain seasons in which we should slow down, because rushing at the same pace during that time would be detrimental to our physical, emotional and mental health.

How do you know when to switch out of hustle mode and slow down?

In this episode, I'll give you some ideas about when you might want to switch into your anti-hustle mode for a while. You'll learn why slowing down is important, even if it feels foreign at first.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• How my maternity leave allowed me to soak up the experience of being a mother and bond with my babies. (and why you might consider taking one if you can). (3:23)
• Could a gap year be the right step for your child?. (8:09)
• The characteristics of a season to dial it back and switch into anti-hustle mode. (13:46)
• Why it's important to should slow down when you're between chapters (19:34)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Conflict is something we often try to avoid. 

But that's not something to be proud of. Want to know why?

If you'd rather be a people pleaser and ignore the things that bug you rather than face them head on - it can fester resentment and erode your relationships.

Or…

You can face the situation head on and have a courageous conversation. You can soften the conflict and move the relationship forward.

So how can you learn how to have these courageous conversations?

In this episode, I'll show you how to avoid unproductive, emotional conflicts. I'll give you the exact framework you can use to build conversations that lead to conflict resolution.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The two ways you can approach conflicts (and why the second one will relieve you of emotional burden). (1:39)
• Why approaching conflicts with raging emotions resolves nothing (and an alternate way to handle conflicts that leads to resolution). (9:48) 
• A framework you can follow to hold conversations that lead to healthy conflict resolution. (18:25)
• Why it is important to shift into 'listener' mode after airing your frustrations. (22:24)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

Finish lines have a powerful allure to them.

They inspire us to begin important journeys and give us strong motivation to go after our goals.

However, sometimes we misinterpret which parts of our lives need finish lines, so we approach everything the same way and wind up overloaded.

If this sounds like you, there's a way you can find a cadence you can sustain as you pursue  your goals all while reserving essential energy.

How?

In this episode, I'll reveal how using finish lines the wrong way can drain you mentally and physically. You'll discover how to mentally reposition yourself so you can attack your goals and achieve them with the same vigor but at a sustained, healthy pace.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Why finish lines have a powerful allure (and how they help drive us towards our goals) (4:46)
• The dark side of finish lines we need to be aware of. (8:03)
• How using finish lines can overload you and drain your mental and physical stamina completely. (9:09)
• Why planning finish lines around positive behaviors is unsustainable in the long run (and why some finish lines aren't really finish lines) (10:15)
• The mental reframe you can adopt to reserve energy to sustain those positive behaviors. (15:39)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule 

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly 

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/ 

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance 

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057 

You might be a perfectionist if…

You're restless and discontent with anything that is incomplete, operating at over-capacity and running yourself ragged to get things just the way you like them.

Or you might start LOTS of projects and never finish them. Or you might work REALLY hard to get people to like you.

It turns out there's not just one kind of perfectionist, but nearly all the faces of perfectionism cause the person exhibiting them to be labeled negatively.

The truth is: perfectionism has gotten a bad rap.

But what if we can own our perfectionism and reframe it as an integral part of our personality. And what if we can even transform that perfectionism into a powerful force?

In this episode, I interview the brilliant Katherine Morgan Schafler, a seasoned therapist who has worked with ambitious perfectionistic women for years. She enlightens us about the different types of perfectionism, and how to own our perfectionism and harness it as the powerful force it is.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Why perfectionists feel disappointed by imperfection (and how you can be a healthy perfectionist) (8:54)
• The biggest misconception about perfectionism (and what perfectionism really is). (14:26)
• The 5 perfectionist types (and the pros and cons of each). (22:31)
• Why this category of perfectionists should endeavor to manage their perfectionism (and what happens when they don't.) (27:37)
• How to accept your perfectionism and channel it to produce real power (and why not everyone can be one). (31:55)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Find Katherine's book and the Quiz at: https://perfectionistsguide.com

There's a voice in our head…and it isn't very nice.

Labeling us, attacking our insecurities, and constantly making us feel like we're just not good enough..

If we let it, this negative inner dialogue can really take us under, keeping us stuck and even making us question who we truly are.

But we can change that negative dialogue to a positive one. We can start our day motivated and move through it full of energy. We can be inspired to take action on your goals.

How?

In this episode, I explain how to give that inner voice a character and quality that supports you, motivates you, and drives you to take action.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The two types of inner dialogue that can incapacitate you (and how to recognize them). (2:00)
• How to tune into your inner voice so you can successfully shift your inner dialogue (and build your truest, wisest and most embodied self). (6:14)
• 3 inner voices you can adopt to pull yourself in a positive direction) (instead of engaging in negative inner dialogue). (7:57)
• How developing a 'dog-voice' can improve your mood and keep you rooted in the present. (8:04)
• The kind of inner voice you can use to provide insights for yourself to take action. (10:39)
• How being a coach to yourself can give you encouragement and motivation exactly when you need it. (13:21)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

We are working all the time. And not always in the classical sense: going to an office, burning late hours etc.

Instead, we use most of our waking hours to do things that feel like work. Whether it's calls taken from the car, scheduling people to do other work, taking care of our parents, or organizing new projects.

There is always something to be done. And we never feel like we are ever completely finished.

That's why we don't know how to truly rest, how to savor the peace that comes with recharging and having a life outside work.

So how do we find time to rest? And how do we maximize that rest period without being unsettled about what we've left undone?

In this episode, I reveal how you can build tolerance for "the undone". You'll discover how to use your rest time to properly recover yourself without fretting over what is still waiting for you…

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• What 'otium' is and how Ancient Romans used it to participate in stimulating activities (and how you can use it to move to a state of flourishing). (4:06)
• Why we spend hours mindlessly scrolling instead of truly resting. (9:43)
• Four ways you can build tolerance to manage the undone (so you can fully have time to yourself for noble leisure). (17:44)
• The critical first step to wrapping your head around how much undone activity you have to tackle. (12:35)
• Why you should use this 'time-limit' method to manage the undone and finish tasks. (15:41)
• How to give yourself mental freedom to tolerate tasks being undone. (20:16)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Merging professional ambition with managing your home life isn't easy, but I think it's worth it. While you may constantly have to task-switch between meeting professional goals and meeting the needs of your family, the satisfaction that comes from having a foot in each world runs deep.

The question is - what do we do with the guilt?! Wondering how our professional ambition will affect our kids keeps a lot of working women up at night, and that's why my guest today decided to investigate.

In this episode, I interview Lara Bazelon: attorney, law professor, and author of the book: Ambitious Like a Mother. Lara and I discuss how we can dance with work-life balance, embrace our ambitions and model for our children what it means to live a truly purposeful life.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Why the word 'ambition' holds a negative meaning for women (and how looking past that can help you achieve your goals faster) (6:24)
• The three mother-child archetypes (and how they differ in work-home balance) (7:58)
• Why it's important to model vulnerability as a leader in the workplace (17:44)
• Why the children of working mothers fare slightly better than stay at home mothers (26:51)
• The boring conversations we have to hash out when starting a relationship (instead of going into it blindly) (29:37)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Check out Lara Bazelon's website: http://www.larabazelon.com/

Atlantic Article by Lara Bazelon - "The End of Mom Guilt": https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/working-mom-career-women-guilt/629364/

I've spent a LOT of time talking to women in midlife, women who have to constantly re-balance the competing demands of their professional lives and family responsibilities to make room for some FUN.

And a sad little secret of this life stage is that a lot of us don't actually like our lives very much. We've done all the things that are supposed to deliver us to the 'promised land'. We have the careers, the homes, the cars, the families. But we feel like we're not quite there yet.

And it can feel like we'll never get there.

So how are you supposed to take the pieces of your life and rearrange them into one you actually enjoy living?

There's one simple way you can start.

And that's by building a better day.

In this episode, I'll share with you a few ideas on how to start creating a life you love by building one great day at a time. You'll learn how to string together these ideas to design a life you truly like.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• The best place to start to create a life you actually like. (3:03)
• 5 ideas you can use to start creating a better life by building a great day. (4:22)
• Why prioritizing sleep is important for you to have a good day. (6:00)
• The 'last things first' approach and how it ensures you get the most important things done. (9:21)
• How thinking smaller instead of bigger can help you create fulfilling experiences (and reduce the pressure of a big goal). (13:40)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Today, I'm taking a close look at the invisible pressures so many ambitious women, including myself, face while trying to have it all. If you've ever felt like you're constantly running… juggling work demands, family obligations, and the endless "extras" that keep life moving, this episode is for you.

I'm calling out the unrealistic expectations we're accepting including the invisible labor trap, and explaining why it can feel like we're playing in a rigged game. I'll help you recognize the hidden work you do, explore why it often goes unnoticed, and, most importantly, show you how to redefine what's actually reasonable for your life.

Join me for actionable insights, some deeply needed reality checks, and a powerful permission slip to stop overcompensating for a system that isn't serving you. 

Show Highlights:

• Spot the self-perpetuating trap of invisible labor. [03:20]
• Beware of non-promotable work volunteerism. [05:23]
• Consider the hidden costs of the invisible labor trap. [07:48]
• Are you underreporting your unseen contributions? [09:19]
• The problem of managing perception, not reality. [11:14]
• The power of reframing and making work visible. [14:06]
• Reclaim your agency in a rigged game to redefine success. [15:07]
• Recognize what's not a "you" problem. [19:14]
• Action steps to unlock agency without guilt. [20:28]
• Reach out for support, plus, share and spread the balance. [22:27]

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Have you ever felt like you're underwater? You have your head down, you're swimming hard and just trying to get through whatever life throws at you.

We've all been there at some point in our lives.

It happens when you're struggling to keep your business afloat, or dealing with career upheaval, or taking extra care of a family member.

It's not easy.

In these dark and difficult times, we need light more than ever. When we're deep underwater, we need to come up for air, find a little normalcy and just breathe.

In this episode, I'll share with you why you need to come up for air when you feel like you're drowning. You'll discover why you tend to resist coming up for air, and I'll show you how to break through that resistance.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• 3 situations you find yourself in that feel like you're swimming underwater. (04:01)
• Why you need to come up for air instead of fighting for your life underwater. (06:28)
• 5 reasons we resist the opportunity to come up for air. (07:39)
• The 'Atlas' savior complex and how it stops us from giving ourselves a break. (11:30)
• How you can push past that resistance so you can get the air you need using this 'build-up' method. (16:36)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

Join our private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

Midlife is a life chapter I see a lot of women struggle with.

It's a time you suddenly start questioning everything you've devoted yourself to for the last couple of decades. All your carefully laid plans don't seem to make sense anymore. 

You tend to ask: Is this all there is to it? Am I doing enough? Am I enough?

Women that experience the midlife blahs go through a range of tough emotions: a sense of boredom, emptiness or sadness. And while it may be mild for some people, it can be intense and hard for others.

But you don't have to endure or get comfortable with the midlife blahs. You can shake yourself out of this cycle and find meaning in your life again.

In this episode, I'll reveal 5 signs you should look out for to recognize if you're in the mid-life blahs. You'll discover how to regain your sense of excitement, vibrancy and fulfillment.

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

• Why midlife crisis doesn't always mean a middle aged man with an expensive sports car and younger girlfriend (and the actual effects of mid-life on women)  (1:46)
• 5 signs you're experiencing the mid-life blahs. (2:41)
• Why you shouldn't get comfortable in the mid-life blahs (and how to feel a sense of fulfillment again) (11:43)
• The 'mix-it-up' trick you can use to help yourself stop feeling like you live on autopilot (and how it wakes your brain to a fresh perspective).(12:56)
• How this 'weekly tracking' routine helps if things just don't excite you anymore. (14:37)
• How to find meaning and clarity in your life on a day to day basis (without the crushing weight of figuring out your entire life) (16:18)
• The 'micro-change' technique you can use to take pressure off yourself (while generating momentum and excitement in your life). (19:07)

Interested in coaching with Brilliant Balance? Schedule an exploratory call here: http://www.brilliant-balance.com/schedule

Subscribe to The Brilliant Balance Weekly and we'll deliver it to your digital doorstep each Tuesday: http://www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Need a few moments of peace? Listen to our free 5-Minute Meditation: http://www.brilliant-balance.com/breathe/

Follow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/brilliant_balance

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Do most women know how to set boundaries??

Not at all. We rarely protect time for ourselves. We always delay the mini adventures in our life because our kid gets sick, or there's a surprise meeting, or that one extra-needy friend calls.

And what happens when we stand up for ourselves? We feel guilt, shame, anger, and resentment when we impose boundaries.

But in order to take our careers to the next level, and have a happier marriage and family life, we NEED to impose boundaries.

And when you set boundaries, the feelings of guilt, shame , anger, and resentment come flooding back.

So in today's episode, my guest, Heather Chauvin, TedX speaker and founder of the Emotionally Uncomfortable podcast, reveals how to set boundaries (without feeling guilt or shame.)

Listen now!

Show Highlights Include:

• The counter-intuitive reason why you have less control in your overall life when you spend 3 hours making sure your hair is perfect (5:18)
• How you become an obsessive control freak by purchasing $1,000 self-help books (8:27)
• The "hermit crab in a shell" secret to skyrocketing past your comfort zone (and blast through your next life hurdle) (16:29)
• How to unlock an unbreakable mindset instantly by potentially giving yourself hypothermia for 60 seconds (20:35)
• Why leaving your needy friend on "seen" for 24 hours liberates your feelings of guilt, shame, and need (26:26)
• How to take time off, and go for that hike with your best friend with the "10 minute habit" (30:17)

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Connect with Heather here: https://heatherchauvin.com