Explore every episode of the podcast The Balance Theory

You’ve been trying to do it all. And somehow you still end up feeling guilty, scattered and not fully present anywhere. The problem isn’t that you want more. It’s the belief that you have to carry all of it at once. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Joey Djia, singer-songwriter, content creator, founder of baby and parenting brand Little & Co and mum of two sets of twins, to unpack the reality of being an ambitious working mum who also wants to be a deeply present one. Joey shares what it was like to raise four babies one and under, how motherhood changed her capacity but not her ambition and how she handles mum guilt while building businesses from home. This is not a guide to doing it all perfectly. It is an honest conversation about holding two truths at once. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "Did I even hold them today, just because I wanted to?" "Why do I feel so guilty taking a day to work?" "I'm here with my kids, but my brain is on my inbox." "Will having kids mean putting my dreams on hold?" "Being a mum is everything to me, but it's not all I am." Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Joey cover: • What it was really like finding out she was having twins, twice, and raising four babies one and under • How Joey went from X Factor and a record deal to forensic science, teaching and building her own businesses • Why her ambition didn't change after kids but her capacity did, and how she's learning to work with it • The honest truth about mum guilt, including why taking a day to work can feel like leaving your kids behind • The part of her pre-mum identity she consciously protects and the fear that drives it • How she shows up as the version of herself she wants her kids to learn from, even on the chaotic days • What motherhood triggers taught her about her own childhood and the invisible load • Why some kinds of help are still hard for her to accept • What she wishes she knew about C-sections, plus the most unnecessary and most worth it baby items • How she balances being present with capturing content and her dream working mum set up. You do not have to choose between the mum you want to be and the life you want to build. Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios ⁠@pivotalconversations⁠ Book a session: ⁠https://www.pivotalconversations.ai SPONSORS Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible: 📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/ 🧑‍⚕️ TALK SPACE: Get $80 off your first month with promo code 'SPACE80' at https://www.talkspace.com/ CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram - Joey Dija 🛍️ Little&Co TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (03:46) I’ve had 9 lives (07:14) Is singing still important to you? (09:17) I had 4 babies 1 and under (18:08) What I underestimated about going from 2 to 4 (19:55) I wish I knew this about a C-Section before I had one (23:46) An ordinary day in our house (26:44) I'm a walking contradiction (to be honest) (29:03) What motherhood triggers do you have? (36:58 ) Are you good at asking for help? (40:13) Truth about mum guilt (42:14) Switching from work mode to mum mode (44:44) What part of your pre-mum identity are you protecting? (45:48) How was your ambition changed by motherhood? (55:34 ) Why did you start a business? (57:01) The most unnecessary baby items (1:00:33) Raising 4 kids not 2 sets of twins (1:02:50) Unsolicited CRAZY advice I've received (01:06:26) Balancing being present and capturing content (01:11:34) Ideal working mum set up WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You do not have to chase what is meant for you. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is step back... and let it come to you. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Margarita Nazarenko, author of Unbothered: The Art of Letting Go to Find Yourself and host of the BEING HER podcast, to unpack what it means to detach. Margarita shares how she moved from anxious attachment to feeling secure and why anxious and avoidant attachment styles stem from the same fear. Detachment is not about becoming cold or pretending you do not care. It is about letting go of others' perceptions so you can live as yourself. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "Why hasn't he replied yet?" "I am doing everything right, so why is nothing working?" "What did I do wrong?" "I care so much about what people think of me." "I am always doing everything for everyone." Then this episode is for you. Erika and Margarita cover: • How Margarita went from anxious attachment to feeling secure and confident • Why chasing approval and validation pushes away what you want • The 4 steps to stop abandoning yourself, including the 60 minute hack • How to identify whose approval you are chasing and why • What being unbothered really means and why it is not being avoidant • The good girl tax and the cost of always being useful but never happy • How to reinvent yourself and handle others' reactions • Friendship circles and family proximity zones that ease relationship pressure • A writing exercise to separate reality from the story in your head • Why motherhood brings new challenges and what an unbothered man looks like When you stop chasing and start choosing yourself, you make room for everything you want to find you. Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios Book a session here SPONSORS Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible: 🤖 GRANOLA: Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call. 🍳 CARAWAY: Visit ⁠https://www.carawayhome.com/BALANCE⁠ or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase 🪥 OLLIE: Go to https://olliesmile.com and enter code 'BALANCE' for 10% off your order! 📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/ CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/margarita.nazarenko YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Margarita.Nazarenko TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (05:40) This Is WHY I wasn't getting anything I wanted (07:55) What did you have to stop doing? (8:26) 4 steps to stop abandoning yourself (16:03) Working out whose approval you're chasing (18:14 ) How to be unbothered (19:37) Anxious v Avoidant attachment styles (22:49) Good girl tax (25:58) How do I change who I've always been? (33:15) What responsibility do we have to be considerate of others? (35:25) How do you deal with fall out with others when you change? (37:50) Try these 'proximity zones' with family (40:28) 4 zones in your friendships to learn (42:35) Start here to become unbothered/detached today (50:05) Why does motherhood bother you? (52:29) Should you teach kids to be unbothered? (55:37) This surprised me the most (57:35) What would an unbothered man look like? ( 1:04:22) Would you use an AI Twin? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠My personal IG ⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ ⁠Substack⁠ 📸 ⁠Instagram⁠ 📱⁠Tiktok⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You finally get a moment to yourself… but you’re too exhausted to do anything with it. The workout you wanted to do. The book you keep meaning to read. The habit you promised you’d stick to. They get pushed to tomorrow, and somehow tomorrow keeps looking exactly the same. If you’ve been thinking, “I have no time for myself,” “Why can’t I stay consistent?” or “How does everyone else manage to do it all?” this episode is for you. I know what it feels like to finish the day with nothing left for yourself. To be busy all day, but still feel like you haven’t made time for the things that matter to you. In this solo episode, I’m sharing six simple strategies that helped me break that cycle—and could help you feel more energised, use your time more intentionally, and finally make room for yourself. If you’re struggling with time management, building habits, staying consistent, or finding the motivation to exercise and work towards your goals, this is a practical place to start. You don’t need a perfect routine or a complete life overhaul. You need a starting point that fits your actual life. You deserve more than getting through the day and hoping you’ll have energy left over. Download the free workbook HERE to follow along Newsletter sign up HERE SPONSORS 🏃‍♀️ FABLETICS: Shop now at Fabletics.com/BALANCE to get 70- 80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP (be sure to select 'BALANCE' when prompted to unlock this offer)! 🧑‍⚕️ TALKSPACE: Get $80 off your first month with promo code 'SPACE80' at https://www.talkspace.com/ 💵 CASH APP: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/oe4ya755  #CashAppPod #CashAppPartner  Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants.Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12.Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (02:07) Strategy 1 (04:40) Strategy 2 (09:32) Strategy 3 (16:56) Strategy 4 (20:18) Strategy 5 (25:02) Strategy 6 (27:07) BONUS Tip (life changing) WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She built a brand from nothing at 22 with no financial backing and an industry full of doubt... and fully backed her self anyway. This kind of confidence is inspirational, so turn the volume up for this one! In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Sammy Robinson, founder of One Mile and content creator of over a decade, to unpack what it actually takes to build something on your own when the people around you are unsure. This is not a masterclass on starting a fashion brand. It is the honest story of what confidence, risk and burnout look like behind a business that looks like it has it all together. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "Am I crazy for wanting to do this differently" "Everyone around me is being realistic but it feels wrong to me" "I don't want to let the people who rely on me down" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Sammy cover: • Why Sammy backed herself at 22 with no financial backing and no one telling her it was a good idea • The real reason she chose to build a brand instead of buying property in her early twenties • What it actually felt like to be underestimated as a young founder • Why she believes staying a little delusional is necessary when you are building something from nothing • The moment she realised she had completely burnt herself out running the brand and the social side at once • The health scare that forced her to put herself first for the first time in her career • The daily boundaries and non negotiables she now protects no matter what • Why she has almost stopped capturing content and what that says about where she is at in her life • How she thinks about authenticity, AI and standing out in a saturated creator economy • What success actually means to her now that she has built the financial freedom she once worked for Wherever you are in your own journey right now, Sammy's story is proof that you do not need everyone's permission to start and you do not have to lose yourself to build something real. Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios @pivotalconversations Book a session: https://www.pivotalconversations.ai SPONSORS 🤖 Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call. 🧴 Go to https://www.Timeline.com/BALANCE20 to shop the full-size Timeline Mitopure Resurfacing Exfoliator and save up to 20% CONNECT Instagram - Sammy Robinson One Mile - Link to One Mile with Code “ERIKA15” for 15% YouTube TIME STAMP (00:00) Introduction(03:35) High school Sammy and her early sense of self(09:47) What it felt like when her early YouTube videos went viral(12:58) Did she ever have to play a character online(14:14) Starting One Mile at 22(10:59) How she landed on the vision for the brand(18:40) Betting her savings on One Mile instead of buying property(20:06) Being underestimated as a 22 year old founder(22:21 ) The reality of the first 12 months running a business(24:10 ) What made her decide to open a bricks and mortar store(26:00) What opening stores unlocked in her as a leader(27:44) Learning to trust her team and let go of control(32:09) Is she naturally more Type A or Type B(33:35) How she actually makes decisions, intuition versus logic(36:50) Her advice for anyone wanting to start a personal brand(39:14) Evolving faster than the business and the cost of carrying it all(42:00) Turning 30 and taking the year to travel(43:20) What success actually means to her now(46:49) The health scare that forced her to slow down(49:22) The boundaries and daily rules she lives by now(51:13) Her one non-negotiable for a good day(57:15) Reflecting on her 20s in one word(59:08) How content creation has changed for her after a decade(1:01:34) How AI is changing the creator economy(1:03:16) How to be authentic online without overthinking it(1:08:20) Was there ever a day she wanted to quit(1:09:05) Her ten-year vision for One Mile(1:11:14) Who inspires her WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a conversation about confidence like you've never heard before. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Alexis Fernandez, a leading performance coach, speaker, and author whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, mindset, and high performance. She also is the host of the Do You F*cking Mind podcast. Today they unpack what real self assurance actually looks like once you take away the job title, other people's expectations and how you look. This is not a pep talk about ignoring everyone and doing whatever you want. It is an honest conversation about where the line sits between healthy care and living through someone else's eyes, and what it takes to move it. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I know they will be disappointed if I do this." "Why do I feel like I have to prove I am a good person?" "I care more about what they think of me than what I think of me." "Who am I if I take away my job and what I have achieved?" "I want to feel like myself again." Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Alexis cover: - The red flags that your sense of self is not as grounded as you think - How to know who you are without your job, your achievements or your relationships - Why becoming more confident often means letting the people you love down and how to do it kindly - The difference between healthy love and love that only shows up when you meet expectations - How to build confidence that does not depend on how you look or what people say - Whether you can accept yourself and still want to change how you look - How to hold onto the version of you that you became when life changes around you - Why rock bottom is often where the biggest changes start - What social media and scrolling are doing to your focus and memory, and how to reverse it - How to stay ambitious when your capacity changes, including motherhood and burnout - What actually happens to the brain in pregnancy and postpartum You do not need anyone's permission to become who you already are. Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios @pivotalconversations Book a session SPONSORS Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible: 🏠 TUMBLE - Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping tumbleliving.com/BALANCE #Tumble #ad 🍳 CARAWAY - I've loved using Caraway for 2+ years! Visit Carawayhome.com/BALANCE or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase. CONNECT 📸 Instagram 🎙️ Do You F*cking Mind podcast TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction(02:41) Why Alexis studied neuroscience(06:06) How the DYFM podcast format came to be(07:59) Tough love vs tearing yourself down(11:00) Why people at rock bottom make the biggest changes(17:57) Alexis's worst year and the one way ticket to Paris(21:48) Holding onto who you became when you move home(25:10) The red flags your sense of self is not grounded(28:56) Knowing who you are without your job title(32:46) Why becoming yourself means letting people down(38:53) Can you accept yourself and still change how you look?(46:42) How Alexis feels about ageing(51:45) Motherhood, fertility and finding out about twins(59:28) Has motherhood changed her ambition?(1:01:41) When your capacity changes but your ambition does not(1:08:38) What happens to the brain in pregnancy and postpartum(1:12:21) What social media is doing to your focus(1:17:45) Is the doomscrolling brain reversible?(1:21:11) Kids, screens and self regulation(1:26:43) Would Alexis ever use an AI version of herself?(1:30:44) Can content creators ever be fully present? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are allowed to let go of the rules and routines that no longer fit your healthiest self, and this episode might just be the permission slip and re-evaluation you've been waiting for. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Dominique Elissa, founder of Selfdom, for a conversation that moves through pregnancy, body image, grief and gratitude, and keeps landing on the same question: what does it actually mean to be well when your body, your routine and your world are all changing at once? This is not another conversation about doing more, optimising harder or adding one more rule to your routine. It is an honest look at why flexibility, not discipline, is what actually makes you well. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I am doing all the right things and it still is not enough" "My body is changing and none of this feels like mine anymore" "I want to trust what my body is telling me instead of following another rule" "I know gratitude is supposed to help, but some days it feels impossible to even try" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Dominique cover: - Why being told she wasn't "good enough" for a modelling job changed the way Dominique saw her own body - The moment Dominique realised her wellness rules were about control, not about actually feeling good - How pregnancy is reshaping her relationship with discipline, structure and flexibility - Why rigidity can cap your life experience more than it protects you - Grieving a parent while building a family of your own - What Dominique wants her children to know about their Nonna - Why gratitude only works when it is practised consistently, not just in the hardest moments - A simple explanation of cycle syncing and why most women are never taught it - How to stop wellness tracking from becoming another source of pressure - Whether a content creator can ever really be present, and where Dominique draws the line Wherever you are in your own version of change, whether that is your body, your habits or your grief, this conversation is proof the flexible path can be the healthiest one too. SPONSORS: 🤖 Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call. 🧑‍⚕️ Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/BALANCE #rulapod Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios @pivotalconversations https://www.instagram.com/pivotalconversations Book a session: https://www.pivotalconversations.ai CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- https://www.instagram.com/dominiquelissa/ 🌎 Website - https://www.selfdom.au - For 20% off use the code “BALANCETHEORY” TIMESTAMP (00:00) Introduction (07:14) What did you think your future would look like? (18:09) They cancelled my job because my belly wasn’t “big enough” (20:31) Having anchors that make you, you (21:31) Wellness habits that are more about control than a benefit (25:04) How do you manage your self-talk? (26:59) How has pregnancy changed the way you grieve your mum? (30:19) What would you want your kids to know about their Nonna? (31:16) Everyone should ask their mums this (36:43) Does gratitude actually work in your hardest moments? (42:49) Cycle syncing: What you need to know (51:36) The role of intuition when you’re pregnant (56:15) Can a content creator ever fully be present? (58:47) Will you post your child on social media? (1:00:22) What does wellness mean to you today? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some realisations don’t just make you think... they permanently change the way you see your life. In this episode, I’m sharing 13 powerful realisations, mindset shifts and life lessons that you can’t unhear once you’ve heard them. The kind of ideas that instantly make you question the way you’ve been approaching your goals, relationships, confidence, habits, happiness and the person you’re becoming. These aren’t complicated self-development theories or another list of things you need to “fix” about yourself. They’re simple perspective shifts that have genuinely changed the way I think, make decisions, handle difficult seasons and move through life and I know at LEAST one of them will shift something in you too. If you’ve been feeling stuck, putting pressure on yourself to have everything figured out, or simply want a fresh perspective on your life, this episode is for you. Because sometimes, changing your life doesn’t require changing everything. Sometimes you just need to SEE something differently. And welcome back to our solo episodes, I missed these SO much! Let me know if you want to keep seeing more :) SPONSORS: Thank you SO MUCH to today's sponsors, you can check them out here: 💪 SUPERPOWER: Take control of your health with Superpower. Head over to Superpower.com and use code 'BALANCE' for $20 off your $199 Superpower membership. 👑 PRIMAL QUEEN: Our listeners get a FREE MONTH of Primal Queen plus FOUR FREE GIFTS at PrimalQueen.com/BALANCE. #ad #sponsors EPISODE LINKS: 🎥 Episode with Najwa Zebian 🎥 Episode with Shereen Mitwali 📱 Joe Hudson IG TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (00:42) Realisation 1 (02:20) Realisation 2  (04:43) Realisation 3 (06:16) Realisation 4 (08:34) Realisation 5 (11:15) Realisation 6 (12:14) Realisation 7 (13:46) Realisation 8 (17:13) Realisation 9 (18:16) Realisation 10 (18:27) Realisation 11 (19:08) Realisation 12 (20:18) Realisation 13 WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She did everything herself. She carried everyone. She showed up perfectly while quietly paying a cost she never even knew she was paying. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Dr Neeta Bhushan, 4x author, host of the top mental health podcast The Brave Table and founder of Chaitionics, for one of the most honest conversations about what it actually costs to be the woman who does it all. This is not a conversation about burnout or boundaries. It is about the moment you realise you have been performing your whole life for everyone else and what it looks like to finally stop. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "It is just easier to do it myself" "I am done carrying everyone but I do not know how to stop" "I show up for everyone but nobody shows up for me" "I did not even realise how much this was costing me" "I have been the strong one for so long I do not know who I am without it" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Dr Neeta cover: What it costs to be the woman who does everything herself and why nobody talks about it How performing for everyone else quietly disconnects you from yourself Why not every yes is worth saying and how to know the difference What it actually means to be both grounded and ambitious at the same time How to hold space for big goals without urgency or force Why your most successful trait might be the thing blocking your creativity What motherhood reveals about the stories you have been telling yourself The Fly Forward Framework and how to use it to move forward without burning out Why being a beginner again is one of the most powerful things you can do What you would say to the person you lost if you had one more conversation The cost of doing everything yourself is real. This episode is what nobody told you about it. SPONSORS: 🍳 ⁠⁠CARAWAY⁠⁠: I've loved using Caraway for 2+ years! Visit Carawayhome.com/BALANCE or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase 💧⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠ Use the code 'ERIKA' at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.aquatru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a 20% off CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎤⁠Ted Talk ⁠ 📚 Books 🌿 Chai Tonics TIMESTAMP (00:00) Introduction (09:20) Mentors, the American Dream and Masking Emotions (15:11) I'm done carrying everyone! (21:08) Can you be grounded and ambitious? (27:26) The Balance Theory (30:43) Don't say yes to every opportunity (35:27) This is blocking your creativity (41:48) Motherhood will humble you (43:41) Fly Forward Framework (50:27) I teach this and I still struggle with this (53:57) What do you want your daughter to learn about success from you? (57:10) What would you ask your late mum? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ RESOURCES ▶︎⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 25 Day Self Development Marathon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21 Day Self Growth Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goal Setting System E-Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don't need more consistency, clarity or strategy if you are struggling with even putting yourself out there in the first place... and the good news is, working through this is simpler than you think. Whether you work for yourself, someone else, have your own business or are a content creator, then this episode is the kick starter you need to move past all of those fears & uncertainties and CLAIM the opportunities that are waiting for you!  In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Reim, CEO, Executive Producer, Founder, and Content Visibility Expert, to unpack what it actually means to show up online in 2026. This is not another lecture about hustling for followers. It is a real conversation about the fear, the excuses, and the exact shifts that make visibility feel natural instead of forced. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I don't want to watch myself on camera" "I don't know what parts of my life I should share" "Posting online will make me less credible at work" "I keep starting and stopping and never staying consistent" "Everyone's watching but nobody's engaging, is this even working" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Reim cover: - Why a resume alone isn't enough to get opportunities in 2026 - The real reason you feel nervous or awkward showing up on camera - How to figure out what parts of your life you actually want to share online - Why finding your niche advice is often misleading, and what to focus on instead - How to build an authentic personal brand without oversharing your private life - What it really means to be strategic with content without overengineering every post - Why consistency isn't the metric that actually grows your visibility  - ow to know if your content is working beyond likes and comments - Why the people who leapfrog you in opportunities are usually just more visible, not more qualified - What your online legacy says about you, and why it matters more than you think Visibility is not about being loud, it is about finally being seen for the work you have already done. SPONSORS: 🏥 KINSYN: Head to kinsyn.com/balancetheory and use promo code “balancetheory” at checkout to save 20% off your first subscription order. 🍃BRANCH BASICS: Get 15% off Branch Basics with the code BALANCE at https://branchbasics.com/BALANCE #branchbasicspod CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ted Talk TIMESTAMP (00:00) Introduction (05:51) You're Not Confident Posting Because of THIS (09:15) Tips If You're Scared of What Other People Think (16:48) How Do I Decide What Parts of Myself I Want to Share Online? (20:04) Does EVERYONE Need to be creating content in 2026? (22:03) Content Can Make You Stand Out as an Employee Like THIS (29:50) Getting Rid of Your FEAR of Showing Up Online (33:18) Strategising Without Over-Engineering (38:16) How to Make Posting Feel Natural (40:26) Clarity First or Just Getting Started? (44:12) Should You Post More of What Everyone Likes? (51:03) What Is Your Online Legacy? (56:18) Growth You Get From Becoming Visible (56:48) Today’s Challenge: Try THIS Today WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your ambition has not gone anywhere. Life just pulled the handbrake. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Nicki Bedford, founder of Founders Official and former Head of Asia Pacific at BuzzFeed, for one of the most honest conversations about what ambition actually looks like when life forces you to slow down. This is not a conversation about giving up or settling. It is about what happens when your drive is bigger than your current capacity and how slowing down might be the very thing that gets you there faster. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I can't afford to slow down right now" "I wish I could do more but something keeps holding me back" "I feel behind no matter how hard I work" "I know where I am going but I can't move at the pace I want" "My identity feels tied to my output and I don't know who I am without it" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Nicki cover: - What the forced slowdown actually does to your ambition and why it is not what you think - Why your identity being tied to your output is keeping you stuck not moving forward - How to move through inner conflict when your ambition and your capacity are at war - Why slowing down will catapult your success faster than grinding ever will - The two questions to ask yourself when your behaviour is contradicting your goals - What happens right before people make it and how to recognise that season - How to hold space for big ambition and presence with yourself at the same time - Why there is no deadline to figuring out your life and what that actually means - The sales skill everyone needs and how to pitch yourself without feeling pushy - Where AI is a no-go and why your humanness is your biggest competitive advantage You do not have to choose between your ambition and your wellbeing. This episode is the proof. SPONSORS:   ⚪ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HUEL⁠ ⁠- Limited Time Offer - Make healthy eating simple. Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BALANCE at ⁠huel.com/BALANCE⁠. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! 🫧 OAK ESSENTIALS - Use code BALANCE at oakessentials.com to get 15% off your first purchase! #OakEssentials #ad CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIMESTAMP (00:00) Introduction (06:45) The Forced Slow down (10:21 ) Moving through your inner conflict (15:20) Change the 'how' not the 'what' (18:39) The Balance Theory (20:13) I used to think 'hustle' culture was a positive (21:16) 2 questions to ask yourself (23:34) Your successful trait blocked you doing THIS (29:05) Give yourself permission to be slower with YOURSELF (31:44) Are you contradicting your goals? (36:41) Success then versus now (38:33) This is most predictable in an entrepreneur's mindset (41:51) THIS Happens right before people make it (44:59) How to stop thinking about the 'timeline' (47:45) You need 3 things to be good at Sales (#1 skill everyone needs) (51:14) Pitch yourself using these tactics / steps (56:34) AI is a NO-GO In these areas WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are not falling apart. You are just in the messy middle. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with her best friend Naila, content creator and host of the Untempered podcast, for one of the most honest and unfiltered conversations the show has ever had. This is not an expert interview. It is two women sitting in the messy middle together, naming something the self-development world rarely admits -- that sometimes you feel mentally scattered, lost and disconnected from yourself, and that is not a failure. It is a season. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I feel so mentally scattered and I don't know why" "I keep scrolling to switch off but I end up feeling worse" "I have been so busy but I don't feel like I am actually living my life" "I don't feel grounded enough to even think about what I want next" "I know something is off but I cannot put my finger on what it is" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Naila cover: - Why scrolling to switch off is making your mental scatter worse, not better - The difference between being busy and running away from yourself - How social media conditions you into losing your identity without realising it - Why feeling mentally scattered is not a problem to fix but a signal to listen to - How to reconnect with yourself when you have no mental space left - The difference between self-awareness and actually changing your behaviour - What it means to stop producing your life and start living it - How to create space in your day when everything feels full and overwhelming - Why there is no deadline for getting to know yourself or building your life - The voice note exercise that shifts how you talk to yourself when you are struggling You do not have to have it all figured out to start coming back to yourself. But you can start exactly where you are. SPONSORS: 🏥⁠ KINSYN:⁠ Head to KINSYN.com/balancetheory and use promo code “balancetheory” at checkout to save 20% off your first subscription order. 🧑‍⚕️⁠ RULA⁠: patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/BALANCE #rulapod 🍳 ⁠CARAWAY⁠: I've loved using Caraway for 2+ years! Visit Carawayhome.com/BALANCE or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase 💧⁠⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠⁠⁠ -⁠ Use the code 'ERIKA' at ⁠⁠⁠www.aquatru.com⁠⁠⁠ for a 20% off CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎥 ⁠Naila's Previous Episode⁠ 🎥 ⁠⁠Untempered Podcast⁠ TIMESTAMP (00:00) Introduction (04:02) Why are you thinking about your connection to yourself? (14:36) What emotion were you running away from? (18:27) Instagram is trying to dilute you and make you the same (27:32) Is there a healthy experience of social media? (29:54) Doom scrolling RUINED all my relationships (36:16) How to give yourself space (44:03) Self worth attached to nothing (49:54) Give yourself permission to just be (56:00) Voice recorder exercise (59:03) What would you ask your grandparents? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 What if your life looks good from the outside but still doesn't feel fully yours? This episode is for anyone who has achieved everything they were supposed to achieve and found themselves quietly asking: why do I still feel like something is missing? Erika sits down with Saina Babaee, VP at Siemens, founder of her own fashion label, and mother of twins. Someone who followed the prescribed path with excellence and then had to find herself inside it. This is not a story about burning everything down. It is about what it actually looks like to stop living for everyone else and start building a life that is authentically yours. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "I'm successful but I feel empty and I don't know why." "I want to start my passion but I don't know where to begin." "I have a good life. So why does something still feel off?" "I keep waiting for the right time to build something on the side." "I'm scared that wanting more makes me ungrateful for what I have." Then this is the episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Saina cover: *Why feeling empty despite your success is not a failing but a signal worth listening to *How to identify what you have been carrying since childhood that was never yours to carry *How to break long-held patterns without dismantling your whole life *Why you do not need to quit your job to start building your passion, and how having a 9-5 can actually make starting easier *How to build something on the side while working full time using a structure that fits around your life *What becoming a mother did to Saina's ambition and why it made her more driven, not less *How to lead with heart in corporate without losing results *How to navigate friendship grief and the loneliness of outgrowing people who no longer fit who you are becoming *How to reconnect with the creative, feminine side of yourself that high performance has pushed aside The version of you that has been waiting is not a different person. She is simply the one who finally has permission to exist. SPONSORS: 💪 Superpower -Take control of your health with Superpower. Head over to Superpower.com and use code 'BALANCE' for $20 off your $199 Superpower membership. 🍯 ⁠HONEYLOVE⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠- Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/BALANCE ! #honeylovepod #sponsored 💵 CASH APP: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/oe4ya755  #CashAppPod #CashAppPartner   Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ilai Sarai TIMESTAMP (0:00) Introduction (07:35) From Engineer to Fashion (14:34) What have you Been carrying thats not yours? (18:01) Don't be who you are at work in your relationships (20:37) How do you break year long patterns? (25:13) Can you start something while you have a 9-5? (28:06) People romanticise taking the leap (31:06) How to get creative (35:10) Reconciling engineering and fashion (39:05) Leading with Corporate (41:28) My definition of success has changed (42:48) How did becoming a mum change how you show up? (50:51) I'm currently struggling with this in my friendships. (57:54) Do this if you want to start something WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She has built the life. The career. The reputation for having it together. And somewhere along the way, doing it all herself stopped being a choice and became the only way she knew how to operate. This episode is not about learning to be less independent. It is about what that independence has quietly been costing her and the one shift that changes everything about what she is able to receive. Ghizlan Guenez, founder of F.Force, joins Erika for a second conversation that goes somewhere their first episode did not. If you have ever caught yourself thinking: "It is just easier if I do it myself" "I want more but something keeps stopping me" "I know I want to be taken care of sometimes but admitting that feels wrong" "I have been so focused on achieving that I do not recognise myself anymore" "I feel like there is a block but I cannot work out if it is real or something I created" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Ghizlan cover: - Why the most independent, hardworking women are actually the ones who most want to be taken care of and why that is not a contradiction - The real reason asking for help feels like jumping off a cliff and what is actually underneath it - What your independence might be quietly costing you in love, abundance, and receiving - Whether going through big life changes is about finding yourself again or removing the parts that are no longer you and why that distinction changes everything - How to come home to who you already are versus discovering a version of yourself you have never met yet - How your relationship with certainty and control changes after hard seasons - The parts of yourself you leave behind when you are always in doing mode and how to find your way back - Decision sequencing: how to move forward when you do not have the full picture yet - Why most of the blocks you think you have do not actually exist and what you are really doing when you create them - The one question that reframes every decision you will ever make about your future - Why absolute advice does not work and how to take what is right for you and leave the rest - Movement creates clarity: how to start trusting yourself to move in a direction even when you cannot see the full path The woman who does it all is allowed to want more. And this conversation is her permission slip. SPONSORS: ⚪ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HUEL ⁠- Limited Time Offer – Make healthy eating simple. Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BALANCE at huel.com/BALANCE. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! 💧⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠ -⁠ Use the code 'ERIKA' at ⁠www.aquatru.com⁠ for a 20% off CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 F.Force ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎥 First conversation with Ghizlan TIMESTAMP (0:00) Introduction (03:57) Journey of Evolution (05:46) I had to unlearn this (11:50) How does the 'independent woman' fair in a marriage? (16:23) Having feminine outlets (20:12) What did your marriage teach you? (25:50) Domino effect of hard experiences (27:40) How do you actually sit with your emotions? (30:40) Decision Sequencing (33:34) How do you get clear with manifesting when you don't know what's next? (37:67) Most harmful advice online right now (42:46) You don't need permission... (43:51) What's your next big dream? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  If your brain won't stop, if you lie awake at night, spiral through the same thoughts, and feel like you can never fully switch off, this is going to change the way you think about that completely. Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X and one of the most compelling minds on human happiness, doesn't just talk about training the brain. He's been doing it for decades. In this 11-minute clip he shares the three unconventional techniques he's developed to become the architect of his own mind, including the 30-minute Saturday practice that drains every thought until his brain has literally nothing left to say. This isn't meditation as you know it. There's no breathing, no mantras, no trying to clear your mind. You do the opposite, you listen to every single thought until there are no more left. And what's on the other side of that, Mo says, is the closest thing to paradise he's ever felt. If you've tried meditation and it hasn't worked, start here. 🎙️ From The Balance Theory Podcast - Full episode with Mo Gawdat available now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzLFPwVep00&list=PLfGbYDi4CkLa9s6XV2Rn2HbDi_khC9HOT SPONSORS: 💵 CASH APP: Download Cash App Today #CashAppPod #CashAppPartner Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  If you ever find yourself holding back in conversations, softening your opinions, or leaving an interaction feeling like you didn't quite show up as yourself, this is for you. Most people don't realise they're doing it. But the desire to be liked is quietly running the show in almost every conversation you have. It's shaping what you say, how you say it, and how much of yourself you actually let people see. In this 5-minute clip, communication expert Shereen Mitwali introduces the rule of thirds: the framework that will immediately change the way you show up. Once you understand it, the anxiety of not being liked loses its grip. You stop shrinking. You stop performing. And you start communicating from a place of confidence instead of approval-seeking. This is the shift that makes you a better communicator without changing a single thing about who you are. 🎙️ From The Balance Theory Podcast - Full episode with Shereen Mitwali available now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PPygsJqlqvMH7Io6iYbDH?si=698cbb1619004744 WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've tried vision boards, affirmations, and positive thinking and nothing has changed, this clip is why. Regan Hillyer, one of the world's leading manifestation experts, breaks down the real reason your reality isn't shifting: you're unconsciously copy pasting your past into your future and calling it life. In this insight clip (from our full podcast with Regan), she explains why wishful thinking alone will never work, what's actually happening at a quantum level when you try to manifest, and the simple 20-second practice (SNEAK PEEK: manifestation alarms) that conditions your energy to match the reality you want before it shows up. This isn't spiritual bypassing. This is the practical mechanics of how to actually change your life. 🎙️ From The Balance Theory Podcast: Full episode with Regan Hillyer available now - watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP8O0ocW80M&list=PLfGbYDi4CkLa9s6XV2Rn2HbDi_khC9HOT&index=9 WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You weren't born with low self-esteem, you were actually born really confident. You learned low self-esteem. And the confidence you've been waiting to feel? You were born with that too - life just made you forget it. In this clip, therapist and bestselling author Marisa Peer breaks down exactly where low self-esteem comes from, why it isn't who you are, and why chasing other people's approval is the thing keeping you most stuck. She explains how other people's fears, stories, and limitations quietly become ours without us even realising it and what it actually looks like to reclaim your self-belief on a daily basis. If you've ever felt like confidence is something other people have and you don't, or you've found yourself twisting into someone you're not just to be chosen, this is the 10-minute conversation that will change the way you see that. 🎙️ From The Balance Theory Podcast — Full episode with Marisa Peer available now here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O05Wr7PG9-U&list=PLfGbYDi4CkLa9s6XV2Rn2HbDi_khC9HOT&index=13 SPONSORS: 💧⁠AQUATRU -⁠ Use the code 'ERIKA' at https://aquatru.com for a 20% off WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You do not need to be the obvious person to build something real. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Aimee Smale, founder of Odd Muse and 29 year old millionaire, to unpack the story nobody tells about building something from nothing. Not the strategy, not the business plan, not the perfect moment. The quiet, unassuming journey of someone who was never supposed to do this and did it anyway. If you've ever caught yourself thinking: "I don't think I'm the right type of person for this" "I don't have a clear path or a blueprint to follow" "I've been waiting to feel ready but that moment never comes" "I look at successful people and assume they had something I don't" "I have an idea but I don't know where to start" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Aimee cover: - Why being shy and timid did not stop her and why it does not have to stop you either - The mindset to go all in on yourself even if you cannot quit your job tomorrow - How to reframe sacrifice so it stops feeling like something you are losing - The version of yourself you have to let go of to build something new - What to do when you have everything you worked for and still do not feel happy - How she handled negativity online and why the people leaving comments do not actually exist in her world - Why she stopped sharing the things she actually cared about and what changed - The moment she nearly walked away from everything she built - What she would say to day one Aimee knowing everything she knows now - How to know when something needs to change even if you are not ready to admit it You do not need the path, the blueprint or the confidence. You just need to start. SPONSORS: ✨ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JONES ROAD⁠ BEAUTY ⁠- Use the code 'BALANCE' at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad 💧⁠AQUATRU -⁠ Use the code 'SHERIKA' at www.aquatru.com for a 20% off ✨ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JONES ROAD ⁠- Use the code 'BALANCE' at www.jonesroad.com for a free gift. 💧AQUATRU - Use the code 'SHERIKA' at www.aquatru.com for a 20% off CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIMESTAMP (0:00) Introduction (05:26) You need time to stretch out an idea (07:51) I didn't wake up that day thinking I was going to quit (13:39) Mindset to go all in on yourself (without quitting your job) (15:46) Is sacrifice always a bad thing? (24:04) How to reach the Promise Land? (30:35) What version of you did you have to let go of? (33:53) Hiring is like dating (36:15) Negative people online don't exist in my mind (40:25) How have your friendships been impacted by your success? (42:13) I refrain from sharing this online for some reason (49:51) How did you get into investing? (52:29) When would it no longer be worth it for you to have the business? (56:41) Who is Aimee becoming? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You already know what you do. But do you know who you are? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Rahaf Kobeissi, mental health and mindset expert, published author, and keynote speaker, to unpack one of the most quietly common experiences of high achieving people, building a life that looks right on paper and still feeling like something essential is missing. This isn't another conversation about doing more or optimising your routine. It is about stripping back everything you have built to find the person underneath it all. If you've ever caught yourself thinking: "I have everything I worked for, so why do I still feel empty?" "I don't know who I am outside of what I do" "I keep achieving things and none of it feels like enough" "Something feels off but I genuinely cannot explain what" "I feel like I am just going through the motions of a life I built on autopilot" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Rahaf cover: - Why high achievers still feel like something is missing even after reaching their goals - How to find your real identity when your whole life has been built around what you do - The signs you are disconnected from yourself and do not even know it - Why you have been introducing yourself by your job title and what to say instead - The fine line between doing things to achieve versus doing things for yourself - How to know whose goals you are actually chasing - What to remove from your life before you even think about adding more - How Human Design can help you understand yourself in a practical way - Whether a relationship can survive when one person is growing faster than the other - How to know if you are lost or just in a transition, and the one question that tells you The real you is not lost. They are just waiting to be found. CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💻 Website TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (06:05) How do we find our real identity (behind our title) (10:23) Use this icebreaker at work (11:43) Watch out for these signs that show you're disconnected (16:06) Fine line between doing to achieve versus for yourself (22:42) Detach from the outcome (28:07) Who's goal is your goal? (30:04) Human Design: how it can explain you in a useful way (44:48) Can relationships survive couples independently changing? (49:49) A healthy relationship will trigger you, watch for THIS (57:40) Marriage isn't hard, life is (1:00:20) Learning through my trigger (1:03:36) How do you know if you're lost or just in a transition? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr Shefali, a NYT bestselling author and the world's leading conscious parenting psychologist, joins Erika to unpack the childhood patterns running your adult life, and how to stop them here. This isn't another conversation about how to be a better parent. It's about understanding the difference between who you became by default and who you actually want to be. If you've ever caught yourself thinking: "Why does this keep happening to me no matter what I do?" "I know my past affected me but I don't know how much" "I keep reacting in ways I don't understand and I don't know why" "I've been waiting for someone to say sorry so I can finally move on" "I don't want to repeat what was done to me but I don't know how to stop" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Dr Shefali cover: - Why we absorb our parents' patterns without ever choosing to, and how to recognise them in yourself - At what point your childhood stops being an explanation and starts being a choice The illusion of closure and why you don't need anyone else to give it to you - How to give yourself what your parents never did - What conscious parenting actually means and why it starts with you, not your child - The live coaching moment where Dr Shefali unpacks Erika's own trigger in real time - Why the critical voice in your head has your parent's voice, and what to do about it - How to talk to a parent who isn't conscious without losing yourself - Why boys and girls need to be raised differently in a world of algorithms and social media - Where the line is between sharing your child online and using them for content The patterns stop here. And this conversation is where it starts. Some things stay with you long after a conversation ends. This is one of them. CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (04:26) Finding yourself after becoming a mother (08:50) Dr Shefali on when she became a mother (11:57) When does our childhood stop becoming insight and start becoming an excuse? (14:45) How to get closure from your parents (if you can't speak to them) (16:37) What is Conscious Parenting? (20:07) Can you speak to your parents about being more conscious? (24:14) Dr Shefali gives Erika parenting advice on a trigger (34:04) What do we say and do when we are triggered? (37:49) Don't recruit your child in your own movie (39:06) Why do we need to raise sons and daughters differently? (42:56) The line between sharing your child online and using your child for content WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're not bad with money. It's just that nobody ever taught you how to actually relate to it, and this conversation changes that. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Carol Glynn, award-winning Finance Coach & Mentor, Chartered Accountant (FCA) and founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, to unpack why so many women feel stuck with money, not because they're doing it wrong, but because they were never given the right tools. If you've ever caught yourself thinking: "I know I should look at my bank account, but I just can't bring myself to do it" "I've tried budgeting a hundred times and it never sticks" "I'm doing well on paper but it doesn't feel that way inside" "I feel like everyone else got the money playbook except me" "I earn decent money, so why does it just disappear?" Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Carol cover: - What conscious finance means and why it's the missing piece in your money journey - The signs you're unconscious with money, and why most high-achieving women are - Why your money mindset, not your spreadsheet, is always the place to start - The 50-30-20 rule explained simply and how to use it without feeling restricted - How to find your money values and align every spending decision with them - What most people dangerously misunderstand about credit card debt - The hidden cost of being financially uninformed and how it quietly compounds - How to talk about money in your relationship without it turning into a fight - What money means differently to men and women, and why it matters - The one practical thing to do in the next 24 hours to shift your relationship with money Your relationship with money changes everything. And it starts here. SPONSORS: 💧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠ ⁠- Get 20% off using the code 'ERIKA' at www.aquatru.com CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (2:51) What is conscious finance? (08:45) Signs you are unconscious with money (13:37) Start doing this to fix your relationship with money (17:13) How do you change feeling to money when you don't feel abundant (19:24) 50-20-30 rule to sort finances (23:25) How to find money values (27:55) The most expensive thing you can be is uninformed (28:25) What most people don't understand about credit cards and debt (37:12) Do this for the next 24 hours (39:20) Look at finances in your relationship (by doing this) (44:01) Surprising client story with money (50:23) How do you know when it's time to look at money again? (53:48) REVEAL: What money means to men versus women WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've been doing the work. Reading, listening, growing, trying. And yet something keeps feeling off, like the life you're building is quietly being pulled in a direction you didn't choose. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X, bestselling author of Solve for Happy and Scary Smart, and one of the most original thinkers on the planet. This isn't a conversation about productivity or optimisation. It's about something deeper: the invisible forces shaping who you are, how you think, and what you believe is possible, and how to take that back. If you've ever caught yourself thinking: "I feel like I'm losing time but I don't know where it's going" "Something feels off but I can't name it" "I don't feel as in control of my life as I want to be" "I want to feel more like myself again" "I'm not sure what's actually true anymore" WHAT WE COVER: The unconscious daily decisions quietly costing you years of your life Why your life is being hijacked and how to see it clearly How long-form content protects your emotional intelligence Mo's framework for knowing what is actually true in the news How to move from passive observer to someone who actually makes change The flip flop deep technique for consuming information consciously The difference between a good man and a nice man A powerful 30-minute brain exercise Mo does every day Whether AI is a threat or the greatest opportunity humanity has ever had How to raise conscious humans in an AI world Why utopia might only be 10 years away Mo Gawdat doesn't just name the problem. He gives you the tools to reclaim your mind, your time, and who you're becoming. SPONSORS: ✨ONESKIN⁠ ⁠⁠- Save 15% Off using the code 'BALANCE' by going to www.oneskin.co/BALANCE 💧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU ⁠- Get 20% off using the code 'SHERIKA' at www.aquatru.com 🩷 MOMENTUM - Get your free welcome kit and travel collection at www.momentumshake.com/balancetheory CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ Mo Gawdat Part 1: 🎥 Watch here. TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (11:21) Decisions that cost you time (17:19) Your life is being hijacked by this (26:26) Long form is better for your emotions (29:31) How do we make sense of what's true in the news? (40:55) How to actually make change (you matter) (49:40) Flip flop deep technique for consuming news (56:17) Good man versus nice man (59:57) Watch THESE words (1:03:34) Do this POWERFUL exercise for your mind (1:15:08) Is AI going to destroy our future? (1:21:58) Raising Superman (1:27:29) How do you put in guardrails with AI? (1:43:59) AI will take over all jobs WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! how to stress less, decrease stress, how to reduce stress, how to stop overthinking, how to calm your mind, stress management, how to feel less stressed, overthinking and stress, stress advice, how to stop spiralling, emotional overwhelm, future anxiety, how to manage stress, practical stress tips #HowToStressLess #DecreaseStress #StressManagement #Overthinking #MentalHealth #SelfDevelopment #TheBalanceTheory #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #EmotionalWellbeing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed or like your brain just won’t switch off? In this episode of The Balance Theory Podcast, we sit with Alice Law and unpack the stress advice that can actually change your life , not by pretending stress does not exist or that it’s unavoidable, but by helping you understand what is happening in your brain, body, environment and inner world when stress takes over. This conversation is for you if you have been wondering how to stress less, how to stop overthinking, how to decrease stress in your everyday life, or how to feel calmer when life feels uncertain. We explore why stress can feel so hard to manage, what happens when your brain starts spiralling, and why overthinking often feels productive even when it is keeping you stuck. You’ll learn practical tools to calm your mind, reduce stress in the moment, and create more “micro-certainty” when everything around you feels unpredictable. We also talk about the fine line between planning and overthinking, the signs of stress most people ignore, and how your environment could be quietly increasing your stress threshold every day. This episode also goes deeper into the idea of spiritual stress: the kind of stress that comes from living out of alignment, ignoring your intuition, saying yes when you mean no, or not knowing who you are beyond the labels you carry. If you are feeling overwhelmed, mentally exhausted, anxious about the future, or like your thoughts are running your life, this conversation will help you understand stress differently and give you practical ways to decrease stress and feel more in control again. In this episode, we cover: * How to stress less when your brain will not switch off * Why overthinking can make stress worse * What is happening in your brain when you worry about the future * The signs of stress most people ignore * The four different types of stress * How to stop spiralling when you feel overwhelmed * The difference between planning and overthinking * Simple environment hacks to decrease stress * Why your morning routine and phone habits may be increasing stress * How to create micro-certainty when life feels uncertain * How to strengthen your intuition * The difference between anxiety and intuition * What spiritual stress is and how to recognise it * One thing you can do immediately to feel less stressed This could be the one episode that changes your everyday life. SPONSORS: 💧 ⁠⁠CURE⁠ HYDRATION ⁠⁠- Save 20% Off using the code 'BALANCETHEORY' by going to www.curehydration.com 🍯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠HONEYLOVE- Get 20% off using the code 'BALANCE' at www.honeylove.com/BALANCE CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ TAKE ALICE LAW'S FREE QUIZ TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (07:48) What are we missing about stress? (10:30) What’s happening when you’re overthinking the future (15:01) What are the signs people ignore? (15:45) The 4 types of stress (20:00) Most people’s stress types (24:21) What to do when you’re overthinking (practical exercise) (28:54) What is fine line between planning and overthinking (34:54) Do this if you feel yourself spiralling (39:29) Try this (with your brain) to feel more confident (39:03) Environment hacks to make your life less stressful (41:40) Spiritual Stress - here’s what to look out for (52:02) Exercise to try to strengthen your intuition (52:28) How do we keep growing when so easy to outsource to AI? (56:36) Final lesson on stress (57:44) Do this immediately to feel less stress WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! how to stress less, decrease stress, how to reduce stress, how to stop overthinking, how to calm your mind, stress management, how to feel less stressed, overthinking and stress, stress advice, how to stop spiralling, emotional overwhelm, future anxiety, how to manage stress, practical stress tips #HowToStressLess #DecreaseStress #StressManagement #Overthinking #MentalHealth #SelfDevelopment #TheBalanceTheory #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #EmotionalWellbeing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to become the version of yourself who can hold the success, business, life and vision you say you want? In this episode of The Balance Theory Podcast, I sit down with Anam Khalid, co-founder of SQUATWOLF, to talk about the personal evolution behind building a global brand, from leaving the corporate world, to trusting the unknown, to developing the self-belief required before success shows up. Anam shares her journey from growing up in Pakistan to moving to Dubai and building SQUATWOLF into an international activewear brand. But this conversation goes far beyond business. We talk about what it means to leave the safe path, how to know when you have outgrown a version of your life that looks good on paper, and why success often requires you to upgrade yourself before your external world can change. We explore the mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur, how to build belief before you have proof, why naivety and “delusion” can sometimes be a blessing, and the personal growth required to take a business from 0 to 1 and then from 1 to 10. Anam also opens up about burnout, brain fog, working with her husband as co-founder and co-CEO, navigating boundaries between marriage and business, and why the state of a founder often becomes the state of the business. If you have ever felt like you are made for more, but you are not sure what that next version of yourself looks like yet, this episode is for you. CONNECT 📸 ⁠Instagram ⁠ TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (07:08) Losing the corporate mindset (09:44) Thoughts on whether the ‘corporate’ mind will exceed in business (13:11) Having belief from day 1 (17:55) I didn’t expect to doubt myself in this moment (22:06) Is the vision what you have now? (24:10) My personal growth alongside business (28:55) How do you know when it’s time ot personally level up (33:41) The Balance theory (44:28) Bouncing out of brain fog & burn out (46:06) How do you be husband/wife and Co-CEOs? (52:06) Work / Life Boundaries (54:53) Switching into feminine energy after work (58:20) Who has Dubai given you permission to become? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to become her, the woman who creates abundance, wealth, success and a life that once felt impossible? In this powerful episode of The Balance Theory, I sit down with Honia Kader to unpack the mindset, identity work and self-belief required to become the 1%, not just financially, but emotionally, energetically and internally. Honia shares how she went from feeling like success, wealth and “that kind of life” were for other people, to completely rewiring her identity and building a life of abundance. We talk about the hidden work behind becoming successful, why mindset is not “fluff,” how to create wealth without guilt, and what it really means to step into the version of yourself who can hold more. In this episode, we discuss how to become her, how to become the 1%, how to create abundance and wealth, and how to shift your mindset so success no longer feels out of reach. If you’ve ever felt like you were made for more but didn’t know where to start, this conversation is for you. SPONSORS: ⁠🥛 ⁠⁠KA'CHAVA⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠- Save 15% Off using the code 'BALANCETHEORY' by going to www.kachava.com 💧 ⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠⁠ - Get 20% off using the code 'ERIKA' at www.aquatru.com CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (08:31) When did you know you were made for more? (12:16) Where do you start with starting over? (18:14) What are the hidden things to changing your life? (22:52) How did you brainwash yourself for success? (25:39) Should we fake it until we make it? (29:33) What is the dynamic of a wealthy woman in a marriage? (33:31) Being ambitious with work and a soft woman at home (40:08) Old Patterns popping up in present day life (44:44) How did Honia meet her husband? (45:48) Availability Currency WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠My personal IG⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠Substack⁠ 📸 ⁠Instagram⁠ 📱⁠Tiktok⁠ RESOURCES ▶︎ ⁠25 Day Self Development Marathon⁠ ▶︎ ⁠21 Day Self Growth Challenge⁠ ▶︎ ⁠Goal Setting System E-Book⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Best for listeners searching for: how to become her how to become the 1%how to create abundance and wealth how to create your dream life how to rewire your mindset for success how to become successful how to build wealth as a woman how to believe success is possible for you how to step into your future self how to become the woman you want to be identity work for success abundance mindset for women wealth mindset for women #HowToBecomeHer #BecomeThe1Percent #AbundanceMindset #WealthMindset #CreateYourDreamLife #MindsetShift #WomenInBusiness #PersonalDevelopment #SelfBelief #TheBalanceTheory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions of life… this episode is for you. On the outside, everything might look good. You’re doing what you’re “supposed” to do. But internally, something feels off. Like you’re not fully in your life. In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with psychologist Dr Louise Lambert to explore why so many of us feel disconnected from our own lives and what actually helps you feel like you’re living again. This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice. It dives into what the science says about happiness, why simply “fixing problems” isn’t enough, and how to shift from just functioning… to truly feeling your life. If you’ve been craving more presence, more meaning, or just a deeper connection to your everyday life, this will give you a completely new perspective. What We Cover: * Why you can feel “fine”… but still feel disconnected from your life * The concept of “languishing” and why so many people are stuck there * Why focusing on the past isn’t the key to a better present * The 3 types of people: which one you are and what to do about it * What the science actually says about happiness (and what we get wrong) * Does more success, money, or discipline lead to happier lives? * A simple way to reconnect with meaning and purpose in your life * The difference between positive thinking and useful thinking * Practical ways to shift out of autopilot and feel more present 
 You don’t need to overhaul your life to feel better, you need to change how you experience it. SPONSORS: ⁠🍯 HONEYLOVE⁠ ⁠ ⁠- Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/BALANCE ! #honeylovepod #sponsored 💆🏻‍♀️ ⁠KINSYN - Get 20% off using the code 'BALANCETHEORY' https://kinsyn.com/balancetheory CONNECT 📸 ⁠Instagram ⁠ 📖 Check out Dr Louise Lambert's book on Amazon TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (04:14) What is Positive Psychology (07:28) Stop letting the past take up today’s space (08:54) 3 types of people: which one are you? (16:31) How do you get more out of life? (18:24) Research on what ACTUALLY makes change work (22:05) Practical Activity: Finding meaning & purpose (27:56) This will 100% make you happier (31:51) Step by step guide on Self Talk (37:50) DO NOT be optimistic 100% of the time (39:38) What you think is going to make you happy (46:00) How to persist through challenges (48:00) Does Money Make us happier? (51:34) What is happiness? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 ⁠My personal IG⁠ LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠ 📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠ ⭐ ⁠Substack⁠ 📸 ⁠Instagram⁠ 📱⁠Tiktok⁠ RESOURCES ▶︎ ⁠25 Day Self Development Marathon⁠ ▶︎ ⁠21 Day Self Growth Challenge⁠ ▶︎ ⁠Goal Setting System E-Book⁠ 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if confidence isn’t something you build… but something you express? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Shereen Mitwalli to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions around confidence: that it comes from what you say, when in reality… it comes from how you say it. If you’ve ever felt like you know what you want to say but hesitate, overthink, or struggle to articulate yourself clearly, this conversation will completely reframe how you approach communication. Because confidence isn’t about saying more. 
It’s about saying things in a way that actually lands. This episode explores the subtle shifts that can transform how people perceive you, whether that’s being taken seriously at work, feeling more self-assured in conversations, or simply expressing who you truly are without second guessing yourself. What We Cover: * Why confidence is more about delivery than content * The 3 key principles to communicate clearly and effectively * How overthinking is quietly undermining your confidence * Why not everyone needs to like you (and why that’s powerful) * The biggest communication mistakes people make without realising * How to speak in a way that makes people actually listen * Practical ways to show up more confidently at work and in life 
Subscribe to The Balance Theory for more conversations that help you think clearer, show up stronger, and create a life that actually feels aligned. SPONSORS: 💧 CURE HYDRATION - Use code “BALANCETHEORY” to get 20% off https://www.curehydration.com 🚀 MOMENTUM - Free Welcome Kit and Travel Collection https://www.momentumshake.com/balancetheory CONNECT 📸 Instagram 🎥 Watch Shereen Mitwalli's TedTalk TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (05:28) Tips to communicate better (11:23) It’s about HOW you say things (14:34) Leaving personal things at the door (18:48) What do most people get wrong in communicating who they are (22:50) Confidence & Knowing Who You Are (29:26) Communication at Work (38:09) Avoid these things in communication (43:04) The real story of JK Rowling (49:23) Check your self belief like this WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you still feel off… isn’t because you’re not trying hard enough, but because the advice you’re following was never designed for your body? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Iman Hasan to unpack one of the most frustrating experiences so many women face: doing everything “right” when it comes to health - eating clean, trying fasting, investing in supplements and still not feeling better. This conversation challenges the idea that more discipline or stricter habits are the answer. Instead, it explores what’s actually happening beneath the surface, from chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation to why your body might not be absorbing the nutrients you’re giving it. If you’ve ever felt like your body isn’t responding the way it “should”… this episode will help you understand why and what to focus on instead. What We Cover: * Why fasting doesn’t work the same for every woman and when it can actually make things worse * The hidden impact of stress and being in a constant fight-or-flight state * Why your body might not be absorbing nutrients (even if you’re eating well) * The truth about “healthy eating” and why food quality isn’t what it used to be * Why supplements alone won’t fix the root issue * The importance of cell health and what it actually means * How to approach your health in a way that works with your body, not against it * Simple, overlooked shifts that can make a real difference day-to-day You’re not doing it wrong, but your body might be under more stress than you realise. And until your body feels safe, no amount of “healthy habits” will work the way you expect them to. SPONSORS: 🌬️ AIR DOCTOR - Use code “ERIKA” to get $300 off https://www.airdoctorpro.com CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Iman's Instagram 🎥 Biohack-It Youtube Channel TIME STAMPS (00:00) Introduction (05:21) The Core Pillars of Nutrition (08:14) What smart choices do we need to make for food? (16:42) Biggest health changes to make everyday (18:01) Cell Health (20:01) Fasting for Women (35:06) What role does intuition have to play in health? (35:39) Regulating versus Creating Space for the Nervous System (43:32) What are politicians doing wrong right now? (50:17) You need to be asking questions WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you haven’t changed your life yet… isn’t because you’re not capable, but because you’re not ready in the way you think? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with top 1% podcast host and founder Shivani Pau to unpack the reality behind wanting more, feeling stuck, and questioning whether it’s time to leave your job. This isn’t another conversation telling you to “just quit” or “follow your passion.”It’s a grounded, honest look at what actually happens when you move too soon and what truly needs to shift before your life can change. If you’ve ever felt like: “I want more from my life… but I don’t know what’s stopping me” “I’m not fulfilled, but I don’t feel ready to leave” “I’m scared I’ll make the wrong decision” “Why hasn’t anything changed yet, even though I want it to?” then this episode is for you! 🔑 What We Cover: * The truth about quitting your job too early (and what it taught Shivani) * Why feeling “ready” is often misunderstood * The difference between timing vs internal readiness * The mistake most people make when trying to change their life * How to build proof of concept before taking the leap * Why your environment plays a bigger role than you think * Redefining self-worth beyond external validation * How to stop feeling stuck and start creating real momentum This episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing. SPONSORS: 💧 AQUA TRU - Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off https://www.aquatru.com ⚪ KA'CHAVA - Go to https://kachava.com and use code "BALANCETHEORY" for 15% off your first order. CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ - Shivani's Instagram TIME STAMPS (02:17) Shivani’s story (15:54) Quitting work too early (20:53) Why you need a proof of concept (25:27) Timing v Internal Readiness (34:36) How do you measure your worth? (37:05) Why is changing your environment necessary? (46:57) I’m not good enough WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 What if the reason so many ambitious women feel torn about motherhood isn’t because they have to choose… but because no one has shown them how both can actually work? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with psychologist and friend (and her first guest ever on the show) Nancy Sokarno, to unpack the real, unfiltered experience of becoming a working mum - beyond the surface-level advice and societal expectations. This conversation explores the identity shift that comes with motherhood, the internal conflict high-achieving women often face, and the uncomfortable truths that aren’t spoken about enough: from grief and resentment to guilt and pressure to “do it all.” But more importantly, it reframes the narrative. This isn’t about choosing between ambition and family. It’s about understanding what needs to evolve within you to hold both. Whether you’re planning to become a mum, navigating early motherhood, or trying to build a life that includes both career and family, this episode will give you a deeper perspective on what that actually requires. 💭 What We Cover: Why motherhood is an identity evolution, not just a new role The internal pressure to be the “perfect” mother — and how to let it go Why high-achieving women often struggle more in early motherhood Grieving your old self while stepping into a new version of you The truth about resentment, guilt, and relationship shifts after a baby How to communicate better with your partner before and after becoming parents Why asking for help is harder than it sounds (and how to shift this) The reality of becoming a working mum — and why simple things feel harder What ambition looks like after motherhood — and how it changes The key mindset shift that allows you to build both a career and a family You don’t go backwards after becoming a mother, you evolve. The version of you that’s capable of holding both ambition and motherhood isn’t the old you… it’s the next version of you. LINKS 💧 CURE HYDRATION - Use code “BALANCETHEORY” to get 20% off ⚪ KINSYN - Use code "BALANCETHEORY" to get 20% off CONNECT 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 🎥 Original Nancy episode TIME STAMPS (01:36) Introduction (07:47) Motherhood: Role change or identity reconstruction? (13:10) Work you do before becoming a mother (17:46) Grieving our old selves (22:45) Understanding resentment (27:53) Conversation starters for couples before a baby (31:14) Asking for help (36:58) Working Mum (46:02) What skills in high performing women work against them when becoming mums? (52:04) One thing all parents should know WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you’re not living your dream life yet isn’t because you’re not working hard enough… but because you’re focusing on the wrong things? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with manifestation expert and entrepreneur Regan Hillyer to break down what actually creates results and why working harder is often the biggest misconception holding you back. This is not about wishful thinking or surface-level manifestation. It’s about understanding your internal programming, shifting your emotional state, and learning how to align your actions with the life you actually want.If you’ve ever felt like: “I know I’m capable of more, but I don’t know where to start” “I’m doing everything right… but nothing is changing” “I don’t have enough time, money, or resources yet” this conversation will challenge that and give you a new way to approach creating your dream life. 🔑 What We Cover: - Why working harder is NOT the answer to building your dream life - The hidden beliefs that keep you stuck in the same reality - How to stop living on autopilot and start creating intentionally - Practical steps to manifest your exact dream life - The role of emotional state in attracting opportunities - How successful people actually think differently about growth and success You don't want to miss this episode. It literally felt like magic sitting in it! LINKS 💆‍♀️ COZY EARTH - Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off (I’m currently loving the ankle weight socks) CONNECT 📸 ⁠Instagram⁠ TIME STAMPS (01:51) Introduction (08:44) How do we start to create change in our life? (13:12) Practical tips to manifest your exact dream life (14:28) How to change your emotional state to manigest what you want (18:16) Set Manifestation Alarms (21:42) How do we manifest with our wounds there? (26:32) Manifesting $1 million in 8 months (33:22) Do I need to be patient or course correct? (40:08) How to deadlines work with manifesting? (42:55) Whats the most common money block? (45:14) MUST TRY: Vision beyond Vision (50:48) Can we borrow from our future self? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you feel constantly busy, overwhelmed, or pulled in every direction is because you’re saying yes to the wrong things? In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Christine Assouad - author, serial entrepreneur, investor on Shark Tank Lebanon, and founder behind multiple ventures including Dunkin’ Lebanon and Semsom. She has mentored thousands of women across the Middle East and beyond and recently released her book The Power to Say Yes, which explores how learning to say yes to yourself can transform your life and career. In this conversation, Christine shares what she has learned from mentoring thousands of women, why so many ambitious people struggle with guilt and overcommitment, and how to become intentional about where your time, energy, and attention go. This episode dives into the tension between being capable and feeling obliged, why energy management matters more than time management, and how to start designing a life aligned with what actually matters to you. What We Cover • Why so many people say yes to everyone except themselves 
• The hidden difference between being capable and feeling obligated
 • The Wheel of Life exercise to understand what truly matters
• Why many ambitious women feel burnt out despite doing everything “right”
 • The importance of energy management, not just time management 
• How saying yes to one opportunity can shape an entirely different life path
 • Why guilt often holds people back from pursuing what they want 
• The smallest “yes” you can start with today to reclaim control of your life This episode could be the one that powerfully changes your life. Make sure to share it with a friend if someone came to mind during the episode! CONNECT 📸 Instagram 📚 The Power to Say YES! TIME STAMPS (00:34) Introduction (03:16) Saying Yes to Everyone But Yourself (04:33) What Foundation Do We Need To Build? (10:04) Wheel of Life Exercise (15:49) Hardest YES You’ve Given (19:58) Being Capable v Obliged (22:59) Energy Management (26:43) Being an Entrepreneur v. Careerist (31:20) Running 3 Iterations of Your Life (34:35) How to Dream Without Being Ungrateful? (38:37) Why a Monk Can’t Understand Guilt (43:02) What’s the Smallest YES Someone Can Start With Today? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the version of you that feels stuck, behind, or embarrassed about your past… is actually standing at the beginning of something powerful? In this episode, I sit down with Crazy Auntie Ann, who went from alcoholism and rock bottom to 3M+ followers on TikTok, not by trying to go viral, but by finally becoming herself. We talk about what it really means to stop caring what people think, how to reinvent yourself at any age, and why surrender, not willpower, changed her life forever. This is a conversation about identity, confidence, sobriety, self-forgiveness, and starting again. If you’ve ever felt: * Like you’re behind in life * Like you wasted years * Like it’s “too late” to change * Or like you’ve been living for other people. 💬 One of My Favourite Moments: “It’s not about winning or self-control. It’s about defeat.” That surrender became the beginning of everything for Ann. This episode is for you. LINKS 💆‍♀️ ⁠COZY EARTH⁠ - Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off ⁠HERE⁠ (I’m currently loving their comforters to enhance deep sleep)! 💨 AIR DOCTOR - Use code “ERIKA” to get $300 off: https://airdoctorpro.com 📸 I⁠⁠nstagram⁠⁠ TIME STAMPS (01:53) Introduction (07:41) Why did u start making TikToks? (11:13) Why did you set your content? (15:48) What advice would you give to creators? (17:53) I haven’t always been confident (18:59) The Cream Bun Theory (23:44) Alcohol Addiction (26:53) Rock bottom (32:10) How did you forgive yourself? (39:46) What did you become after sobriety? (44:25) How did your family respond to your growing fame? (48:14) How did you find your passion so late in life? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From making just $300 a day in her early bakery days to raising $25 million in venture capital and expanding from local to global, this growth story is extraordinary. But this conversation isn’t just about numbers. It’s about what happens when success comes fast. In this episode of The Balance Theory, I’m joined by Brooki, founder of Brooki Bakehouse, for her first ever podcast interview. We talk about the identity work that needs to happen before growth, the trade-offs that come with scaling a business publicly, and how to build something big without losing who you are. Because success doesn’t build your character, it reveals it. In this episode, we unpack: * How Brooki went from $300 days to raising $25M+ * The single decision that changed the trajectory of her business * What it really felt like when everything started snowballing * The reality of building a brand in public * How she handles scrutiny and criticism * The trade-offs of growing a global business while raising young children * Why becoming a mum became her superpower, not a setback * How to grow without losing yourself * Why you need to build yourself before you build success If you’re ambitious, building something, navigating change, or stepping into a new level of life, this episode will shift how you think about growth. Because the real question isn’t how to succeed. It’s who you become along the way. Subscribe for more conversations on ambition, mindset, identity and building a life that feels aligned. #Brooki #FemaleFounder #EntrepreneurMindset #VentureCapital #WomenInBusiness #PersonalGrowth #TheBalanceTheory #StartupJourney #WorkingMum #BuildingInPublic LINKS 💆‍♀️ ⁠COZY EARTH⁠ - Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off ⁠HERE⁠ (I’m currently loving their comforters to enhance deep sleep)! 💧 AQUATRU Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off at https://www.aquatru.com 📸 I⁠⁠nstagram⁠⁠ TIME STAMPS (01:54) Introduction (07:15) How I Got To Know Myself (16:19) What Made You Start Your First Bakery? (23:27) How Did You Meet your Husband? (26:31) When did you Realise It Was going to be Bigger than a Local Bakery? (30:14) This Single Decision Shaped the Trajectory of My Business (32:17) What Was your Dream When You Opened The Bakery? (37:12) What Did You Struggle With Behind the Veil of Success? (43:54) The Reality of Being a Working Mum (55:50) Trade Offs You Have To Make in Life (1:00:57) How do You Stay Confident When Your Integrity Is Questioned Publicly? (01:09:28) Securing $25 Million in VC Funding (01:15:19) What Has Been the Biggest Shift For You Being Local to Global WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason positive thinking hasn’t worked for you… isn’t because you’re doing it wrong, but because no one ever showed you how your mind actually listens? In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Marisa Peer, and we go far beyond motivation or feel-good affirmations. This is a practical, step-by-step breakdown of how the words you use, especially the ones you say to yourself, directly shape your self-worth, confidence, and the reality you experience. We talk about why so many people know what they should think, yet still feel stuck… why saying “I’m trying” quietly reinforces failure… and how subtle language patterns can either work with your brain or cause it to push back entirely. If you’ve ever: * Felt like you’re “doing the work” but nothing is changing * Struggled with feeling not enough, even when life looks good on paper * Tried affirmations that felt fake or forced * Wondered whether you can really have it all, career, health, relationships, fulfilment …this conversation will land. Marisa shares the exact phrases, sentence structures, and mindset shifts that actually create change, including one powerful sentence you can start using today to rebuild self-worth and self-trust. This is an episode you may want to listen to twice, not because it’s complex, but because it’s precise. LINKS 💆‍♀️ COZY EARTH - Use code “ERIKA” to get 20% off HERE (I’m currently loving their comforters to enhance deep sleep)! 📸 I⁠nstagram⁠ Marisa Peer's I am Enough Book - ⁠https://marisapeer.com/marisa-peer-books/⁠ Marisa Peer's Free Gifts - ⁠https://marisapeer.com/free-gifts/⁠ TIME STAMPS (03:17) Can we have it all? (06:21) Did you always believe you could have it all? (10:26) How do we actually use our thinking to change our reality (12:25) Surviving Cancer (14:02) Crafting your phrases for success (17:34) How to like yourself more (24:13) Are you making someone else’s story, yours? (27:07) Tools for kids to instil skills (27:15) Is work-life balance a myth? (35:24) Is AI being used as therapy a bad thing? (39:51) Start saying this one sentence to yourself TODAY WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we explore what self-respect actually means, beyond confidence, beyond success, beyond applause. For years, today’s guest chased respect externally, having thoughts like: If you liked me, I liked me. If you approved, I felt safe. But as she shares, that way of living slowly disconnects you from yourself. I’m joined by Dr Katherine Iscoe to unpack: • Why people-pleasing is often rooted in the “fawn” trauma response • How you might be subtly trading yourself away in everyday moments • The restaurant “steak” example that reveals more than you think • How to audit your calendar to see if you truly respect yourself • Why boundaries aren’t just with other people, they’re with yourself • How overthinking steals years of your life • The difference between chasing happiness and building self-respect • What it actually looks like to make decisions from self-respect Self-respect isn’t loud.It isn’t aggressive.It isn’t about becoming selfish. It’s about choosing yourself in small, daily ways, even when it feels uncomfortable. Because the truth is, confidence might get you in the room... but self-respect is what keeps you standing tall. If you’ve ever felt like: * You say yes too often * You overthink simple decisions * You care more about others’ opinions than your own * You don’t feel fully like yourself anymore This episode is for you. The life you want doesn’t start with more discipline. It starts with self-respect. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram Dr Katherine Iscoe's book - https://www.drkatherine.com/self-respect-playbook Dr Katherine Iscoe Website - https://www.drkatherine.com TIME STAMPS (01:50) Introduction (05:40) Taking back ownership over your life (09:29) Obvious Ways you are trading yourself away (14:43) First time you felt proud of yourself (17:37) Self Respect Zones (21:49) Does your calendar show you respect yourself? (25:58) Top Skills for Mastering your Self Respect (29:11) Advice for people to move into self respect (31:57) Resilience vs Abandon ship (36:25) Leaving CEO Role (39:27) How do I make decisions with self respect? (44:19) Why do we lose momentum? (49:17) Define Self Respect WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re serious about podcast growth and creator growth, this episode will change how you think about building content that actually scales. In this behind-the-scenes conversation, I sit down with Grace Miller, Head of Experimentation & Failure at The Diary of a CEO, to unpack how one of the world’s biggest podcasts thinks about growth, testing, and long-term success. We go inside how elite creators experiment and how small, intentional decisions compound into massive audience growth. From YouTube analytics and thumbnail testing to failing fast without losing confidence, this episode is a masterclass for anyone building a podcast, YouTube channel, or personal brand in 2026 and beyond. You’ll learn:
 • How the world’s biggest podcasts approach growth and experimentation
 • What actually matters in the YouTube backend for podcast growth
• How to test thumbnails, titles, and formats 
 • How to build momentum through experimentation 
• How to fail fast, learn faster, and grow with clarity 
• Practical creator growth strategies you can implement immediately This episode isn’t about hacks or virality. It’s about systems, curiosity, and sustainable growth, the foundations behind long-term success as a creator. Whether you’re a podcaster, YouTuber, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation will help you stop guessing and start growing with intention. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram Time Stamps (00:00) Introduction (01:20) How did you become Head of Experimentation for Steven Bartlett & Diary of a CEO? (07:03) What does a typical day in DOAC office look like? (10:54) Who should podcasters hire? (16:59) Exactly what to look at in the YouTube backend (19:00) Thumbnail testing strategy (20:13) How do you Experiment at DOAC? (25:30) How do you fail fast? (27:22) Two things to test on each platform: YT, IG and Spotify (30:10) How do we experiment in our own personal lives? (34:19) Practical experiment for personal life to start TODAY (38:14) Most uncomfortable thing you’re doing this year? (40:48) Are podcasts over saturated? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we break down the science of confidence, why self-doubt isn’t always the enemy, and how understanding your specific doubt pattern can unlock lasting self-trust, without becoming someone you’re not. In this conversation, I’m joined by Dr Shadé Zahrai, behavioural researcher, award-winning peak performance educator, and one of the leading voices on confidence, self-image, and self-doubt. This is not about hype or surface-level confidence. It’s about rewiring how you see yourself. ✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode * Why confidence is trainable, not fixed * The role self-doubt actually plays in growth and performance * The 4 Self-Doubt Types and how they show up in behaviour * How to diagnose your own self-doubt profile (including mine, live) * The everyday habit that quietly erodes confidence * How posture, environment, and physicality shape self-belief * How to tell the difference between useful self-doubt and self-sabotage * Why your self-image is the blueprint for your entire life * Practical tools to build confidence in real time * How to set boundaries with negative people without losing yourself When you change how you see yourself, your behaviour follows. Confidence isn’t something you chase, it’s something you build. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram Link to free quiz online Link to BIG TRUST TIME STAMPS (01:43) Introduction / Background (12:06) What is the role of self-doubt? (17:26) Self Doubt Profiles (25:48) Diagnosing Erika’s doubt profile (30:22) Tools for improving self doubt (47:49) This everyday habit is ruining your confidence (53:28) Do you need to change your environment to achieve? (57:53) Setting boundaries for loved ones who are negative WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Confidence today feels different. We’re navigating a world where AI can outperform humans, social media is increasingly curated (and often fake), and comparison is no longer occasional, it’s constant. Even the most grounded, capable people are quietly questioning themselves. In this episode, we explore how to stay confident when nothing online feels real anymore and how to use social media without losing yourself. Joining me is journalist, speaker, and mother Danae Mercer, who has worked at the highest levels of media and still found her confidence shaken by the online world. Together, we unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface of confidence in 2026, and what actually helps. This isn’t about deleting social media or fearing AI. It’s about learning the new confidence skill this era demands. 💭 If You’ve Been Thinking… “I don’t feel as confident as I used to” “Everyone online seems ahead of me” “I know better, but I still feel affected” “I want my confidence back” then this conversation is for you! And if this episode resonates, share it with someone who might be quietly feeling the same way. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram   TIME STAMPS (01:20) Introduction (06:40) How do we remain confident in the age of AI content? (18:23) Tools to find confidence (23:32) Do things you’re bad at (26:20) What's the line between being sucked in by social media and enjoying it? (29:26) The Proteus Effect (44:01) Consequences of phone use and emotions (47:01) Why did you start posting content? (51:14) What would you immediately change on social media WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do so many relationships fail, even if there’s love? In this episode, I sit down with Mo Gawdat to unpack the logic, equations, and skills behind relationships and why love itself is actually the easy part. Mo is the bestselling author of Solve for Happy and a former Google X executive, known for applying engineering and systems thinking to life’s hardest problems. In this conversation, we explore why 96.8% of relationships fail, what most people were never taught about love, and how relationships can be learned, trained, and improved, just like any other skill. This episode isn’t about romantic clichés or surface-level advice. It’s about understanding: * why love is logical, not irrational * how we unknowingly block love * why relationships fail when seasons change * and how to become good at relationships, without settling or second-guessing yourself Whether you’re single and looking for love, dating, or already in a long-term relationship, this conversation will change the way you think about connection. We of course also get to know Mo, from his way of thinking all the way through to his current project - EMMA. If this conversation resonates, I’d love to hear your thoughts. 💬 What part of relationships do you feel you were never taught? CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram TIME STAMPS (01:25) Introduction (03:03) How to be more than your job (08:04) Giving yourself permission (13:03) 3 Questions to Align Your Life Choices (15:20) Is Love Is Illogical? (25:40) Is there “THE ONE” (35:42) PPRFCTS - the 7 things we want from a relationship (43:57) Is AI the best place to help with relationships? (52:48) Managing or lowering expectations? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you feel like there’s a gap between the person you are and the person you know you could be, this episode is for you. In this conversation with Karen Mattar, we explore what really keeps people stuck in the same patterns year after year and why motivation, willpower, and “trying harder” so often fail. This episode is about outgrowing a life that no longer fits, rebuilding confidence through self-respect, and becoming someone who actually follows through on the promises they make to themselves. Not through pressure or self-control, but through identity, leadership, and alignment. If you’ve ever thought “I know I’m meant for more” but struggled to close the gap between intention and action, this conversation will help you understand why, and what needs to change. This episode is for the person who: • Feels like they’ve outgrown their current life • They’re tired of starting over every year • They struggle with consistency and follow-through • They want habits that last, not another motivation spike • They’re ready to become the person they keep visualising Trust this episode will find you when it’s meant to! CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram TIME STAMPS (01:17) Introduction (4:50) How do you follow big intuitive moves? (08:12) Changing habits based on self respect (11:29) How do your habits shape your identity? (16:26) Self Control to Self Leadership (22:58) Your environment is silently shaping you (27:01) Negative people you love (32:41) People respect you more when you’re in shape (34:29) Diary of CEO Episode thoughts (42:30) Who is the modern woman WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This will find you right before you're about to make a big move, life change or pivot. 3 min of pure straight talk and motivation to get you inspired to move ahead. 🎥 If you loved this episode, you'll love the full podcast here. WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re waking up feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed, or stuck… start your day with this. These 5 minutes are designed to reset your mindset, shift your energy, and remind you who you are before the world tells you otherwise. Save this. Play it every morning. Let it become your ritual. This compilation includes some of the most powerful moments from The Balance Theory Podcast, conversations about identity, clarity, confidence, and taking ownership of your life. Put your headphones in, breathe, and let these 5 minutes set the tone for your day. ✨ Watch These Featured Motivational Episodes Next 1️⃣ Make Yourself Irreplaceable 2️⃣ You Know There's More For You 3️⃣ Why People Get Motivation Wrong 4️⃣ How to Be More Confident WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever worried about staying relevant, being replaced, or falling behind in a world where AI is evolving faster than job titles… this clip is your wake-up call. In this conversation, global communications strategist Maha Abouelenein, who has worked with Gary Vee, Google, Netflix, Red Bull, and even the Prime Minister of Egypt, breaks down what actually makes someone valuable, memorable, and irreplaceable in 2026 and beyond. Whether you’re building your career, growing your personal brand, or just trying to stand out in a crowded world, these insights will help you protect your edge and elevate your opportunities. 🎥 Watch the full episode with Maha Abouelenein here The full conversation goes deeper into confidence, communication, networking, staying relevant in the age of AI, and exactly how to build a powerful personal brand. WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wondering how to be more disciplined? If you keep telling yourself you’ll “be more disciplined tomorrow” but nothing changes… this clip is for you. In this powerful conversation, Tracy Harmoush breaks down the real reason people struggle with discipline and why most of what you’ve been told about building willpower and consistency simply doesn’t work. Tracy shares the mindset shifts, identity upgrades, and practical steps you need to finally stick to what you say you’ll do in 2026. If you’ve ever felt frustrated, ashamed, or confused about why discipline never seems to last, this video will give you the clarity and momentum you’ve been missing. 🎥 Watch the full episode with Tracy Harmoush here You’ll hear the full breakdown on discipline, identity work, self-trust, and what it really takes to build a life you’re proud of. WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve been doing all the “right” things and still feel stuck, this episode is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. I’m joined by my therapist, Chantale, who returns for a third time to help me unpack this in a way only she can. Today we’re breaking down the #1 habit keeping you from achieving what you want, a habit she taught me that changed EVERYTHING for me, a habit so common most people don’t even realise they’re doing it… This habit is the reason why you feel guilty saying no, why fear shows up every time you try something new. You’ll learn how to recognise when you’re operating from an inauthentic version of yourself, why your goals fall apart when they’re built on fear, and the neuroscience behind stepping outside your comfort zone. This is a practical, grounded conversation about building self-trust, setting boundaries without guilt, dissolving limiting beliefs, and finally creating goals that feel true to who you are, not who you think you “should” be. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to break this habit, stop abandoning yourself, and take the first aligned step toward the life you actually want. This will unlock everything for you. 🎥 PREVIOUS PODCAST WITH CHANTALE CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram TIME STAMPS (01:17) Introduction (02:55) Everything you need to know about people pleasing (07:47) How do you deal with guilt and fear? (12:30) How can you be giving without people pleasing? (16:03) This is essential to do before goal setting (20:35) Limiting Beliefs & Goal Setting (25:57) How to push through limiting beliefs (30:02) “I am not enough” (31:30) Exercise to break through small limiting beliefs (not large traumas) (35:11) Neuroscience for being outside of your comfort zone (39:12) What you need to know about tolerance windows (42:52) Rapid Fire WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re approaching your late 20s or early 30s and feel like you’re supposed to have your life together by now… this conversation will feel like a warm exhale. In this episode, I sit down with Caggie Dunlop, founder of the Saturn Returns podcast and author of Saturn Return: Your Cosmic Coming of Age, to unpack what’s really happening when life feels turbulent, uncertain, or like everything is changing at once. Whether you’re starting over after a breakup, questioning your career, drifting from old friendships, or simply thinking, “I thought I’d be further by now,” this episode will help you make sense of a chapter most people silently struggle through. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re becoming. This episode is for those who are 27–33 and feel lost questioning the life you thought you’d have “starting over” when everyone else seems ahead growing out of old friendships and identities navigating big emotional changes all at once Get ready to learn and reposition yourself to find grounding & peace with your timeline. TIME STAMPS (01:13) What is a Saturn Return? (07:43) Reinvention versus rediscovering who you are (13:42) Reflective Questions for turbulent moments (17:22) Timeline exercise (20:30) Who Am I? (27:06) Friendship break ups (33:28) Juggling work and being a new mum (41:13) Birth stories CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve been doing “everything right” but still don’t feel good, this conversation will connect the dots. Today I’m joined by Gary Brecka, human biologist and longevity expert, to break down the daily habits that quietly drain your energy, increase anxiety, and limit your health span. The best part? Most of the fixes are totally free and within your control today. In the first 10 minutes alone, Gary reveals the 3 free habits that have the biggest impact on your sleep, mood, stress, and long-term vitality - especially for people with busy lives and limited time or budget. We also explore the link between isolation and early mortality, why so many people struggle with anxiety without knowing the biological reason behind it, and how to invest in your health in a way that actually moves the needle. This episode is practical, grounding, and genuinely life-changing. (01:28) Introduction (03:01) 3 FREE things to extend your life (06:43) Caregiver syndrome (07:41) Investing in your wellness (09:34) Why people struggle with anxiety (12:32) 40% of people go to sleep like this (15:48) Is it just about more years? (20:13) Are you religious? (21:48) This is the most attractive frequency (24:37) Impact of Botox/Filler on longevity? (29:58) How long are we going to live in 200 years? Connect with today's guest on Instagram WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “who am I without my job?” or felt your identity slipping when a relationship ends… this episode is going to hit home. Today I’m joined by Twinkle Stanly, content creator, speaker, and the woman behind one of the most relatable pivots online right now. We dive deep into what it actually feels like to walk away from a life that looks “fine” on paper, but no longer feels aligned. If you’ve been questioning your path, feeling disconnected from who you are, or stuck between wanting more and not knowing where to begin -this conversation will help you find clarity, confidence, and your true identity again. In this episode, we unpack: 💭 Leaving a job you didn’t hate - but still knowing you’re meant for more 💭 Why so many women tie their identity to job titles, achievements or relationships 💭 Finding the courage to pivot without proof that it will work out 💭 The fear of losing your labels and rebuilding who you are without them 💭 Why your niche is YOU (and why overthinking it keeps you stuck) 💭 How to detach from people’s opinions and trust your inner knowing 💭 Spiritual vs strategic confidence and the mindset that gets you moving again Whether you’re going through a transition, craving reinvention, or trying to reconnect with yourself… this episode will remind you that you are allowed to choose a new life, even if the old one wasn’t “bad.” CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram TIME STAMPS (01:14) You didn’t hate your job, but you still quit? (05:14) How did you get the confidence to post your first video? (08:14) This should be your niche (11:44) My identity being tied to a relationship (13:18) I’m good at rejecting people’s opinion of me (15:59) Advice for people wanting to have more abundant thoughts (18:47) Losing yourself to relationships (20:16) What are you not prepared to settle for? (28:29) Social Media Addiction (33:39) Stop relying on ChatGPT (40:12) Is success spiritual or strategic? WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all go through seasons where life changes, again and again. Whether it’s becoming a parent, finding confidence, learning about money or figuring out who you are beyond your career, this conversation with Kayla Itsines dives deep into what her evolution has really looked like. From finding confidence on stage and handling online negativity, to postpartum recovery and redefining balance between pregnancy, post partum, being online, fitness, family, and wealth - Kayla opens up in a way she never has before. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m trying to find myself again” or felt like your confidence disappeared somewhere along the way… this episode will remind you it’s never gone, it just needs to be rebuilt in this new season of life, along with some personal insights into Kayla’s own journey. #KaylaItsines #Confidence #Reinvention #TheBalanceTheory #PostpartumJourney #SelfGrowth #LifeChange #Motherhood #FitnessMotivation #FindingYourself TIME STAMPS (01:37) Introduction (02:51) Confidence to be on stage? (06:27) Dealing with negativity online (10:17) Kayla has never shared this… (16:07) Honest recovery from pregnancy (21:57) “Bounce back”? (25:10) What do men get wrong with advising fitness in pregnancy? (27:37) How have you diversified your wealth? (29:47) The “Kayla Tax” (31:45) If we removed fitness from your life, what would you be doing? (34:35) Confidence in the gym (36:03) Do you think we need to parent boys and girls differently? (40:07) Raising kids different to the previous generation? (43:45) Rapid Fire Qs 📸 Connect with our guest on IG here WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. 📸 My personal IG LET’S BE FRIENDS 🌍 Sign Up to Our Newsletter 📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ ⭐ Substack 📸 Instagram 📱Tiktok RESOURCES ▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon ▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge ▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book 🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thebalancetheory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices