We challenge the “I can do it myself” script and show how fierce independence can cap career growth, fuel burnout, and create loneliness. We offer a path to bigger impact by asking for help, delegating earlier, and letting yourself be seen.

• the hidden costs of doing it all yourself
• how not asking for help stalls delegation and growth
• why armour and perfectionism block real connection
• the island metaphor for scale and support
• working in your zone of genius with help
• how human tribes model sustainable roles and reciprocity
• practical steps to ask for and receive support

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today
And don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite sized breakthroughs

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Burnout doesn’t always arrive with sirens; sometimes it’s a quiet collapse on the office floor before a board meeting. We sit down with leadership psychologist and human performance expert Rachael Edmondson-Clark to unpack how high-achieving women slide from “I’ve got this” into overload, why dopamine and constant wins can become compulsive, and the simple biological habits that pull you back to steady ground. Rachael’s story moves from masking and toxic positivity to a mission-led life, with honest lessons about listening to the body, not just the mind.

Across the conversation, we blend psychology with physiology in practical ways you can use today. We explore the power of morning daylight to anchor your circadian rhythm, walking meetings to unlock creativity and problem solving, and micro-moments that repair relationships—a six-second kiss, the “Disney hug rule,” and being truly present for the people you love. We also talk about the trap of saving restoration for weekends or holidays and how to weave recovery into daily life, even when work and family demands are intense.

Rachael shares the Four R model—Recognise, Restore, Resolve, Regulate—a clear framework to spot stress signals early, top up resources, tackle external stressors with brave conversations, and use regulation as a bridge rather than a crutch. You’ll come away with language, tools and small rituals that reduce reactivity, expand bandwidth and protect long-term performance. Want more of Rachael’s work? Find her at https://ellevar.co.uk/ or on LinkedIn. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more women break the burnout cycle.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

We explore the uncomfortable in‑between where success stops fitting and intuition asks for the lead. Jealousy becomes a compass, big goals are set down, and we choose aliveness over metrics while stepping into a sacred, uncertain void.

• noticing jealousy as a clue to unmet desire
• releasing the need to be seen as smart
• reframing misunderstanding as their filter
• stepping into the void with fear and faith
• pausing big goals to measure by feeling
• shifting from frameworks to intuition
• trusting clients and timing to align
• inviting listeners to honour their own pivot

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today
And don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Head over to balanceinstitute.com/sos to save your seat and learn how you can survive December!

December isn’t the villain. It’s the spotlight. When the concerts, deadlines, and family dynamics collide, our survival wiring takes over—over-responsibility, overthinking, and overfunctioning. We walk through how these patterns quietly run the show all year and hit peak volume now, why a holiday rarely fixes the underlying exhaustion, and how to plug energy leaks without relying on brittle willpower or time blocking that doesn’t stick.

We share a practical, body-first approach to recalibrating boundaries by helping your nervous system trust rest. You’ll learn to spot your dominant December pattern in real time, use a single interrupting question to stop the spiral, and choose priorities that reflect what actually matters. Expect honest insights, simple language, and tools that work in the messy middle of end‑of‑year life—school events, shifting workloads, and big feelings included.

We’re also inviting you to a live 90‑minute boundary recalibration: How the F**k Do I Survive December? - designed to help you finish the year without losing your spark. We’ll explore why rest feels unsafe, how to plug the leaks from the inside out, and how to create a holiday season that restores rather than depletes. It’s just $27, replay included. Save your seat at www.balanceinstitute.com/sos.

If this resonates, share it with someone who needs a gentler December, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes, and leave a quick review to help more women find these tools. Your energy matters—and you get to decide where it goes.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Fear is the common thread behind perfectionism, procrastination, stress and overwhelm. We explore how this powerful emotion, designed to keep us alive, has evolved to hold us back from what we truly want in modern life.

• Only two fears are innate (loud noises and falling from heights) - all others are conditioned
• Perfectionism stems from fear of making mistakes and ultimately fear of rejection
• Procrastination is actually a protective mechanism to avoid the fear of getting it wrong
• Stress and overwhelm are future-focused fears about failure and its consequences
• Everything we want (calm, confidence, joy) exists on the other side of fear
• Courage is the emotion needed to break through fear and access what we want
• Setting intentional "scary" goals each month creates opportunities for growth
• Fear doesn't disappear with growth - we learn to acknowledge it but not be ruled by it
• Finding a strong "why" helps us walk through fear toward what truly matters

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

What would you regret more: staying where life feels predictable or choosing a path that feels alive? We sit down with former executive, best-selling author, and master coach Lisa Toste to unpack how she moved her family from Canada to a volcanic island in the Azores and redesigned work, health, and identity without abandoning ambition. This isn’t a fantasy montage. It’s a practical, warm, and funny roadmap for anyone who senses “there has to be more” but worries about the how.

Lisa shares the question that changed everything—what legacy do I want to live—and how she reframed risk by measuring regret, not just comfort. We explore the gritty middle: documents, language slip-ups, and rebuilding community. You’ll hear how she protected a fragile dream from “candle blowers,” curated inputs, and treated mindset like a daily practice using music, visuals, and sensory rituals. Her approach blends project management with nervous system care, turning uncertainty into a training ground for resilience her teens could witness and own.

We go deep on letting go of the single path and clarifying the feeling instead: ocean air, slower meals, fresh food, and connection. That shift opened doors she couldn’t plan for—beachside schooling, a second language, and a food culture that supported health. Whether you’re considering a big move or a quiet pivot, you’ll leave with tools to listen to intuition, gain family buy-in, and design a life that mirrors blue zone habits and true values. Ready to choose aliveness over autopilot? Listen, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a quick review so more women can find their own brave step.

And if you want to follow Lisa and her island life, subscribe to her Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaToste  

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Your body speaks in whispers, shouts, and sometimes punches to the face when you ignore its needs. Women are particularly susceptible to burnout due to perfectionism, people-pleasing, and putting everyone else first.

• The whispers of burnout include trouble sleeping, brain fog, headaches, and constant tension
• Shouts escalate to anxiety, adrenaline surges, digestive problems, and emotional fragility
• Punches in the face are serious health crises like cancer, autoimmune conditions, or complete collapse
• High-achieving women are vulnerable due to perfectionism and an inability to rest
• Changing your environment without changing your mindset means burnout will follow you
• The missing ingredient is addressing emotional and mental patterns, not just physical symptoms
• Your body needs more than temporary relief—it needs a fundamental shift in how you treat yourself

Take a moment right now. Close your eyes and ask your body what it needs from you today.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

For ambitious women who've given their all to corporate life, 'quiet quitting' isn't the lazy retreat it's made out to be—it's a revolutionary act of self-preservation. After years of answering emails at 3 AM, giving 150% to everything, and carrying everyone else's emotional burdens, many high-achieving women are discovering an emptiness that signals they're finally done operating this way.

The breaking point comes differently for everyone. Sometimes it's fighting tooth and nail for a deserved bonus only to be denied because of factors beyond your control. Other times, it's being blamed for someone else's incompetence despite your impeccable standards. Whatever the catalyst, that moment when you declare "I'm done with the bullshit" becomes transformative. The beauty is that you don't have to blow everything up—instead, you simply stop letting work bleed you dry.

This revolutionary approach means taking lunch breaks, clocking off when the day ends, and recognizing that most "emergencies" can wait until tomorrow. It means detaching from workplace politics and acknowledging how much energy you've wasted on projects that ultimately never mattered. By building boundaries that protect your peace, your health, and your relationships, you're not giving up on ambition—you're evolving it. You're creating a sustainable way to lead on your own terms while recovering that spark you thought was lost. What if quiet quitting isn't failure at all, but the wisdom to save something in the tank for yourself and those who truly matter in your life?

Subscribe now to join our community of ambitious women who are redefining success on their own terms. Your revolution awaits.

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/123

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

There's power in holding two perspectives simultaneously rather than falling into black and white thinking that dominates much of self-help literature. We can embrace both the gap (what we still want) and the gain (how far we've come), allowing us to celebrate progress while still pursuing growth.

• The gap is the space between where we are now and where we want to be
• Living only in the gap creates feelings of "not enough" and triggers unhealthy striving
• Many high achievers believe focusing on shortcomings is necessary for motivation
• Living in the gain means celebrating progress and acknowledging growth
• Contrary to fears, celebrating achievements actually accelerates progress
• Embracing duality allows us to hold both perspectives simultaneously
• Compassion is essential when moving between gratitude and desire
• Approaching goals from worthiness creates better results than approaching from lack
• Our self-talk broadcasts energy that either attracts or repels what we want
• Simple daily practice: reflect on achievements before bed rather than focusing on shortfalls

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

What if one unexpected act of kindness could rewire a lifetime of armour? We sit down with peak performance coach and life strategist Jessie Torres to trace a path from long-term abuse and unimaginable loss to a grounded, joyful life built on worthiness, boundaries, and fierce grace. Jessie doesn’t tell a story to blame; she tells a story to reveal how meaning is made, how microtraumas lodge in our bodies, and how we can choose a different future even when the past feels heavy.

We explore the moment generosity “short-circuited” her old beliefs, the EMT course that became a lifeline, and the slow, steady practices that helped her leave an unsafe marriage and rebuild at 38. Jessie shares a deeply human framework for healing: seek light inside the dark, use gratitude as a doorway when you can’t get out of bed, and stop arguing with reality so suffering doesn’t multiply the pain. Along the way, we talk about why high achievers numb with doing, how perfectionism hides a worthiness wound, and why success without fulfilment always feels empty—no matter the title, net worth, or trophies.

This conversation goes beyond concepts into patterns you can spot today: late-night self-talk that tells the truth, relationships fraying from disconnection, autoimmune flares mirroring inner chaos, and the weary cycle of weight lost and regained when self-criticism leads the way. Jessie outlines how to dismantle armour gently—naming what it protects, setting clean boundaries, allowing help without debt—and how mothers can put themselves first so the whole family steadies around a well-rested core. Beneath it all is a return to the self that never broke: your innate divinity, the part of you that existed before the armour and waits patiently under it.

Listen for a blend of story and strategy, practical steps with soul, and a reminder that grief can be proof of love—and a bridge back to life. If this resonates, share it with a friend who needs hope today, subscribe for more conversations that honour ambition without burnout, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Head over to: www.iamfiercegrace.com for your free consultation with Jessie today!

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone