Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl

Has life ever punched you in the face?
 
Well, grab your (metaphorical) boxing gloves and get ready to roll with the punches. 🥊

In this empowering episode of Balancing Act, I’m joined by boxer, coach, and podcast host Tiff Cook. As the host of Roll With the Punches, Tiff explores resilience, personal growth, and overcoming life’s challenges—and today, she’s sharing her insights with us.

Tiff opens up about her journey as a boxer and how stepping into the ring taught her to face fear, reframe struggles, and uncover unexpected strengths. Together, we explore how the lessons she learned about grit, resilience, and success extend beyond the ring into everyday life.

Whether you’re tackling challenges in sports, school, or just trying to keep it together, this episode is your reminder that you’re stronger than your circumstances. 💪

Here’s what we dive into:
🥊 The art of resilience: How getting “hit” helps us grow 
🧠 Why mental strength matters as much as physical strength 
❤️ How to trust your ability to overcome tough times 
🏆 Redefining what it means to “win” 
🔍 Why self-reflection and mindset shifts are key to bouncing back 
✨ How struggle can open doors to opportunities you never imagined 

Packed with takeaways, this conversation will inspire you to embrace tough moments, redefine success, and find strength in the struggle. Tune in for a powerful reminder that life’s punches don’t have to knock you down—they can push you forward.

Resources Mentioned:
Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches/

Website: www.tiffcook.com

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
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DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Ever feel like your brain is working against you?

Like it’s throwing stress, anxiety, and self-doubt at you for fun? Same. But what if you could learn to outsmart it?

In this episode of Balancing Act, I take you through the highlights of everything I’ve learned so far on this podcast. I explore the science behind why we feel what we feel and share practical tips for navigating the ups and downs of teenage life. From stress and anxiety to self-esteem and sleep, this episode is packed with real advice and mindset shifts to help you thrive - in just one short episode instead of a dozen.

Follow Balancing Act's Instagram for bite-sized tips!

Here’s what you’ll learn: 
🧠 Why social media makes you feel crappy—and how to handle it 
💪 The science of stress and why it’s not all bad 
💤 How to actually get better sleep (yes, it’s possible!) 
❄️ The “dive reflex” trick that calms anxiety fast 
🖤 How to challenge negative thoughts (and stop the spiral) 
✨ Why affirmations only work if they’re authentic to YOU
🤔 How to new try strategies with an open mind
🍕 The frozen pizza analogy: Why “good enough” is sometimes perfect 

Plus: 
❤️ The importance of reaching out for help—and how to shift your mindset about asking for support 
💌 The one thing almost everyone wishes they could tell their teenage self 

This episode is your crash course in self-care, self-love, and learning to embrace imperfection. Grab a notebook, because you’ll definitely want to try some of these tips today.

Episodes Mentioned:
Filtered Realities: Navigating Social Media and Social Comparison with Dr. Michelle Solomon
Conquering Anxiety: Science-Backed Tools for Teens with Dr. Rachel Hutt
CREATE Better Sleep Habits: Teen Sleep Science and Strategies with Dr. Afolabi Brown
Navigating Stress: Dr. Lisa Damour's Tips for Teen Life
Don't Tell Me To Relax: Getting Real About Teen Mental Heath With Sophie Riegel
Working Through Depression: Science and Strategies for When You're Feeling Stuck
Unlocking CBT & DBT: Tools for Managing Stress, Anxiety, and Everything in Between

Stay tuned for:
Navigating Self Esteem with Hannah Leib
Decluttering with Susie Boutal

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

What the heck is holistic wellness??

We’re so glad you ask!

In short, holistic wellness is an approach to health that addresses all aspects of a person’s wellbeing: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. 

In this episode of Balancing Act, I am joined by the Scarpello sisters, Taylor and Abby, to discuss everything holistic wellness and to explore practical holistic health skills for teens.

Taylor and Abby are the Co-founders of EMPWRD SOL, where they help individuals to discover and navigate mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical imbalances to encourage holistic healing.  They’re also the co-hosts of a new podcast, Soul Over It, where they step outside of cookie-cutter approaches to health, and dive further into the “hidden truths” of wellness and empowerment.

This is an amazing episode for flushing out your holistic health toolbox. So grab a pen, some paper, or open your notes app and prepare to jot down whatever skills SCREAM YOUR NAME - and there’s a lot to choose from.

In this episode, we cover:

🤔 The basics of “holistic healing”

☀️ Easily accessible, scientifically based “bio hacks”

❤️ Realistically incorporating positive affirmations into your life 

🧘 Breath work skills 

🫐 Holistic nutrition 

🔊 Sound healing 

Resources Mentioned:

EMPWRD SOL Website
Soul Over It Podcast
EMPWRD SOL Resources

Follow EMPWRD SOL:

EMPWRD SOL Insta
EMPWRD SOL TikTok

EMPWRD SOL Email

Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

"Just calm down"

When in the history of the universe have those words actually helped anyone to calm down???

In this episode of Balancing Act, I speak with (Gen-Z!) best-selling author, speaker, coach, and mental health advocate - Sophie Riegel. We dive into the real and messy sides of mental health, sharing our personal experiences as teens and exchanging insights about navigating anxiety, OCD, depression, and mental health in general. This episode is packed with advice for anyone looking to find support for themselves or trying to support a loved one. (Step 1: Don't tell them to "just calm down". We would if we could!!)

Here's what we explore:
🤔 How mental health struggles don't just have "one look"
🥇 Mental health support for high-achievers
❤️ Why you deserve to reach out for support
❤️‍🩹 The importance of a support system & how to build it
👪 How to navigate parent/teen relationships around mental health
🗣️ Reframing language around mental health
👩‍⚕️ Our personal experiences with medication

Resources Mentioned:
Sophie's Email
Sophie's Website
Sophie's Books
** "Don't Tell me to Relax" is a GAME CHANGER 🙌

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Sleep is super important. I'm sure we've all heard people say that. 

But why is it so important? What does it do for us? How much sleep do we need? And how can we realistically get more sleep because we're busy teens living busy lives....??

In this episode of Balancing Act, I have the honor speaking with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown about everything teen sleep related. Dr. Brown is a triple board certified sleep physician and best-selling author who specializes in helping children and families to achieve better sleep. In this episode, she shares tons of practical, insightful advice that could benefit any teen or parent of a teen!

In this episode, we explore:
🔬 The science behind teen's sleep
🤯 Sleep's effect on mental health
😴 Setting boundaries to make quality sleep a non-negotiable
💤 Practical tips for improving sleep
🥱 Realistic steps for getting back on track after poor sleep

Resources Mentioned:

Beyond Tired Book
Dr. Brown's Website 

Dr. Brown's Instagram

Dr. Brown's Linkedin

Facebook: restfulsleepmd

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Here's to my first bonus solo episode!

In this episode, I sit down in my pajamas to reflect on this past week. It's been a rollercoaster. From describing the extreme anxiety I felt at the beginning of the week when I presented about this podcast to my school, to questioning the impact of our environment on our confidence, this episode is just a bunch of my unscripted, unedited thoughts and questions. 

So plug in your headphones (or connect them with bluetooth if you're fancy like that) and tune in to hear some of the various thoughts that pop into my head. 

If you like random episodes like this and want me to make them more regular on the podcast, please reach out to me to let me know your thoughts!! You can DM me through the podcast's insta, send me an email, come up to me in person, send me a letter via a messenger pigeon... whatever you want. And if you have any sort of answers to any of the random questions I brought up, please let me know! And if you have any questions for me, also reach out!!

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Social media is central to our lives- there's no escaping that. But with endless scrolling comes constant comparison.

In this episode of Balancing Act, I am joined by Dr. Michelle Solomon, a licensed clinical phycologist, to discuss social media, social comparison, and the journey towards self acceptance.

Dr. Solomon wrote her dissertation on "Social Media and Self Evaluation: The Examination of Social Media use on Identity, Social Comparison, and Self Esteem in Young Female Adults", which became the #1 most accessed dissertation in 2020! 

Dr. Solomon is SO knowledgable!! In this episode, she shares a GOLD MINE of cool science and practical tips including:
🔬 The science behind innate social comparison

👻 The dangers of social media’s ENORMOUS comparison pool

🧠 Social media’s scientific impact on our brains and why you're addicted

🧘 Navigating social media in a more balanced way

❤️ Using self acceptance and radical acceptance as tools to combat toxic comparisons

Resources Mentioned:
Dr. Solomon's Website

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

There’s nothing more powerful than hope. 

Hope that comes from realizing you’re not alone in your struggles and that there are resources to help you #ShedShame.

In this episode of Balancing Act, I have the honor of speaking with Alexandra Miles, the founder of Project Blackbird, a nonprofit organization dedicated to destigmatizing mental health. Project Blackbird hosts mental health panels at schools and other locations to foster a conversation around mental health, and to make it safer and more accessible for underserved populations to connect with local mental health support.

In this episode, we chat about:

🚀 Project Blackbird’s mission

❤️ Alexandra’s inspiration for starting this initiative

🎥 Using art and film to destigmatize mental health

🫶 Project Blackbird’s impact on participants

🐦‍⬛ Ways to support Project Blackbird’s mission (even without $$!)

📚 How Project Blackbird can be a resource for YOU

Resources mentioned:

Project Blackbird x Talkspace Free Therapy Initiative (Must be 18+ student to participate) 

Talkspace Free Therapy for NYC Teens (13-17 years old)

Project Blackbird’s Website

Project Blackbird’s Instagram

Project Blackbird’s Journal Archives

Support Project Blackbird

Email Alexandra: [email protected]

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I know it's a little cliche, but sometimes when you're depressed, you don't even want to get out of bed.

In this episode of Balancing Act, I am joined by Sarah Horne, a 6th-year PsyD student in Clinical Psychology. Sarah has over seven year of experience in clinical research, and she wrote her dissertation on the cognitive processes underlying motivational deficits in depression. (Sounds really complicated but she explains this topic beautifully!)

This is an amazing episode for if you're feeling under the weather and want something that will validate your experience with depression, and will also provide you with tips for how to navigate depression moving forward. 

In this episode you'll learn:

📕 The definitions of depression and anhedonia
🔬Factors that contribute to depression
🤔 Tips to reframe your expectations regarding productivity when you're depressed 
😱 How shifting affective expectations can help you to have a more positive experience
📚About resources that can help you if you're navigating depression

Resources Mentioned:
The Trevor Project
The Crisis Textline
The Happiness Project
An Unquiet Mind

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

At what point does "self-improvement" become self-destruction? 

This podcast episode is a recording of a personal essay I wrote in my freshman year of high school to reflect on my struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, and eating disorder. In class, we were given the prompt "a moment of change". Below is the short reflection I wrote on how my essay reflects (or doesn't reflect) a moment of change.

"This essay covers the 'Moment of Change' prompt but not without a few modifications. Instead of a single moment of change, this essay explores multiple moments of challenge and how I faced them with a similar approach, perfection being the only outcome. This essay shows the shift between my focus on my appearance, my focus on the gym, and my focus on my academic achievements. When I feel lacking in one area, I try to use the others to support me, but when I feel lacking in all, then I fall. There is no significant change, there is no closure at the end of this essay because I have never found my own." - Moorea (2022)

This essay discusses my eating disorder and details toxic body image and self talk. If listening to this essay does not support your current relationship with food, your body, or your self image, please do not listen to the podcast. You are strong and brave for knowing your boundaries and sticking to them. Please find another episode or resource that will be more supportive of where you are in your journey right now.

Since this essay was written in 2022, I have experienced depression and a relapse in my eating disorder. While this essay does not tell the full story of my battle with perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder, it is an important piece of my self reflection - the thought patterns in the essay are still present in my life today.

This essay details my personal experience and by no means reflects the experiences of all people who struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, or an eating disorder. This is not written to promote the disordered thoughts present in the essay, but instead to allow myself and others to reflect on our experiences in a thoughtful, judgement-free way. Identifying the challenges we face is the first step towards working to overcome these obstacles.

When listening to this essay, please think critically about the content. Recognize that the thoughts surrounding food and body image are disordered and irrational - even though they can feel so real.

If you feel that this essay can support yourself or a loved one, you can also read it on the Balancing Act Website.

Contact Balancing Act:

Email Moorea: [email protected]

Balancing Act Website
Instagram

DISCLAIMER: Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITE OR OUR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.