Brilliant Balance

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

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

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

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

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

So why are we still doing too much?

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Midlife is not always an easy time for women.

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

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

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

Enter Dr Lisa Larkin.

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

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

Which is exactly what we do today.

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

For a list of NCMP Physicians:

https://menopause.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

I admire working moms.

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

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

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

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

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How did she do it?

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

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

Visit the Culinary Care website.

www.culinarycare.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The question is, will you?

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So there's really no right answer.

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

You may be asking yourself:

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

I'll answer those questions for you today.

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

Get the Greenlight app and card referenced in this episode:

https://share.greenlight.com/126614900

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

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

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

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

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

Neediness is often regarded as negative.

But why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit Mara Glatzel's website and take her quiz:

www.maraglatzel.com

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

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

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

So, that clutter needs to go.

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And that can be exhausting.

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

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

Listen in…

Show Highlights Include:

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

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

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

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

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

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