*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:16562306-6cfd-4d59-9c31-c49f88e3d4ad-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Some losses don't just break your heart…

They change how your brain works, how you breathe, how you show up in the world.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Qualified for More, we're having a conversation most workplaces avoid, but every single one will face: grief.

I'm opening my heart and sharing a part of my story, what it was like when I lost my daughter to a heart condition, and how that grief impacted every part of my life, including how I showed up at work. This isn't just a loss story, it's about what happens when grief collides with expectations, performance, and leadership.

Grief is not just emotional, it's neurological. It changes how we think, focus, respond, and function. Yet so many leaders are unequipped to recognize it, let alone support their teams through it.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Why grief is more than death and how it shows up in everyday workplace experiences

• What's actually happening in the brain when someone is grieving

• The silent leadership gap that leaves employees feeling unsupported

• Practical, compassionate ways leaders can support their teams without lowering standards

This conversation is for leaders who want to lead with both strength and humanity and for anyone who has ever been told to "leave it at the door" when their world was falling apart.

Because the truth is: you don't "get over" grief. You learn to carry it.

And workplaces that understand that don't just retain employees, they build trust, loyalty, and cultures where people can truly thrive.

If you've ever experienced loss or led someone who has had this episode, it will stay with you.

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In this episode of Qualified for More, I'm joined by Lisa Myers -strengths-based leadership coach, Gallup CliftonStrengths practitioner, and co-founder of Strengths & Story Collective.

Lisa helps leaders and teams understand how they're uniquely wired so they can lead with clarity, confidence, and sustainable impact. With a background in sales leadership and organizational development, she integrates strengths development with deeper emotional health work, because success without wholeness isn't really success.

Together, we talk about alignment, healing, and what it really looks like to lead from who you truly are, not just what you produce.

Connect with Lisa: Instagram: @LisaMyers Strengths & Story Collective: @StrengthsAndStory

Connect with me: @Realityoflife02 @QualifiedForMorePodcast

Welcome back to Qualified for More, the podcast where we talk about leadership, purpose, and what it really looks like to lead well without losing yourself in the process.

In this powerful episode, Hillarie Kay takes the mic for a deeply honest conversation about sustainable leadership, self-awareness, and redefining success.

Hillarie is a business leader and Enneagram expert known for bringing a refreshingly human lens to growth and leadership. Her work equips leaders to increase self-awareness, navigate burnout, and lead from a place of wholeness not just performance. She challenges the idea that success requires self-sacrifice and instead invites leaders into alignment, clarity, and sustainable impact.

Beyond her professional expertise, Hillarie's experience as a parent of a child with special needs has profoundly shaped how she leads, sets boundaries, and measures what truly matters. In this episode, she shares how the Enneagram becomes more than a personality tool , it becomes a framework for compassion, limits, resilience, and grace when life and leadership feel heavy.

This conversation is for the thoughtful leaders, called, and maybe a little tired,but still committed to leading well.

If you've ever wondered how to pursue purpose without burning out, this episode is for you.

You don't have to lose yourself to lead well. You are still qualified for more.

Follow Hillarie Kay on Instagram: @hillariekay Follow the podcast: @qualifiedformore Follow Reality of Life: @realityoflife

What happens when the life you planned no longer fits the person you're becoming?

In this episode of Qualified For More, I'm joined by Nina Brothers, founder of True You Social, for an honest conversation about expectations, rejection, and the courage it takes to rebuild, personally and professionally.

Nina shares her journey as a business owner shaped by pressure, divorce, and doors that closed without explanation. We talk about the weight of other people's expectations, the grief that comes with seasons you didn't choose, and how rejection, when we let it, can become redirection instead of defeat.

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt disqualified by a hard season, confused by a closed door, or quietly wondering if they missed their moment. Nina brings wisdom, self-trust, and a grounded reminder that becoming "true to you" is often born out of discomfort, not clarity.

Because sometimes the breakdown isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning of alignment.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share, and make sure to follow Qualified For More & our guest Nina Brothers

📱 True You Social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NinaVeleztrueyousocial/ Website : https://trueyousocial.com

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📱 Rhonda Velez

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What if the problem isn't your goals, but the way you've been taught to chase them?

In this episode, I share how 2025 quietly, yet radically, changed the way I think about goal-setting. I'm still a goal person, but I've learned that goals without hope turn into pressure, and pressure eventually leads to burnout.

We discuss why identity matters more than outcomes, how hope fuels consistency, and why micro-wins might be the most underrated strategy for achieving sustainable growth. This isn't about quitting goals, it's about setting them from a place of wholeness instead of hustle.

If you've ever felt stuck, discouraged, or tired of starting over, this conversation will help you reframe what success actually looks like and how to move forward with hope instead of exhaustion.

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Season 1 is officially wrapped… but I couldn't end without leaving you one more gift.

This bonus episode comes straight from my heart, inspired by a moment that caught me off guard in the best way.

A few weeks ago, I led a 10-minute gratitude reset for my company. Nothing elaborate. Nothing scripted. Just a simple pause to breathe, refocus, and shift our internal state. And the response? Overwhelming. People didn't realize how much their minds and bodies needed a reset until they felt the difference in real time.

It was a powerful reminder of something I often teach in trauma-informed leadership:

Your brain can't operate in survival mode and gratitude at the same time.

Here's why this practice works:

🔹 Gratitude calms the nervous system. It sends the message, "You're safe," helping lower stress so your mind can settle.

🔹 It re-engages the prefrontal cortex — the center of clarity, creativity, and connection. When we're overwhelmed, this part of the brain goes offline. Gratitude helps bring it back online.

🔹 It expands perspective. Instead of scanning for what's wrong, your brain starts noticing what's working, what's possible, and where hope still lives.

After watching how deeply this reset impacted my team, I knew I needed to bring it here to you. Because if 10 intentional minutes can give us room to breathe again, lift some pressure, and help us move through the day with more capacity… then we all deserve that gift.

I hope it offers you the same breath of fresh air it offered us.

Don't forget to like and subscribe to our show! See you next Season!

As I wrap up the final episode of Season 1, I wanted to pause and reflect. This season has been such a labor of love , a journey that began with a simple belief: you are qualified for more.

When I first started this podcast, my vision was to create a space where genuine conversations could take place, conversations about business, leadership, and the human side of both. Because behind every title, every achievement, and every sales goal, there's a story. And for many of us, those stories include grief, disappointment, and moments when we questioned our own worth.

In this closing episode, I share more of my personal story, how grief, leadership, and empathy have shaped not only my life but also the way I lead and connect with others. I've learned that leadership isn't about being the most confident or the loudest in the room; it's about being the most present. It's about leading with heart, especially when life has broken yours.

This podcast was born out of my own experiences of feeling overlooked, dismissed, or "not enough." But here's the truth: you are more than qualified. Not because of your résumé, your success, or the letters after your name, but because of who you are and what you've walked through.

To each of my incredible guests who joined me this season, thank you. Your courage, wisdom, and authenticity have inspired so many, including me.

And to every listener, thank you for tuning in, sharing, and allowing me to speak into your journey. Season 1 may be ending, but the mission continues. My heart for Qualified for More is to remind you that your story has purpose, your voice has power, and your presence has impact in business and beyond.

You are qualified for more… and I can't wait to see what's ahead in Season 2.

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Today, I get to sit down with someone who has made us laugh until we cry and also taught us a thing or two about grit, faith, and chasing dreams that feel impossible. 🎤 You probably know her from her viral Nail Salon bit or her unforgettable Bon Qui Qui character, but what I admire most about Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is the story behind the laughter.

From NFL cheerleader to comedian, actress, and author, Anjelah has walked through seasons of rejection, waiting, and uncertainty and still leaned into the belief that she was qualified for more. And here's a fun connection: we both grew up in San Jose, California, and now call Tennessee home.

I can't wait for you to hear her wisdom, her humor, and her heart in today's episode.

✨ Connect with Anjelah: 🌐 Website: anjelah.com 📸 Instagram: @anjelahjohnson | @anjelahjohnsonreyes

🎧 Stay connected with me + the show: 📸 Podcast Instagram: @qualifiedformorepodcast 📸 My Instagram: @realityoflife02

Three-Time Cancer Survivor. Storyteller. Hope Dealer.

What happens when life knocks you down not once, not twice, but three times? For today's guest, the answer is resilience, courage, and the power of storytelling.

After surviving cancer three times, they found strength in the stories of unlikely heroes, people who faced impossible odds and still chose to rise. That spark became a mission.

Now, as a filmmaker and storyteller, they share narratives that remind us what's possible, even in the darkest chapters. Stories that equip others with strength, courage, and a defiant kind of hope.

As a leader, this conversation will encourage you to face your challenges with grit, vision, and renewed perspective—because sometimes the most powerful reminder we need is this: your story isn't over yet.

If you want to follow our host and hear more stories like this, connect with

Rhonda Velez

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Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by this guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, the podcast, or any organizations or companies with which they may be affiliated

In this powerful episode of Qualified For More, I sit down with Sabrina Gerzel to talk about the year that changed everything. For Sabrina, 2020 wasn't just a global shakeup; it was a personal awakening. After climbing the corporate ladder and being named Leader of the Year at SmileDirectClub, she found herself asking, Is this it?

What came next was a breaking open a moment that led her out of the corporate grind and into the nonprofit space, where she now pours her passion into purpose as a Campaign Development Manager at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

We dive into what it means to walk away from "safe and successful," how to lead from a place of purpose, and why sometimes our biggest pivots are born from our deepest disruptions.

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt the tug of something more, something deeper. Don't miss it.

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Sabrina Gerzel

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Rhonda Velez

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