The Breen Time Podcast

There's a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn't come from working too hard - it comes from working hard at the wrong thing. If you've ever looked around at everything you've built and felt quietly hollow, this episode is for you.

This week, Sabrina sits down with Ayanna Dutton-Diaz - brand strategist, founder, and self-proclaimed Chief Purpose Officer - to explore what happens when the life you worked so hard to create stops feeling like yours. Drawing on her own journey across corporate life, entrepreneurship, and motherhood, Ayanna gets honest about misalignment: what it actually is, why it's so easy to miss until it becomes burnout, and what it really takes to find your footing again.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why burnout is often an identity problem, not a workload problem - and what that distinction changes
• The early signs of misalignment that most people talk themselves out of
• How major life transitions (career pivots, becoming a parent, leaving something behind) quietly erode confidence - and how to rebuild it
• What "finding yourself again" actually looks like in practice, beyond the clichés
• How inner misalignment leaks into your work, your relationships, and your decision-making
• Small, practical questions you can ask yourself today to start recalibrating

Because sometimes the bravest thing isn't starting over - it's getting honest about where you actually are.

For more about Ayanna, visit her website: https://www.ayannadutton.com/

Sabrina Brown is a professional life coach and management consultant, and the host of Breen Time on Brum Radio. Connect with the show on Instagram and LinkedIn: @breentimepodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're sold a seductive story - that real transformation requires a dramatic rupture. Quit everything. Cut everyone off. Start over from scratch. It looks bold on social media. In reality, it often leads somewhere much harder: broke, burnt out, and wondering what went wrong.

This week, Sabrina gets honest about what meaningful change actually looks like - and why the quieter path is almost always the smarter one.

Because real growth doesn't require wreckage. It requires structure, patience, and knowing which problem you're actually trying to solve.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The Big Leap Myth - why dramatic decisions tend to magnify the problems you're trying to escape, not fix them
• The real triggers behind life-blowing decisions (and how to spot them in yourself before you act)
• Four real-world examples - career changes, health, relationships, and happiness - and what the smart approach looks like in each case
• The One-Pillar Rule - the single most effective way to protect your stability while you grow
• A six-step method for changing your life safely, including why your plan should feel boring on paper
• The 90-Day Rule - and why one bad week is not data
• What healthy change actually feels like - spoiler: it's not cinematic, and that's exactly the point

Real change is quiet, steady, and responsible. You don't need to burn your life down to build something better - you just need to take ownership of one area at a time.

Sabrina Brown is a professional life coach and management consultant, and the host of Breen Time on Brum Radio. Connect with the show on Instagram and LinkedIn: @breentimepodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina sits down with a Dr Gary Sprouse, whose decades of clinical experience led him to one uncomfortable conclusion: almost everything we've been told about stress is wrong.

We live in a culture that treats stress as a workload problem. Too much on your plate, too many demands, not enough time. So we're told to breathe more, do less, take a holiday. And yet the stress follows us there too.

Because stress isn't really about your circumstances. It's about how you think about them.

In this episode, Sabrina and Dr Sprouse dig into the real source of stress — and why guilt, worry, and regret are quietly doing more damage than your to-do list ever could.

You'll hear reflections on:

• Why the standard stress advice is incomplete — and why changing your circumstances rarely changes how you feel
• Where stress actually originates, and how thought patterns turn everyday pressure into a mental pressure cooker
• How guilt, worry, and regret linger long after the moment has passed — and how they shape your decisions and self-image without you realising
• The difference between taking responsibility and punishing yourself — and why that distinction matters more than most people think
• Practical tools for interrupting stress at its source — no life overhaul required
• Why numbing and distraction fail long-term, and what actually restores a sense of control

Dr Gary Sprouse reminds us that stress is not a lifestyle problem. It's a thinking problem. And that means the solution is closer — and simpler — than most people expect.

Because you can't outrun your own mind. But you can learn to work with it.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina tackles something quietly disappearing from modern life: the ability to think for yourself.

We live in a world where opinions are loud, content is constant, and algorithms are designed to keep you reacting - not reasoning. Most people aren't forming their own views anymore. They're absorbing whoever is loudest.

And that has consequences - in your career, your relationships, your finances, and your sense of self.

In this episode, Sabrina breaks down why independent thinking has become so rare, what's working against you, and how to start taking your mind back.

You'll hear reflections on:

• Why most people don't actually think - they imitate, and what that looks like in real life
• The four reasons independent thinking is so hard right now: algorithms, fear of being wrong, outrage addiction, and the pressure to pick a side instantly
• Real-world examples across careers, relationships, and money - and how thinking for yourself changes the outcome in each
• A step-by-step framework for slowing down, questioning sources, following incentives, and making decisions based on principles - not pressure
• Five practical ways to cut down the mental noise that's blocking your own clarity
• What you actually gain when you learn to think independently: stability, trust in your own judgment, and a life built on reality - not trends

Sabrina reminds us that thinking for yourself isn't about being contrarian or difficult. It's about refusing to let the loudest voices run your life.

Because living your own life requires using your own mind.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina digs into one of the most overlooked foundations of a stable life: personal standards.

Everyone talks about goals. Some talk about habits. A few talk about boundaries. But almost nobody talks about what sits underneath all of it - the standards you set for yourself, and the ones you actually enforce.

Your standards aren't what you say. They're what you repeatedly allow.

And here's the distinction most people miss: standards aren't the same as preferences. A preference is what you want. A standard is what you refuse to live beneath. One is flexible. The other is non-negotiable.

In this episode, Sabrina unpacks why your standards act like an internal thermostat — no matter how much progress you make, you'll always return to the level of self-worth your standards reflect. Lose 30 pounds and gain it back. Leave a toxic relationship and recreate it with someone new. Get a better job and still tolerate disrespect. Sound familiar? That's not bad luck. That's an unexamined standard.

You'll hear reflections on:

• Why instability in your life almost always traces back to inconsistent standards — not bad circumstances
• The difference between a real standard and a preference (and how to tell which one you're actually living by)
• Five areas where raising your own bar matters most: internal integrity, emotional regulation, baseline behaviour, effort, and how you treat others
• The Four-Lens Test for evaluating the people closest to you — and why upgrading your circle doesn't require confrontation
• What you tolerate from others, your environment, and most importantly, from yourself
• Why when your standards rise, some people will fall away — and why that's not cold, it's precise
• What actually shifts when you raise your standards: your nervous system, your relationships, your identity, and your peace

Sabrina reminds us that your standards aren't rules for other people. They're commitments to yourself. You show people how to treat you by how you treat yourself. You show the world what you deserve by what you accept.

If your life feels chaotic, heavy, or stuck — it's not because you're failing. It's because somewhere, you're tolerating something below your true standard.

This episode will challenge you. And it might just change everything.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina is joined by special guest Bracha Goetz for a candid conversation about what happens when high performance quietly tips into collapse — and how to find your way back.

We live in a world that rewards doing more.

More output. More ambition. More pushing through.

Until one day, pushing harder stops working entirely.

Burnout doesn't always announce itself loudly. For many high performers, it creeps in slowly — disguised as productivity, perfectionism, and the relentless drive to keep going. By the time it becomes impossible to ignore, the cost has already been paid.

In this thoughtful conversation, Sabrina and Bracha explore what it really means to recover from burnout, dismantle perfectionism, and rebuild a quieter, steadier relationship with yourself. The focus isn't on self-help as endless improvement — it's on subtraction: letting go of the conditioning and pressure that got you here in the first place.

This episode isn't about adding another self-improvement system to your list.

It's about coming back to something more honest — and more sustainable.

If you're navigating pressure, burnout, or the exhaustion of constantly performing, this episode offers grounded, practical perspective from two people who understand it from the inside out.

Find out more about Bracha at http://www.goetzbookshop.com/

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina cuts through the noise about motivation and gets real about what actually changes your life: discipline.

Motivation is a spark.

Discipline is what keeps the fire alive when you're tired, busy, burnt out, not in the mood, or completely over the goal you set.

And here's the truth most people don't want to accept: motivation isn't a strategy. Discipline is.

You know the pattern: The late-night promises to wake up early, hit the gym, start that project. Then morning hits — and suddenly today is "too busy." The endless cycle of starting strong and fading fast. Building your entire life around waiting to "feel like it."

Motivation is emotional. It's a mood. And moods don't last. The things that actually improve your life — your finances, health, relationships, career — are built on consistency, not bursts of enthusiasm.

In this no-nonsense episode, Sabrina breaks down why routine matters, why structure matters, and why self-respect matters more than any emotional high. With practical clarity, she explores what discipline actually looks like, how to build it without rigidity or suffering, and why following through on small promises changes everything.

You'll hear reflections on:

• Why relying on motivation sets you up to fail — and what to do instead
• What real discipline looks like (hint: it's not cold plunges at 4 AM)
• How structure creates freedom instead of restriction
• The connection between discipline and self-respect — and why broken promises erode your identity
• Why finishing tasks builds discipline faster than starting new ones
• Practical steps: daily anchors, cutting negotiation, using friction, realistic goals, closing the loop
• What a disciplined life actually feels like (lighter, quieter, smoother)

Sabrina reminds us that discipline isn't about perfection, punishment, or living like a monk. It's simply this: you don't negotiate with yourself. You show up, whether you're in the mood or not. You treat your own word like it means something.

This episode isn't about becoming hardcore or rigid.

It's about removing chaos and replacing it with clarity. It's about building a life on evidence, not excuses.

If you're stuck in cycles of procrastination, constantly overwhelmed by half-done tasks, or tired of letting yourself down, this episode offers straight-talking guidance and actionable steps.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Breen Time, Sabrina gets personal - sharing five powerful lessons pain has taught her about resilience, growth, and becoming stronger through life's hardest seasons.

Pain is inevitable.

It doesn't discriminate based on age, background, or circumstances. Everyone gets their turn - often more than once.

And while we spend so much energy trying to avoid it, pain can be one of our greatest teachers... if we let it.

You know the patterns: Running to distractions - holidays, socialising, work, the gym, endless scrolling. Numbing it with busyness, pretending you're just being productive. Ignoring the flashing warning light until something finally breaks down.

Pain doesn't disappear because you avoid it. It waits. And the longer you run, the heavier it becomes.

In this deeply honest episode, Sabrina shares what she's learned through her own painful seasons - the kind you don't post about, the kind that humble you. With compassion and clarity, she explores why facing pain is essential, what happens when we don't, and how suffering can actually become a source of strength and purpose.

You'll hear reflections on:

• Why resisting pain only makes it heavier - and what happens when you finally sit with it
• How unprocessed pain shows up as bitterness, resentment, apathy, and emotional shutdown
• The way ignored pain decays your kindness, empathy, and trust in others
• How facing pain builds compassion, humility, and depth that comfort never could
• Real examples of people who turned suffering into purpose - from J.K. Rowling to Viktor Frankl to Martin Luther King
• Why pain teaches resilience, patience, gratitude, and growth in ways easy seasons never will

Sabrina reminds us that pain isn't a punishment - it's a teacher. When processed in a healthy way, it becomes a platform for wisdom, empathy, and courage.

This episode isn't about glorifying suffering.

It's about showing that there's strength - and even purpose - on the other side of it.

If you're in a season that hurts, struggling to make sense of loss or disappointment, or wondering how to move forward after betrayal or burnout, this episode offers compassionate guidance and reassurance.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Breen Time, Sabrina explores what to do when people don’t respect your boundaries - and how to hold your ground without guilt, anger, or over-explaining.

Setting boundaries is one thing.

Keeping them, especially when others push back, is another.

You know the situations:

The coworker who keeps piling work onto your plate.

The family member who expects unlimited access to your time.

The friend who leans on you constantly but never seems to show up for you.

Boundaries protect your energy, time, and emotional wellbeing — but only when they’re consistently enforced. And for many of us, that’s where it gets uncomfortable.

In this episode, Sabrina builds on the Healthy Boundaries conversation and turns the focus outward, looking at how to deal with people who ignore, challenge, or repeatedly test your limits. With compassion and practicality, she shares why boundary-crossing happens, how our own patterns can unintentionally reinforce it, and what it actually takes to change the dynamic.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• Why some people ignore boundaries (and what it says about them — and us)
• How mixed signals quietly teach others that your “no” is negotiable
• Practical ways to hold boundaries at work without damaging relationships
• How to navigate family expectations with calm and firmness
• What to do when friendships become one-sided or emotionally draining
• Why consistency matters more than perfect wording

Sabrina reminds us that boundaries aren’t about controlling other people — they’re about self-respect. The people who value you will adapt. The ones who don’t may resist. And both responses give you valuable information.

This episode isn’t about becoming rigid or cutting everyone off.

It’s about learning to say no with clarity, to stop over-explaining, and to choose peace over people-pleasing.

If you struggle to hold your limits, feel guilty for prioritising yourself, or notice resentment building in your relationships, this episode offers practical guidance and reassurance.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Breen Time, Sabrina explores one of the most uncomfortable - and most misunderstood - human emotions: jealousy.

It’s something almost everyone experiences, yet few people feel able to talk about openly.

That quiet sting when someone else gets the opportunity you wanted.

The knot in your stomach when a friend’s success highlights your own doubts.

The sudden insecurity when you fear being replaced, overlooked, or left behind.

Rather than seeing jealousy as something shameful or “bad,” Sabrina reframes it as a signal - an internal message pointing towards fear, insecurity, and unmet needs. When we learn to listen to that signal with honesty and compassion, jealousy becomes an invitation for growth rather than something that controls our behaviour.

In this episode, Sabrina gently unpacks what jealousy really is, why it shows up, and how it can quietly shape our relationships, confidence, and self-respect if left unchecked. She also shares practical, grounded ways to work with jealousy - both when you feel it yourself and when it’s directed towards you by others.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• The difference between envy and jealousy, and why it matters
• How insecurity, comparison, and fear of replacement fuel jealous feelings
• Why jealousy often says more about our inner world than other people’s actions
• A five-step process for handling jealousy in a healthy, adult way
• How to respond when colleagues, friends, or family members are jealous of you
• Why quiet confidence and self-respect are your strongest protection

With warmth and clarity, Sabrina invites you to meet jealousy with awareness rather than judgement — and to use it as a tool for understanding yourself more deeply, rather than something to suppress or act out.

This episode isn’t about pretending you never feel jealous.

It’s about learning how to recognise it, understand it, and choose responses that protect your peace and support your growth.

If you’ve ever struggled with comparison, felt threatened by someone else’s success, or noticed jealousy affecting your relationships, this episode offers reassurance, insight, and a grounded way forward.

Breen Time is a weekly wellbeing podcast from Brum Radio, hosted by life coach and management consultant Sabrina Brown. New episodes every Monday.

Connect with Breen Time:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.