Episodes
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Have you ever tried to do something good for yourself, only to feel guilty the second someone else had a reaction to it? In this episode, I'm answering listener questions about what happens when self-care becomes visible and the people around us have feelings about it.
I'm talking about morning workouts, girls' trips, hobbies, and the guilt that can show up when we start making room for ourselves. Underneath each question is a deeper one: how do I get my own needs met without feeling like the villain in someone else's story?
This episode is for you if you're ready to protect the practices that help you feel like yourself, without over-explaining, hiding, or asking for permission.
Show Highlights:
● Why visible self-care can feel so complicated. [02:02]
● The listener question behind this Dear Cherylanne episode. [03:34]
● Why self-care does not need to become a debate. [12:12]
● How to handle guilt around time away. [18:58]
● The difference between privacy and secrecy. [27:04]
● Why hobbies deserve space in a full life. [31:30]
● How guilt changes as kids get older. [33:12]
● The difference between guilt, judgment, and grief. [40:52]
● What it means to be strategically selfish. [45:08]
Submit a Dear Cherylanne question: https://brilliant-balance.com/dear-cherylanne
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe for weekly content from Cherylanne straight to your inbox:
https://brilliantbalance.substack.com/ Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki -
Every Mother's Day, I see the same message on cards: Thank you for giving up everything for us.
But the cards my own kids write tell a different story.
In this episode, I'm talking about what we're teaching the people around us when we treat ourselves like we don't matter. I unpack the Type C pattern, why being endlessly capable gets rewarded, and the cost of always putting yourself last.
This is not about self-care days or finding more time. It's about making room for the things that matter to you, even in small ways.
Because people learn from what we do, not just what we say.
Show Highlights:
The pattern I keep noticing in the Mother's Day card aisle. [01:30]
What my kids' handwritten cards taught me instead. [05:15]
The Type C personality and why the world rewards it. [11:40]
What kids actually absorb when they watch us disappear. [16:20]
Why I'm not telling you to go get a massage. [22:10]
What microdosing your own needs really looks like. [25:45]
Real examples from my own porch, my workouts, and my travel. [29:30]
Why strategic selfishness might be the most generous thing you can model. [34:50]
To book an exploratory call and learn about coaching options: http://brilliant-balance.com/explore
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Missing episodes?
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How do you grow your career and your family at the same time without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, I'm exploring why that question feels so familiar to high-achieving women.
I'm talking about the invisible math of work, home, and you, and why your own needs are often the first to get squeezed out. Instead of waiting to see what's left after everyone else gets your time and energy, I'm inviting you to protect space for what helps you feel healthy, whole, and human.
This episode is for you if you're ready to stop putting yourself last and start making room for yourself in the middle of a full life.
Show Highlights:
● The core question so many working mothers are trying to solve. [01:02]
● Why "losing yourself" is often the missing part of work-life balance. [03:10]
● The invisible math of work, home, and you. [05:04]
● How your own needs slowly get crowded out. [06:42]
● The mental model that keeps women at the bottom of the list. [13:15]
● What happens when you protect your own non-negotiables. [16:28]
● How Parkinson's Law explains the way work fills available time. [18:42]
● Why constraints can create clarity and better choices. [22:10]
● A client story about making room for a more spacious season. [26:28]
● The question that helps you work backward from what you truly want. [30:38]
● How to begin making room for what makes you feel like yourself. [38:52]To book an exploratory call and learn about coaching options: http://brilliant-balance.com/explore
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Do you ever feel like you're measuring yourself against an invisible standard of what a "good mother" should be? In this episode, I'm unpacking the unwritten rulebook so many mothers follow without even realizing it.
I'm sharing a personal story from my son's preschool years that triggered a shame spiral over something he doesn't even remember. That moment helped me see how many standards I had absorbed from childhood, culture, comparison, and expectations I never consciously chose.
Today, I'm inviting you to look at your own Good Mother Rulebook, decide which rules truly reflect your values, and release the ones creating unnecessary guilt or pressure.
Show Highlights:
● The invisible Good Mother Rulebook most of us are following. [00:38]
● My preschool picture day story. [02:38]
● Why one forgotten moment felt like a parenting failure. [07:18]
● The difference between embarrassment and shame. [08:03]
● How motherhood standards become internalized over time. [11:22]
● Why high achievers are especially vulnerable to unwritten rules. [13:58]
● Where our ideas of "good mothering" often come from. [15:28]
● How comparison quietly shapes our personal rulebooks. [18:26]
● Examples of rules you may be carrying without realizing it. [20:04]
● Why most motherhood rules are more negotiable than they feel. [21:18]
● Three steps to uncover and rewrite your own rulebook. [23:48]
● Choosing standards that reflect your values instead of inherited pressure. [28:03]
● The few things in motherhood that are truly non-negotiable. [29:05]To register for the Couples Workshop, click here: https://members.brilliantbalance.net/couplesworkshop
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe for weekly content from Cherylanne straight to your inbox:
https://brilliantbalance.substack.com/
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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It turns out I'm carrying an invisible operating system that runs beneath the surface of my entire life, and chances are, you are too.
This one is for the women who are tired. Not just physically, but tired of carrying so much that nobody else can even see. I explore why the people around us aren't oblivious on purpose, and what we can actually do to close the gap between how much we're doing and how little of it is seen.
Show Highlights:
The invisible mental checklist no one else knows is running. [02:10]
Why the people around you aren't lazy, they just can't see it. [08:45]
Where resentment quietly grows. [11:20]
Step one: making the invisible visible, to yourself first. [16:05]
Step two: giving yourself credit before anyone else does. [20:30]
Step three: getting honest about what you actually want. [23:15]
Handing off systems, not just tasks. [27:00]
How to start the conversation even when it feels impossible. [31:40]
To register for the Couples Workshop, click here: https://members.brilliantbalance.net/couplesworkshop
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe for weekly content from Cherylanne straight to your inbox:
https://brilliantbalance.substack.com/
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Have you ever abandoned a goal entirely because you couldn't pursue it perfectly?
In this honest and deeply personal episode, Cherylanne pulls back the curtain on her own all-or-nothing pattern and helps you find your own.
This episode names the trap clearly: dichotomous thinking, also known as black-and-white thinking, is one of the most common cognitive distortions identified in psychology. Cherylanne unpacks the three root causes: our evolutionary wiring for binary decisions, the standards we absorbed growing up, and socially prescribed perfectionism, and explains why high achievers are specially prone to this pattern. Most importantly, she shares what she is actually doing about it, and how you can begin to do the same.
If there is a dream, practice, or project you have put off because you couldn't do it exactly right, this episode is for you.
Show Highlights:● The book Cherylanne has wanted to write for most of her adult life and why she hasn't done it yet. [01:15]
● How all-or-nothing thinking shows up in fitness and meal planning. [07:30]
● What dichotomous thinking is and where it comes from in psychology. [13:02]
● Cause #1: The evolutionary roots of binary thinking. [14:10]
● Cause #2: The standards we internalized growing up. [16:35]
● Cause #3: Socially prescribed perfectionism and the imagined audience. [19:20]
● Why "if I can't do it right, why bother?" has such a high cost. [22:45]
● What Cherylanne is actually doing now—the Substack, the outline, the chapters. [25:10]
● Why imperfect action creates momentum that doing nothing never will. [27:40]
● Finding your own "book"—and what exists between perfect and nothing. [30:00]
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Substack: https://brilliantbalance.substack.com/
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Ever feel like you're carrying the weight of the world on your own shoulders—handling every email, project, and task yourself? I've been there, telling myself it was the smart and responsible way to run my business, until I realized what I was missing out on by not letting go.
In this episode, I'm revealing exactly what happens when you stop doing everything yourself and start getting results through others. We'll talk about how this shift can give you precious time back, multiply your impact, and create new opportunities—not just for you, but for everyone on your team and in your life.
By leveraging others and learning to trust, we're able to embrace new possibilities. If you're ready for bigger results and a richer life, this episode is for you!
Show Highlights:
Solo startup narratives of handling all tasks yourself. [00:48]
The risk of operating alone becoming a habit and identity. [02:58]
My epiphany of A. G. Lafley leading P&G by leveraging others. [04:08]
Why delegation is essential in both teams and homes. [07:26]
The power of reclaiming specialist time with a client example. [09: 21]
How effective leaders delegate and multiply impact. [15:22]
Outsourcing tasks in personal life—but which ones? [18:36]
Giving others opportunities by delegating meaningful work. [20:11]
The transformation of who you become by letting go. [24:20]
What are your emotional barriers to delegating and outsourcing? [27:45]
Join The Coaching Circle's June master class on delegation. [29:09]
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Do you always end up taking charge of others' problems because you know you can solve them faster or better? I know I do, and if you're a high-achiever, this episode will hit close to home. Today, I'm sharing why so many highly competent women have this pattern of taking the wheel for others.
I'm inviting you to consider how our can-do mindset, while celebrated, can quietly drain our energy, stunt others' growth, and even erode our closest connections. Discover the telltale signs of over-helping, the hidden costs, and how to reclaim your time and sanity without sacrificing your drive.
Let's learn to let go, let others step up, build true confidence, and create space for everyone—including ourselves—to thrive.
Show Highlights:
The high-performer's instinct to solve problems. [01:15]
Hardwired servant leadership vs. detrimental overhelping. [02:52]
When is it right to grab the wheel from your leaner-driver teen? [04:50]
Micromanaging at work and how it stifles others' growth. [07:48]
How arguing over doing chores your way leads to overload. [10:10]
Learning to listen, not solve. [12:30]
What to tell a chronic helper to help them step back. [13:41]
The importance of letting others build skills and confidence. [14:55]
Eroded connection and people avoiding opening up. [17:02]
Why habitual problem-solvers rarely get to feel supported. [18:04]
The power supportive coaching with The Coaching Circle. [19:19]
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Are you avoiding that one conversation you know you need to have? I get it, most of us have a tricky topic we're sidestepping at work, at home, or even with a friend. In this episode, I'm sharing why everything you want—whether it's more flexibility, healthier relationships, or a sense of confidence—is often waiting for you on the other side of a courageous conversation.
I'll walk you through the emotions that hold us back, reveal my story of asking for something that felt impossible (and actually getting it!), and challenge you to take that first step, even if it's uncomfortable.
This is your moment to take a breath, get honest, and watch what happens when you speak up for what you truly want. Let's rewrite your story, one conversation at a time.
Show Highlights:
Are you avoiding having difficult but necessary conversations? [00:48]
The power of courageous, imperfect conversations. [02:31]
What chronic problems in life manifest from. [04:30]
The emotions, stories, and "crystal ball" view behind avoidance. [05:53]
Link desired outcomes to the conversation they need. [09:34]
An example of how to ask for more flexibility at work. [10:35]
Approaching sensitive topics with your Mom, friend, or teen. [12:29]
Discover an effective workplace practice for clearing the air. [15:32]
Three key freedoms courageous conversations build up. [17:33]
Shift from knowing to doing with The Coaching Circle. [20:27]
Take this week's action step and share with us how it went. [22:02]
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Ever feel like the very drive that's building your dreams is running your life instead of serving it? If you're the woman everyone admires for getting it all done, but you secretly wonder what it's costing you, this episode is for you.
Today, I'm calling out the hidden costs of unchecked overdrive and allowing drive to become our default operating system: constant urgency, the struggle to pause for what really matters, and the slow fade of relationships we hold dear. But there's a solution for this and I'll explain why it isn't eliminating ambition and how to restore your balance.
This conversation is about more than productivity. It's about making sure our ambition actually takes us somewhere we want to go. Let's make every effort and every moment count.
Show Highlights:
A story about missing out due to drive and what caused it. [00:46]
Identifying the line between ambition and overdrive. [03:05]
The gift of drive as a tool vs. an operating system. [05:58]
How the Coaching Circle resolves deeply wired imbalances. [08:27]
The costs of constant internal urgency. [09:07]
What's the actual pace of recovery we need? [10:35]
The problem of optimizing the wrong problems. [11:56]
How overdrive leads to relationship drift. [14:07]
The skill of intentional drive modulation. [17:54]
Exiting overdrive culture for a setting for retraining healthy drive. [19:32]
The value of the Coaching Circle and how to sign up. [21:04]
Join The Coaching Circle to apply what you learn on the podcast with structure & support: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Have you ever wondered why, despite being wildly competent and organized, you sometimes still feel like everything is just too much? I know that feeling well, and I'm sharing my take on why so many accomplished women live in overwhelm - it's certainly not because we aren't capable!
Sometimes we even know what to do but we can't make time to do it.
So this week I'm introducing something brand new - The Coaching Circle - to bridge the gap between knowing and doing when it comes to Brilliant Balance practices. If you're ready for more ease, less overwhelm, and a circle of women who truly get it, this one's for you.
Show Highlights:
When overwhelm hit the tipping point in my personal story. [00:54]
How getting coaching provided me with a "map" and ease. [03:21]
The undercurrent of pressure in competent women. [06:17]
Can an outdated "life OS" manage peak complexity levels? [07:57]
The crisis of insight not leading to action and change. [11:03]
Introducing The Coaching Circle by Brilliant Balance [14:03]
How the Coaching Circle works and its unique benefits. [17:52]
Structural challenges women face that aren't personal failures. [20:49]
Learn who this is ideal for and see if or sounds like you. [22:15]
Discover the three elements that drive real change. [26:57]
Details and topic of the first Coaching Circle master class. [28:26]
If you're ready to have structure and support to apply the ideas you learn on the podcast, check out The Coaching Circle: https://brilliant-balance.com/coachingcircle
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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This week, I'm joined by Beatriz Albina, a nurse practitioner, somatic coach, and the bestselling author of End Emotional Outsourcing, to discuss a hidden nervous system epidemic among professional women: "functional freeze."
Do you look poised and unstoppable on the outside, but often feel disconnected from yourself? Beatriz breaks down the functional freeze phenomenon and "emotional outsourcing," the reason you might be stuck in a pattern of overgiving, perfectionism, and people-pleasing.She explains how chronic disconnection from our bodies is a protective response deeply rooted in our nervous systems.
This compassionate and science-backed conversation will illuminate why willpower alone isn't the answer—and how you can begin to reclaim your self-trust and honor your humanness to design an authentic, brilliant next chapter. Don't miss it!
Show Highlights:
What is functional freeze? [04:05]
Is functional freeze a common problem? [07:18]
Emotional outsourcing vs. healthy co-regulation. [09:30]
Navigating the self and curiosity vs. external expectations. [12:45]
The importance of finding "grown-up" support and a "village." [17:22]
Why somatic, body-based nervous system rewiring matters. [18:20]
A simple "What am I feeling right now?" awareness self-check. [19:44]
Reconnection practices to check in with your body and honor it. [21:43]
The need to heal from "I'm fine" conditioning. [28:05]
Where to find Beatriz Albina's free resources and her book. [32:29]
To find Beatriz Albina's work and the free meditations she's offering: https://beatrizalbina.com/free-meditations/
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Today, I'm mixing things up a bit by answering YOUR questions all about setting boundaries that actually hold, especially at work. If you've ever found it tough to say no, wondered how to handle tricky power dynamics, or felt overwhelmed by requests after hours, you're in the right place.
I'll share five real situations that listeners have asked about, along with practical strategies you can use right away. You'll hear about everything from managing expectations with leaders to finding your voice as the "new person" in the office.
My hope is that you'll recognize your own experiences, pick up some actionable tips, and start shaping boundaries that help you shine without burning out.
Show Highlights:
Don't miss Kate Northrup's free "Good with Money" workshop. [00:56]
What boundaries mean beyond just saying no. [03:52]
Boundary setting with senior leaders who ignore preferences. [04:23]
Consistency as the key to fostering boundary respect. [07:43]
How to make a work increase you can't refuse negotiable. [08:09]
Creating clarity without saying no. [11:33]
Resetting after-hours etiquette with always-on colleagues. [12:12]
Benefits of "beginning as you mean to go on" in a new job. [17:07]
Tips for avoiding unpaid work and protecting your time. [20:26]
Are you letting others define your boundaries for you? [27:02]
To register for Kate Northrup's Good with Money Free Masterclass click here: https://thefreefam.ontraport.net/t?orid=497195&opid=170
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Today, I'm sharing a simple truth that often goes unspoken: life is not linear. We're conditioned to believe that progress should be a steady, upward journey, but what if our lives actually operate in cycles, not straight lines?
I'm unpacking the "momentum cycle" and exploring why your energy, creativity, and focus naturally ebb and flow through distinct seasons—surges of expansion, hard stops of crisis, the uncertainty of transitions, and the necessity of recovery—and why striving to always be at your peak can actually hinder your progress.
If you're tired of measuring your life against an unfair expectation of nonstop achievement, tune in for fresh insights on honoring your energy, matching your actions to your current season, and finding power, even in the pauses.
Show Highlights:
Details of Kate Northrup's upcoming money workshop. [00:59]
The fallacy that life is linear vs. the "momentum cycle." [03:44]
The highs and gradual low of growth and expansion. [07:31]
Navigating crisis periods with focus. [09:40]
How transition and change can become accelerators. [12:49]
Do you allow yourself time to recover and heal? [16:59]
Suffering due to misaligned output and capacity. [21:00]
How can you honor your human limits? [24:57]
The power and opportunity in pausing. [26:24]
Find out whether you're in sync with your phase. [28:53]
The joy of trusting the cycle and celebrating others' wins. [30:00]
To register for Good with Money click here: https://thefreefam.ontraport.net/t?orid=497195&opid=170
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Today, I'm sitting down for an eye-opening conversation about wealth with bestselling author, entrepreneur, and creator of the Relaxed Money Method, Kate Northrup, who brings a refreshing perspective on money—seeing it as a relationship, not just a set of numbers.
Why does making good money not necessarily make us good with money? Kate explains to us how our stories about money shift through life's seasons, the surprising role our nervous system plays in financial decision-making, and why feeling truly safe with abundance is the real prize.
If you've struggled with the tension between ambition and the pull of "real life," or financial shame and secrecy, take the first step to recalibrating your relationship with wealth with Kate's wisdom. After the episode, you may want to join Kate's upcoming workshop!
Show Highlights:
Money as a number vs. a relationship in your real context. [02:17]
Reimagine financial tasks with the "money date" concept. [05:02]
Financial shame in successful women and the cost of secrecy. [08:19]
The real key to being good with money beyond the topline. [11:47]
Uncouple your identity and nervous system from money beliefs. [18:23]
How to power-reset your nervous system. [24:07]
The lie of scarcity and separation vs. energy of clarity. [30:01]
Kate Northrup's free "Good with Money" workshop. [38:24]
Check out Kate's podcast Plenty. [41:13]
To register for Good with Money, click here: https://thefreefam.ontraport.net/t?orid=497195&opid=170
To find Kate's podcast Plenty: https://katenorthrup.com
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Are you ready to reevaluate how much being liked really matters? In this episode, I'm talking about the surprising, powerful, and sometimes uncomfortable truth that seeking approval can actually keep us from reaching our full potential.
I'll explain how the need to be liked is a fuel woven into our early lives and careers, but then becomes a constraint as we step into midlife and leadership roles. I'll show you why we need to trade our need for approval for clarity, courage, and the kind of power that inspires true leadership—the power of shifting focus from managing perceptions to forging real outcomes.
If you've felt the powerful pull of wanting to be liked, ever softened your opinions, over-accommodated, or hesitated to claim your authority for fear of ruffling feathers, you know what this episode is about. Tune in to discover how trading approval for influence can open up a chapter of freedom and impact, and the legacy you crave!
Show Highlights:
What does our need for approval stem from? [01:05] The early power of approval and high-achiever conditioning. [04:35] How approval becomes a clashing limiter at midlife. [06:47] Approval-oriented vs. power/influence-oriented behaviors. [07:45] Understand true power. [11:48] Learning to withstand disapproval and hold your own. [13:46] Costs of overoptimizing for approval and underclaiming space. [15:42] The "I" statements of the "liked" vs. "influential" identity. [18:58] Five steps to reclaim influence without approval polling. [21:08] The benefits of earning influence over approval. [24:02]Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Today, I'm joined by communication scholar and Baylor professor Dr. Allison Alford to shine a light on a topic that speaks directly to the heart of so many women—the often unseen work of "daughtering." If you're the steady anchor of your family, the go-to for remembering birthdays, managing sibling dynamics, and smoothing over tensions before anyone else even notices, this conversation is for you!
Dr. Alford is the author of Good Daughtering and brings wisdom, empathy, and refreshing clarity to the subtle yet significant roles that many professional women carry as adult daughters, and the interplay of obligation and autonomy, devotion and depletion. She offers practical strategies to lighten your load, reclaim your agency, and reshape your definition of what it means to be "enough." You'll discover why recognizing your "daughtering" labor is both liberating and essential.
This conversation offers a fresh perspective on modeling daughtering, so tune in for inspiration to purposely create a life with a more sustainable, joyful balance!
Show Highlights:
What does "daughtering" mean? [05:06] The doing, thinking, feeling, and being work of daughters. [06:34] Acknowledging the blessing/burden duality of daughtering. [11:45] Is it love or duty that motivates daughtering work? [13:04] Identifying hedonic vs. eudaimonic happiness. [13:39] How daughtering can shift to overfunctioning and resentment. [16:21] Research findings on daughter and son roles in family care. [19:36] Redefining "enough" and embracing being a B+ daughter. [23:18] How to practice microdosing daughtering and agency. [26:01] Self-care as daughters and modeling it for the next generation. [28:44] Dr. Alford's book and where to find her work or contact her. [31:46]Connect with Allison Alford here: https://www.instagram.com/daughtering101/?hl=en
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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If you're like me, you know you aren't the same woman you were a year or even a month ago. In this episode, I'm inviting you to make a powerful shift—to make decisions like the woman you're becoming, not the one you're outgrowing.
I'll talk about how easy it is to default to comfort zones, old identities, or the opinions of others, the pitfalls of letting those steer our lives, and why that keeps us playing small. Let's explore how tapping into the insight, courage, and vision of our future selves can lead us to choices that have the power to excite, stretch, and fulfill us.
This episode is a practical invitation to recalibrate, break free from old patterns, and start making decisions today that your future self will thank you for! Let's craft our next chapters—one intentional decision at a time.
Show Highlights:
Are your choices aligned with your evolving identity? [00:46] A reflective exercise to do with your 16-year-old self. [04:30] Why present-moment decisions are a trap at life's inflection-points. [07:22] Meet a VVIP—your future self. [10:18] Five common drivers of current decisions. [11:04] How to harness vision to question familiar patterns. [17:31] The power of "possibilities" thinking vs. constraints. [18:36] What story do you want to tell with courage over fear? [19:12] Tap into long-term satisfaction in the painful now. [20:00] Learning to honor the opinion of your future self. [21:09] Share your present and future story with us or DM for support. [22:16]Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057
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Today, I'm handing over the host chair and letting you in on a different conversation, where I'm the one answering the questions!
In this episode, which I'm re-airing after we recorded it for her show, Molly Asplin interviews me about the story behind Brilliant Balance, my leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and why our personal definitions of success matter more than any universal standard. We talk about the seasons of our lives, the messy reality behind the highlight reels, and how giving ourselves permission to embrace the "now" can change everything.
If you've ever wrestled with burnout, perfectionism, or the belief that you just can't press pause, I promise you'll feel seen here. Grab your coffee, settle in, and join us for a fresh perspective on designing a brilliant, balanced life, your way.
Show Highlights:
How I left P&G with financial runways to launch a business. [03:43] Align your pace with life's growth and recovery seasons. [10:56] Are you living by outdated standards of success? [18:16] How to name your season and reset your rhythm. [20:23] The power of intentional calendar curation. [24:12] Energy management essentials for health and resilience. [27:44] What's procrastination perfectionism? [32:05] Separating social narratives from yourself as a woman. [34:56] The pendulum shift to recovery from career overdrive. [41:08] Permission for tired women to sleep and get support. [42:41] Check out my Momentum Playbook and other helpful tools. [45:51]To find Molly Asplin's podcast The Modern High Performer, visit https://mollyasplin.com/modern-high-performer-podcast/.
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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Ever find yourself stuck in an endless loop of overthinking, self-doubt, or battling between what you want and what you "should" do? To get to the heart of this inner tug-of-war, today, I'm joined by Dana Bernstein, principal of Dare to Live Brave and author of It's the Thought that Counts: Mastering the Art of YOU vs. You. Dana is a conflict resolution coach, helping professionals in high-stakes environments like universities, government, banking, and the court system.
We're talking real-life inner conflict between ambition and self-doubt, or when your values feel like they're battling for control. Dana breaks down why labeling our emotions is magic and how knowing exactly what drives you can shift everything about how you show up, not just in tough conversations, but in your biggest moments.
Join us if you're ready for powerful stories, actionable steps, and plenty of aha moments to reclaim your power and move forward as your most empowered, graceful self (even in the messiest moments) to the big, bold life you envision.
Show Highlights:
Understanding competing values in the "YOU vs. You" conflict. [02:40] Inner conflict in women and why self-discovery matters. [04:13] Discover your best self with leveraged values and "Who" words. [05:22] How to "pause, ponder, pivot" when you feel triggered. [07:05] The rider, elephant and peanuts analogy for emotions and reasoning. [08:19] Practicing the pause effectively and advance preparation. [11:10] In-the-moment conflict vs. after-the fact conflict. [13:52] The power of self-mastery over negotiation in conflict resolution. [15:31] What do you feed your mind, ice cream vs. bananas? [19:09] Using body awareness as early warnings of conflict activation. [23:23] Self-compassion and living clean between your ears. [24:58]To take the Who assessment: https://danabernsteinconflictcoach.github.io/the-who-assessment-official-/
To find Danas book: http://bit.ly/3PLlYG9
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki
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