Confident You - Raw Conversations

Learn how to unlock your potential by embracing imperfection and taking risks. This post shares inspiring insights from Lillian Brienza's journey, perfect for anyone seeking motivation to make bold moves in their life. In today's fast-paced world, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Many of us struggle with self-doubt and the fear of stepping into the unknown. B...

What if midlife wasn’t the beginning of the end — but the beginning of your most powerful chapter? In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins highlights her conversation with Jack Perez , founder of Cool Life , a platform dedicated to helping women thrive in midlife. After leaving corporate America and building successful businesses, Jack realized that women entering their 40s, 50s, an...

What if confidence doesn’t come from perfection — but from honesty? In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins shares powerful lessons from her conversation with Becky Smoak , founder of Becky’s Mindful Kitchen , a cooking school focused on mindfulness, connection, and personal growth. Becky’s journey is a powerful reminder that confidence grows when we stop hiding and start owning our...

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, “Everything is fine… so why doesn’t it feel fulfilling?” In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins explores what happens when a life that looks good on the outside no longer feels aligned on the inside. Inspired by her conversation with motivational speaker and life coach Kari Hurd , Julie shares a powerful message for women who feel rest...

Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or stuck? In this short episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins shares a real and honest moment from her life while navigating home renovations, unexpected chaos, and the loss of motivation. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, Julie explores a powerful mindset shift that helps rebuild momentum: focusing on the next small step . This episode is a remi...

What happens when you push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of? In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins shares the powerful story of Roxanne Gray and her experience completing Everesting 29029 , a physical and mental endurance challenge where participants climb 29,029 vertical feet in 36 hours , the equivalent height of Mount Everest. This challenge took place in Whistl...

What does it take to lead a legacy business into the future? In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins reflects on her conversation with Anne Huntington Sharma , President and board member of Huntington Learning Center , one of the nation’s leading tutoring and test preparation organizations. Founded by Dr. Ray Huntington and Eileen Huntington, Huntington Learning Center has helped mi...

Can one person really make a difference in the world? In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie DeLucca-Collins shares powerful lessons from her conversation with Tobie Spears , founder and director of the nonprofit Be Humanitarian , an organization dedicated to supporting families and children in Guatemala through food programs, education support, and sustainable community initiatives. Tobie’s journ...

What if confidence doesn’t come before you start — but because you start? Today, in Brave Moves Pod, Julie DeLucca-Collins shares powerful lessons from her conversation with Melissa Polanco, founder of Ring of Color , a Latina-owned, cruelty-free makeup brand built on inclusivity, representation, and purpose. Melissa didn’t come from the beauty industry. She came from higher education and counseli...

In honor of Women’s History Month, this special Brave Moves series highlights phenomenal women who are making history through courage, creativity, and authentic leadership. In this episode, Julie DeLucca-Collins reflects on her powerful conversation with writer, performer, and movement artist Valerie Hager, creator of the one-woman show Naked in Alaska. Valerie’s story explores vulnerability, stor...

How to stop repeating the same patterns in your life and break self-sabotage cycles — In this episode of Brave Moves, we explore the psychology and neuroscience behind why you keep attracting the same situations, reacting in the same ways, and feeling stuck in familiar outcomes. If you’ve been searching for how to change your mindset, how to stop self-sabotage, or how to break unhealthy patterns i...

How to take back control of your life when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, and emotionally reactive — this episode of Brave Moves explores the psychology and neuroscience behind personal agency, emotional regulation, and intentional decision-making. If you’ve been searching for how to stop feeling out of control, how to change your mindset when overwhelmed, or how to build confidence through better c...

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is wrong with me?” In this episode of Brave Moves, Julie explores the hidden roots of negative self-talk, impostor syndrome, and confidence struggles that many high-achieving women experience, especially during seasons of growth, reinvention, and entrepreneurship. If you are building a business, stepping into leadership, or navigating midlife transitions, this e...

In a world that rewards speed, productivity, and performance, compassion can feel like a luxury. But it’s not. It’s a leadership skill. It’s a relationship builder. And it’s one of the most powerful tools you have for creating meaningful success. In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie explores how compassion and connection are not soft skills, but strategic advantages in business, leadership, and...

How do you know if someone is the right mentor for you — or just the loudest voice in the room? In today’s episode of Brave Moves , Julie shares how to find aligned, growth-focused mentors who accelerate your success without creating dependency, burnout, or confusion. Whether you are launching a business, scaling your revenue, pivoting careers, or rebuilding confidence, choosing the right mentor c...

Why do high achievers often feel behind, even when they are succeeding? In this episode of Brave Moves, Julie explores the powerful mindset shift from one of her favorite books: The Gap to The Gain , by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. The Gap is when you measure yourself against an ideal future that is always just out of reach. This creates chronic dissatisfaction, anxiety, and burnout. The G...

Do you ever catch yourself thinking there’s not enough time, not enough money, not enough opportunity, not enough success to go around? Scarcity thinking is subtle, but powerful. It whispers that you have to choose between peace or profit, family or career, visibility or privacy, her win or your win. But abundance thinking says something different. Abundance says you can build wealth and protect y...

Listening to your gut intuition neuroscience — How to trust your instincts and build something you love without waiting for certainty. In this episode of Brave Moves , we explore the psychology and neuroscience behind intuition, pattern recognition, and intrinsic motivation. If you’ve been feeling a pull toward a new idea, business, or direction, this episode will help you understand whether that...

Self care vs self centered psychology purpose — Maybe you don’t need to keep putting yourself first. Maybe you need to expand beyond yourself. In this episode of Brave Moves , we explore the psychological and neuroscience-backed difference between healthy self-prioritization and self-centered living. While boundaries and self-care are essential, over-focusing on the self can increase rumination, a...

Motivation vs discipline neuroscience habits — Why moving beyond motivation is the key to consistent action, confidence building, and sustainable success. In this episode of Brave Moves , we break down the psychology and neuroscience behind motivation, dopamine, identity-based habits, and systems thinking. If you’ve ever felt inspired one day and stuck the next, this episode will help you understa...

Low hanging fruit productivity strategy momentum — Why small wins create confidence, motivation, and sustainable growth. In this episode of Brave Moves , we explore the psychology of progress, the neuroscience of dopamine and motivation, and why identifying low-hanging fruit is one of the smartest strategies for overcoming overwhelm and building momentum. You’ll learn: Why small wins increase moti...

Time audit productivity mindset clarity — Why you need to audit your time if you want more focus, confidence, and control over your life. In this episode of Brave Moves , Julie breaks down the psychology and neuroscience behind time awareness, productivity, and intentional living. If you constantly feel busy but not fulfilled, overwhelmed but not accomplished, this conversation will change how you...

Time management mindset, Arnold Bennett philosophy, 16-hour personal day, personal growth habits, focus and productivity psychology are the foundation of this Brave Moves episode exploring how to reclaim ownership of your time and live more intentionally. Inspired by Arnold Bennett’s powerful philosophy in How to Live on 24 Hours a Day , this episode challenges the idea that we “don’t have enough...

Cosmopolitan magazine empowerment, teenage identity formation, women’s independence messaging, media influence on self-image, and psychology of confidence are at the heart of this Brave Moves episode exploring how unexpected influences shape who we become. In this reflective and neuroscience-informed conversation, Julie shares a personal story about reading Cosmopolitan magazine as a teenager and...

Luck, psychology, neuroscience, opportunity, mindset — Is luck random, or is it something we actively create? In this Brave Moves episode, we explore the psychology of luck, the neuroscience of perception and opportunity, and how regulation, action, and cognitive framing influence outcomes. You’ll learn: What research says about lucky people How stress narrows perception and limits opportunity The...