Below The Circle

What if the weight wearing you out was never yours to carry? You can carry all of it. You’ve proven that. But in this episode, Dr. Phyllis invites you to pause and ask a deeper question: how much of what is on your plate was ever truly yours? She speaks to the big-hearted woman with a full schedule, a tired soul, and a quiet fear that she has been so busy carrying everyone else’s life that she is...

What are you afraid would fall apart if you stopped holding it all together? You have been the one who remembers, covers, fixes, plans, and carries what everyone else forgets. You call it responsibility, strength, love, and loyalty. But underneath all that holding may be a quiet fear that if you let go, everything will crash. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis gently speaks to the woman who feels like t...

Have you been holding everyone else together so long that you fear you’ve missed your own life? You’ve cared deeply, said yes from love, and kept going even when your own heart needed room to breathe. Maybe your full plate is not what is breaking your heart. Maybe it is the quiet fear that while you were taking care of everyone else, you lost touch with yourself. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis share...

What weight are you still holding that God has been asking you to release? You’ve been capable, responsible, prepared, and strong for so long that putting something down may feel like failure. Maybe it’s a role, a title, a seat at the table, or the quiet need to keep proving yourself. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares a personal story from 2020, when she was transitioning out of a leadership rol...

What grief have you been carrying that you’ve been calling strength? You’ve been busy, capable, dependable, and strong for so long that no one may have noticed how heavy it has become. Maybe even you forgot to ask what pain has been hiding underneath every yes, every role, every title, and every “I’m fine.” In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares a tender story of disappointment, loss, and the moment...

Who are you when you take off every name tag you wear? You’ve been so many things to so many people for so long, the woman underneath has gotten quiet. You can’t remember the last time someone asked who you were — not what you do, not who you take care of, not what role you fill — but who you ARE. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis sits with you at a threshold she’s stood at herself. She tells you the s...

When was the last time you were truly present, not planning tomorrow or replaying yesterday? In this heartfelt episode of Below the Circle , Dr. Phyllis invites you to slow down, breathe, and notice where your mind has been living. Through personal stories, scripture, and honest coaching truth, she shares how autopilot can quietly steal our peace, our joy, and the moments happening right in front...

What if the exhaustion you feel is not weakness, but a warning signal asking you to be honest? In this heartfelt episode of Below the Circle , host Dr. Phyllis speaks to high-achieving women who look fine on the outside but feel empty, numb, and worn down inside. She shares the difference between normal tiredness and deep depletion, reminding listeners that constant pretending can cost them joy, p...

Are you chasing success, or are you running from the pain you have not named? In this honest and deeply personal episode of Below the Circle , Dr. Phyllis invites you to look at the “buffet” of life, where titles, roles, achievements, and endless yeses can start to feel like proof that you are enough. Through her own story of high achievement, imposter syndrome, betrayal, leadership pressure, COVI...

Why does slowing down feel more terrifying than the burnout already wearing you down? In this heartfelt episode of Below the Circle , Dr. Phyllis speaks to the woman who keeps pushing, serving, leading, and holding everything together while quietly feeling empty inside. She names five fears that keep women stuck on autopilot, including the fear of losing identity, being replaced, appearing weak, l...

What if the life you’ve been searching for is right below you, but you’ve been too busy circling to see it? In this powerful opening episode, Dr. Phyllis speaks to the woman who is exhausted from always showing up for everyone else while feeling disconnected from herself. Using the image of a pilot stuck in the same sky, she explains how many women live on autopilot, calling it strength while quie...

What if the woman everyone depends on is not the real you? In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Phyllis speaks to women who have spent years being strong, dependable, and needed, yet feel disconnected from themselves. She explains how constant performance can become a place of safety, while slowly burying your true desires, joy, and identity. Through honest reflection, a personal story, and the truth of...

What happens when staying busy becomes the only way you know how to function? In this episode, Dr. Phyllis unpacks the pattern so many of us live in without questioning. We keep moving, managing, and showing up, but rarely slow down enough to actually feel our own lives. Over time, constant motion starts to feel normal, and stillness begins to feel uncomfortable. This conversation gets to the root...

Have you ever caught yourself asking, is this really where I’m supposed to be? Or do you keep moving forward simply because it feels easier than stopping? Some seasons are spent reacting instead of pausing, seeking fulfillment in roles and routines that never truly feed the soul. Decisions stop being brought to God, and life runs on auto pilot, letting habit guide the way. Repeated outcomes often...

What happens when you realize you’ve been living on auto pilot? In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares her personal story and draws a powerful connection to the story of the prodigal son. It’s an honest look at what it feels like to drift, to lose sight of who you really are, and what it takes to come back. She opens up about the moment she knew something had to change. The moment she realized that i...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares a deeper look into her personal journey of breaking out of autopilot and reconnecting with her true self. She opens up about the pressure of trying to live up to the idea of the Proverbs 31 woman, focusing on what that looks like from the outside while never really considering what’s happening internally. There’s so much emphasis on her attributes and how she’s...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis talks about what it really looks like to move forward when you feel stuck. Not through big, overwhelming changes, but through small actions that actually build momentum. If you’ve been avoiding your next step or sitting in overthinking, this is your reminder that enough is enough. We can’t let our thoughts run the show. At some point, you have to shift your focus from...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares her experience of realizing she had been living in a state of emotional autopilot. While managing the many roles and responsibilities of life, she found herself feeling disconnected and unsure how to step off the constant treadmill of expectations. Our conversation explores how easily parents can become overwhelmed by responsibilities and begin operating on auto...

Clutter is not always about being messy or disorganized. Sometimes it is a signal that something deeper is asking for our attention. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis talks about the connection between clutter and avoidance. The overflowing inbox, messy closet, or tasks we keep putting off can often point to emotions we have not slowed down enough to face. Instead of seeing clutter as a failure, she en...

Feeling isolated is easy, and sometimes it seems like you’re the only one facing life’s challenges. But what makes life meaningful are the small moments of connection. You don’t have to say much to make a moment matter—sometimes just showing up is enough. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares how intentionally reaching out to others can transform relationships and create lasting bonds. She walks us...

Have you ever felt like life is just rinse and repeat? You wake up, move through the day, go to bed, and do it all over again. It can feel like you’re circling the same runway, never quite taking off. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares a recent experience that made her pause and pay attention to what was really happening around her. Sometimes we move so quickly through our routines that we stop n...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis reflects on what she describes as God’s wake up calls. She shares about a season when she was moving quickly, focused on doing all the right things and being the kind of mom she believed she should be. In the middle of that pace, she began to realize that God had been gently signaling that something needed to shift. Sometimes those signals are subtle. A sense of unease...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis explores what it means to remain rooted rather than rattled when others do not understand your decisions or the season you are in. As priorities shift and life changes, standing firm without external approval can be challenging. Drawing from her own experiences, Dr. Phyllis emphasizes the importance of developing deep roots that provide stability and clarity, even when...

Ever feel like life has slipped into autopilot and you’re just getting through the day? This episode is a reminder that surviving doesn’t have to be the baseline. Thriving can start with small, intentional shifts. We talk about the importance of continuing to learn and staying curious, finding moments of laughter as a way to release pressure, and allowing emotions to move instead of holding everyt...

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis joins us to explore what happens when faith, exhaustion, and the pressures of real life all show up at once. You can be faithful, tired, and frustrated at the same time—and still lead with love. We dive into the importance of authentic presence and why growth and transformation aren’t about perfection. It’s about showing up as your real self, allowing yourself to feel...