Brilliant Balance

The Enneagram is a model of the human psyche. It reveals what we do to feel loved and what motivates our behavior. The Enneagram uses numbers, instead of language, to explain attitude and behavior. Even though there are nine distinct personality types, one dominates each of our lives. It is our unconscious orientation that drives our behavior.  While you may not resonate with every feature of your...

The promise of a road trip is always exciting. You gather your favorite snacks and queue up a playlist, ready for adventure. But what you've envisioned and what actually unfolds can be two entirely different stories.  And when you're on the road of life, it's the same. So many variations are possible. But when you know the stretch of road you're on, you can adjust your "driving" accordingly and fe...

When December arrives, you might feel like it's time to slip into your holiday role. You cook, host parties, wrap gifts, and plan everything start to finish. The days feel rushed and without holiday spirit.  It's easy to get trapped in making sure everyone else has a good time. You always want to give, but are unable to receive. Why? When you don't take time for yourself, the holidays become bland...

It might be surprising to learn that each of us has four distinct "characters" living in our brain. Each one experiences life through a particular lens and brings a unique perspective to situations we encounter. In this episode, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor (yes the same one who delivered the now famous TED talk, My Stroke of Insight) helps us learn how to call all four characters into service so we can...

Navigating the holidays can be a challenge. And while you may be able to avoid those "certain people" throughout the year, the holidays don't always give you that opportunity. However, when you learn the skill of coping ahead, you can feel confident about your plan to handle holiday emotions so you feel less overwhelmed and more in control. In this episode, you'll learn six strategies for coping a...

Having the perfect plan can feel like a safety net. You just know it's going to  set you up for smooth sailing, so you feel fully in control…until you don't.  In fact, overplanning can backfire…and when it does you're left with even more things to do, which causes unnecessary stress. Overplanning can block your intuition and keep your day from unfolding with the ease and flow you crave. In this ep...

If you've ever felt like you're at war with your body, you're not alone. In fact, 97% of women report that they think intensely negative thoughts about their bodies every single day. We actually bond over this common misery.  And yet if you're always treating your body as the enemy, you're in for a rough ride. You'll fight every flaw and try to tweak every aspect of your appearance. Which leads to...

Sometimes we pride ourselves on 'caring too much.' But making a decision can feel practically impossible when you are trying to keep everyone else happy.  And if you're always yearning for approval, you'll find it harder to make the right decisions for yourself. When you bury your own needs, you lose touch with the things that make you happy. Happiness becomes what everyone else wants. In this epi...

Everyone shuts down sometimes. Whether you're afraid of getting hurt, want to avoid conflict, or are trying to protect your hard-earned reputation, it's tempting to put on your armor and hide out. But closing yourself off is no way to live. In fact, when you learn to stay open, your life gets better and better. You grow, you receive, you deepen the connection you feel with others, and you live a m...

Momentum - like a ferris wheel - is a constant cycle. When you're at the top, you feel a sense of fulfillment and like anything is possible. But when you lose that momentum, everything starts to feel like an obstacle. In this episode, you'll discover how to work with the cycles of momentum so you can focus on opportunities and get back up to the top again. Show highlights include: The ferris wheel...

New Year's Eve is the most popular time for people to make goals. For example… the gyms are packed in January and full of motivation.  But by February, the crowd dies off. People become less interested and don't follow through on their resolutions. What happened? Reaching your goals is about making better choices. And if you don't understand the driving forces behind it, you'll always get stuck do...

Feeling like you have to 'do everything' is normal… but it is also draining and leads to high anxiety. And it's impossible to celebrate your personal wins when you never feel good enough.  That's the last thing we want to teach our girls - and for them to pick up on. It's not about being EVERYthing. It's about being ANYthing. You don't need to 'do it all' for self-worth. And it doesn't need to be...

When it comes to accomplishing your dreams, you might not know what the first step is…  It's easy to say "I don't know" and make that the end of the road.  But what if "I don't know" is a question, not an answer? In this episode, you'll discover the three ways to use "I don't know" as a question for the next step in your dreams. Show highlights include: Using the story of Midnight the Kitten to fu...

You need powerful language to command a room or explain a side. And when you don't know how to make your point, you end up apologizing and underselling.  If you fall into patterns of bad communication, you'll never make the impact you want in the world. You'll only weaken your authority and confuse those around you.   In this episode, you'll discover the 8 ways to stop weakening your language and...

Getting a good night's rest makes every part of your day better. It enhances your mood, energizes your spirit, and gets you ready to take on the day.  And while we all know how important sleep is, why do we continue to struggle with getting a good snooze? When you lose out on sleep, it throws everything out of balance. Life feels overwhelming, rushed, and even the smallest decisions feel impossibl...

You know that a good day starts with a good morning. But it only takes one missing shoe to throw off the entire flow of those early hours… Perfect mornings aren't about being mistake-free. They are about handling things that come your way (while having enough time to get out the door).  In this episode, you'll discover the three keys to feeling calmer, in control, and on top of things in the morni...

When you're asked about your dreams, does it feel like a question of the past? You've had your dreams, made life decisions, and closed off the rest. But dreams don't only belong to kids! And they offer more to adults than 'fantasy.' Dreams inspire you, guide you to a greater purpose, and propel you forward. In this episode, you'll discover why dreaming as an adult leads to your most impactful and...

Thank you for being a loyal podcast listener and helping us get to our 200th episode! To honor this milestone, we're flipping the script and answering YOUR important questions about living a brilliant and balanced life!  Show highlights include: How to 'tip the scale' toward personal development (when all you do is work for other people) (3:45) The threshold rituals for making family time magical...

It doesn't come as a surprise that most people want control in their lives, but the desire for it feeds anxiety.  When you can't control your environment, you get a gut feeling that something is wrong. It keeps you trapped and in fear of making a move. But if you're too focused on what you can't control, the opportunities for what you can are gone. In this episode, you'll learn how to loosen the g...

A majority of people feel the need to "hide" parts of their identity at work. They downplay their life, avoid personal questions, and get too wrapped up in projects.  But hiding who you are at work takes a lot of time and energy. In this episode, you'll discover why showing up with your "whole self" at the office creates the most opportunities and connections in your career. Show highlights includ...

Managing your emotions isn't a natural concept. It takes practice and commitment. And even when you take the high road, you might not get the response you want. But emotional maturity is more than asserting yourself. It's about getting back in control over how you feel. So that no matter what anyone does, you're always elevating the conversation. In this episode, you'll discover the five keys to e...

Whether it's related to work or something personal, we've all felt like we're swimming with our heads underwater.  You can only hold your breath for so long. Coming up for air is the only way to live a life with joy (and recover to take on the day).  The times you think you can't take a break are usually when you need to take one the most.  In this episode, you'll discover why coming up for air is...

It's easy to forget who you are in a world full of social pressure. But if you can't overcome a fear of judgment, you won't do the things you're drawn to. And if you suppress your true nature, life starts to feel miserable. Integrity is about getting in tune with the truth and doing things with purpose. The more integrity you have, the closer you are to your true self. In this episode, Dr. Martha...

If you are stuck doing the same thing every day, life gets stagnant. You start to feel drained, unmotivated, and without options.  But unhappy circumstances won't change unless you do. In fact, you might even be standing in your own way. In this episode, you'll learn why doing different things brings the most potential to your life.  Show highlights include: The 'up-leveling' strategy for getting...

When you hear the word 'selfish,' you might think of a person who focuses only on themselves. It's portrayed as a negative trait that puts us above others. But being selfish isn't as bad as you think. And if you spend all of your time focused on everyone else, you'll quickly burn out.   You need selfishness to steer life in the direction you want, create better relationships, and feel a sense of s...