As kids finish off the school year, I’m looking back in awe how much they’ve grown and accomplished this year.

And then, the proud reverie is interrupted. It’s like a split screen where I see my own stalled progress. And feel a giant ugh in the pit of my stomach.

I see the goals I meant to prioritize this year — consistent exercise, healthier meals, getting to bed by 10pm. On some of them, I’m doing great. On others…it’s not pretty.

When life is going at full speed — school breaks, work travel, a sudden realization that no one is available for pickup on Thursday — it’s easy to feel like you’re falling short.

But as you try to offer yourself grace, you hear a voice of doubt:

“Am I letting myself off the hook here?”

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sit down with midlife health coach Elizabeth Sherman to talk about this exact dilemma: how high-achieving women judge themselves when real life gets in the way of their goals.

We get into the cultural conditioning that rewards a “no excuses” mindset—and how that plays out when you’re just trying to get through the week without collapsing by Thursday night.

We unpack why it’s so hard to discern when you're giving yourself a pass...and when you actually need to pause.

If you’ve ever struggled to tell the difference between reasons and excuses, this is one you’ll want to hear.

What You'll Learn:

• A smarter way to think about “no excuses” culture—and how it may be hurting your energy and your goals

• A practical lens to tell the difference between a reason and an excuse (no shame, just clarity)

• What resistance can teach you when your motivation dips

• How to set high standards without running yourself into the ground

This one is honest, compassionate, and a little bit of a reframe.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

From the outside, it probably looks like you’re doing it all—and doing it well. You’ve checked all the boxes: crushing it at work, holding things down at home, maybe even taking on a volunteer project or two.

But on the inside? You might be asking yourself:
How much longer can I keep going like this?

In this week’s episode of The Mental Offload, I sit down with Lori Oberbroeckling—senior corporate leader, mom of four, author of Secrets of Supermom, and someone who’s lived through the very burnout she now helps other women recover from.

We’re talking about that dangerous space high-achieving women fall into when busy becomes a badge of honor, and even the things we once loved start to feel like obligations.

You catch yourself saying, “It’s just this week, next week will be better”...for months on end. Meanwhile, your energy is slowly draining away.

What You'll Learn:

• The often-overlooked early warning signs of burnout for working mothers

• Why being overloaded doesn’t mean you’re a failure

• How to set boundaries without blowing up your life

• What parts of the ‘supermom’ label to embrace

Burnout isn’t inevitable. Listen in for Lori’s inspiring take on the small changes that can steer you out of burnout.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

Go getters always manage to get it done.

But for some of you, it’s often “just in the nick of time”.

Are you jumping from one last-minute push to the next late-night sprint?

Have you convinced yourself that this is simply the cost of being successful, high-achieving, and in demand?

I know, I know. You want to focus on the result: you’re meeting deadlines. Getting s*** done.

I used to tell myself I “worked best under deadline”.

But, then I realized my processes were keeping the stakes high and the stress higher.

“Cutting it close” isn’t a productivity strategy. It’s a disordered way of working.

And over time, it chips away at your capacity, your confidence, and possibly even your credibility — even if you're still technically delivering.

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on a mindset that many high-performing working mothers assume is unavoidable:

Working with zero margin.

It looks like constant pressure. And maybe taking pride in being able to handle “whatever comes your way” — while always operating at the brink of burnout.

Here’s the hard truth:

Constant urgency may make you feel productive, but it’s actually a slow drain on your leadership and your talent.

We’re not talking about dropping the ball.

We’re talking about getting it down the field more effectively.

What You'll Learn:

• Why “just-in-time” delivery erodes trust — even when the work is technically on time

• The hidden tax of trying to “do it all” without the right support

• Why your adrenaline-based productivity is blocking your creativity and long-term strategy

• How to start creating margin and lead time — and why it’s the key to peace, polish, and presence

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.