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.

If you've ever found yourself trying to stay calm in a heated meeting—or keeping your cool with a tantruming child—you know: try harder is not the answer.

In this week’s episode of The Mental Offload, I continue my powerful conversation with nervous system expert Jane Pilger. We dive deep into how you can regulate your nervous system—and help others regulate, too—even in the midst of difficult conversations.

We explore the real reason emotional spirals happen, even when we think we’re "fine." More importantly, you'll learn how to work with your body’s built-in systems to stay grounded, even when the world around you is anything but.

This is about leadership from the inside out—whether you're managing a colleague gone rogue, an adult toddler, or an actual toddler.

What You'll Learn:

• The critical difference between feeling safe and actually being safe (and why it matters for every conversation you have)

• Why "tough love" doesn’t work (and what does)

• How to use co-regulation intentionally—at work, with your kids, and with your partner

• What to do when the person you're talking to isn't capable of rational discussion in the moment

If you want to lead with more presence, power, and peace…this episode is a must-listen.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

As working mothers and high achievers, we are trained to keep pushing through—no matter the cost.

On top of that, you’ve probably been told at some point that the best way to be taken seriously as a woman in leadership is not to show any emotion.

That can lead you to keep pushing down your emotions.

But those pesky emotions often refuse to be silenced.

That’s why I recently sat down with nervous system expert Jane Pilger to demystify a topic you’ve heard about but may not fully get: nervous system regulation.

No doubt, you’ve heard about the benefits of nervous system regulation for your children.

But, did you know that it’s a skill that the most trusted leaders employ pretty much daily?

We break down why one key to effective leadership—at work and at home—starts with staying in control of your own internal state. When you understand how your nervous system works, you stop fighting yourself and start moving forward with more ease and confidence.

This isn’t about "fixing" or eliminating your emotions. It’s about working with your body and mind, not against it.

What You'll Learn:

• What is your nervous system “home base”, and how do you know if you’re in it?

• Why willpower and pushing through don’t help

• Practical tools you can use in stressful moments

• Why expanding your “emotional capacity” is a core leadership skill

This conversation is packed with simple, practical strategies you can use immediately.

Tune in now and learn how to lead from a place of calm strength—no ice baths or meditation cushion needed.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

You start the week with a color-coded calendar, clear priorities, and the best intentions.

But by Wednesday, things are already going off the rails. You’re already working through lunch, but you’re about 4 tasks behind where you intended to be.

Loads of high-achievers get sucked in by the same culprit:

Magical schedule thinking.

Magical schedule thinking is what happens when you underestimate how much time things will take, and end up overcommitting yourself in the process.

You convince yourself you can knock out a killer presentation in exactly one hour. Which would work in a world where there was no inbox pinging you, or colleagues interrupting you.

Your motivation isn’t the problem. Your math is.

Instead of working harder to try to grind it all out, you need to understand how to unwind the magical thinking.

So that your schedule works for you, instead of against you.

When you learn to ditch the magical schedule thinking, you’ll finish the day feeling accomplished, not defeated and overwhelmed.

What You'll Learn:

• The hidden reasons we overload our calendars (even when we know better)

• How to spot the telltale signs that you’ve slipped into magical thinking

• A simple, four-step approach to creating an intentional, doable schedule

• Replacing overwhelm with a powerful feeling of control over your time

You can’t create more hours in the day.

But you can change how you show up for them.

Listen to the full episode now.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

When’s the last time you interviewed for a job?

Maybe it’s been a few years. Or even a few promotions ago.

If so, you need to know that the interview game evolves as your career evolves.

At the mid-to-senior level, interviews are no longer about proving you’re a go-getter who can do anything.

As you get more senior, interviews are about something different:

Showing up as the leader who can drive results, influence outcomes, and represent your employer with authority.

That shift requires a completely different approach.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I’m breaking down what it really takes to nail your next job interview—from how to tell your story, to the questions you should be asking (and avoiding), to how to walk into that conversation truly knowing you’re a catch.

Because it’s less about knowing the ‘right’ answers, and more about showing that you’re a high-impact leader.

If you’re even thinking about a job change in the next 6–12 months, this episode is required listening.

What You'll Learn:

• How to prep for mid-career interviews (especially when it’s been years since your last interview)

• The mindset shift that separates the loyal (junior) team player from the confident (senior) leader

• Crafting smart questions that position you like a strategic peer, not a hopeful applicant

• The four examples every woman should have ready to go (including how to structure them for maximum impact)

Whether you’re actively interviewing or just want to be ready when the right opportunity comes knocking, this episode will help you bring your A-game to your next job interview.

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.

Ever catch yourself spiraling with frustration after a tense meeting... and think, “Why didn’t I stop myself sooner?”

Or maybe you’re trying to create an exercise habit, and find yourself skipping out most of the time.

You’re not alone.

And these “fails” don’t actually mean you’re failing.

As women who are used to crushing big goals — especially those who’ve succeeded by pushing through and hustling hard — we can be our own worst critics when it comes to building new habits.

You might think it helps.

But here’s the thing: changing habits comes in phases, and the early phases might look like “fails”.

Unless you know what to look for.

This week on the podcast, I’m walking through a powerful three-phase framework that explains exactly what’s happening when you’re trying to change thought patterns or habits—and why your progress may be non-linear, even when you're right on track.

What You'll Learn:

• Why noticing your thoughts after the fact is actually a sign of progress

• How to navigate the messy middle, when you can see the pattern happening in real time but can’t seem to stop it

• Why “gathering the data” is necessary to successfully move through the phases of change

For more information, visit The Mental Offload.