Less Is More w/The Hormone Queen: Becca Chilczenkowski - Ep 55
Release Date: 10/09/2025
The Higher Alignment Podcast
If you’re a high achiever who feels overwhelmed, burnt out, or constantly behind, this episode will transform the way you think about productivity. I break down the nervous system science behind dysregulation, survival mode, and burnout and explain why optimizing for productivity actually backfires when your body is overloaded. You’ll learn what regulation really means, how to recognize when your nervous system is out of balance, and practical strategies to shift out of fight-or-flight and back into clarity and ease. I also explore the connection between childhood conditioning, worthiness...
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In this episode, I break down one of the most common stories I hear from high achievers in burnout: “I feel like a bad friend.” You’re canceling plans, avoiding connection, dreading social commitments, and disconnecting from the people you love and instead of understanding what’s happening in your body, you start judging yourself for it. I explain why this has nothing to do with your character and everything to do with capacity, nervous system dysregulation, and the performance-based validation many of us were conditioned into from childhood. We talk about how burnout warps your...
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In this episode, I sit down with Carly Bolin to talk about what it’s really like to live in fight or flight without realizing it. 2025 became the hardest year of her life after her stepson’s cancer diagnosis, and it forced her to see how long she’d been operating on empty, both at work and at home. Together, we unpack the quiet signs of burnout, the urge to control everything, and the moment tiny shifts (like finally making the bed again) showed her nervous system was healing. Carly shares how she learned to slow down, ask for help, receive support, and rebuild a life where she can be...
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In this episode of the Higher Alignment Podcast, Minh-Thu breaks down why self-regulation is becoming the most valuable skill in today’s AI-driven world. With the rise of digital overwhelm, overstimulation, and artificial efficiency, humans are craving authenticity and real connection more than ever. Minh-Thu explains how nervous system regulation enhances leadership, strengthens relationships, improves decision-making, and helps you stay grounded even when the world feels chaotic. This episode is a practical, empowering look at why your inner world determines your outer success and how...
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In this episode, I walk you through the exact year-end exercise I recently did with my clients to help them stop spiraling into Q4 chaos and actually land the year feeling grounded. I talk about why so many high performers wait until December to “deal with” their inner world, only to get swallowed by work targets, holiday demands, and family expectations and how that usually ends with you being the one left behind. By the end, you’ll have a simple, doable framework to regulate before and after hard tasks, protect your inner peace, and close out 2025 in alignment instead of burnout....
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In this solo episode, I share the truth about what happens when your nervous system finally starts to crave peace and why that can feel so uncomfortable at first. After years of pushing, achieving, and chasing stimulation, I never thought I’d end up living in a small town outside the city. But when I experienced the difference in my body, the calm, the clarity, the freedom, I realized how deeply overstimulated and dysregulated I’d been for years. In this episode, I open up about what it really means to simplify your life, how to listen when your body says “enough,” and how to create a...
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Fulfillment isn’t a gold star you earn from the outside…it’s a felt sense that comes from alignment. In this solo episode of the Higher Alignment Podcast, I unpack why early “wins” (titles, pay bumps, praise) can masquerade as fulfillment when what we’re actually chasing is approval. I share how self-abandonment—answering emails at 10pm, skipping meals, powering through vacations—creates the wedge that leads to burnout, resentment, and that “is this it?” feeling. You’ll learn a simple reset: meet your basic needs first, rebuild self-trust, then ask better questions about...
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Episode Highlights: work-life balance, presence, high performers, nervous system, burnout, mindfulness, mental health, corporate wellness, personal development, self-care Summary: What if “work-life balance” isn’t about splitting your time evenly—but about how present you actually feel? In this episode, Minh-Thu Lam dives into why balance has less to do with hours on a clock and more to do with the state of your nervous system. She shares how small, intentional moments of presence can shift everything—from how you show up at work to how connected you feel at home. If you’ve ever...
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Episode Highlights: finding inner peace, inner child work, hustle culture, setting boundaries, healing, self-love, mental health, personal growth, nervous system, emotional healing, mindfulness, relationships, self-care Summary: Ever wonder why it’s so hard to stay calm, even when life looks good on paper? In this episode, Minh-Thu Lam opens up about how healing from a breakup led her down an unexpected path—one that revealed just how much her “inner child” was still running the show. She breaks down what inner child work really means (beyond the buzzword) and how it impacts your...
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Episode Highlights: perimenopause, women's cycle, burnout, inflammation, women's health, hormones, cycle awareness, nutrition, self-care, hormone replacement therapy, stress management, body awareness Summary: In this episode Minh-Thu Lam sits down with The Hormone Queen: Becca Chilczenkowski for a real and refreshing conversation about women’s health — and why so many of us feel off without knowing why. They dive into what’s really behind burnout, inflammation, and those sneaky hormonal shifts that start showing up in your 30s and 40s. You’ll hear how stress impacts...
info_outlineEpisode Highlights: perimenopause, women's cycle, burnout, inflammation, women's health, hormones, cycle awareness, nutrition, self-care, hormone replacement therapy, stress management, body awareness
Summary:
In this episode Minh-Thu Lam sits down with The Hormone Queen: Becca Chilczenkowski for a real and refreshing conversation about women’s health — and why so many of us feel off without knowing why.
They dive into what’s really behind burnout, inflammation, and those sneaky hormonal shifts that start showing up in your 30s and 40s. You’ll hear how stress impacts everything from your energy to your cycle, and why understanding your hormones can completely change how you care for yourself.
Becca breaks down hormone replacement therapy in a way that finally makes sense — explaining why hormones amplify what’s already happening in your body (and why they’re not a magic fix).
If you’ve been feeling “off” but can’t quite pinpoint why, this episode will help you reconnect with your body through awareness, compassion, and a few simple daily practices that actually make a difference
Takeaways:
Burnout often stems from disconnecting from one's true self.
Understanding inflammation is crucial for weight management.
Stress can trigger immune responses and inflammation in the body.
Hormonal changes can significantly impact women's health as they age.
Tracking your cycle can provide insights into your health.
Nutrition plays a vital role in hormonal balance and overall well-being.
Self-awareness is key to identifying what drains or builds you up.
Hormones should be viewed as amplifiers, not solutions.
Less can often be more when it comes to exercise and stress management.
Embracing the complexities of being a woman can be empowering.
Sound bites
"It's an inside job."
"You can't do it all at once."
"Less could be better."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Burnout and Body Awareness
02:58 Healing vs. Weight Loss: The Alignment Challenge
06:09 Understanding Inflammation and Its Impact on Weight
08:57 The Role of Hormones in Women's Health
12:06 The Cycle of Life: Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
15:04 Dopamine and Instant Gratification: A Modern Dilemma
18:05 Tracking Your Cycle: The Importance of Awareness
20:48 Navigating the Phases of Your Cycle
24:01 Embracing the Complexity of Womanhood
31:50 The Power of Mindset and Self-Recognition
34:25 Understanding Burnout and Self-Connection
36:58 The Importance of Willingness to Change
39:15 Mind-Body Connection and Intentional Living
40:59 Debunking Myths: Hormone Replacement Therapy and Exercise
47:58 Navigating Hormone Replacement Therapy
54:39 Practical Tips for Women in Their 30s and 40s
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Links mentioned in this episode:
To Learn more about the Higher Alignment Program or to book your complimentary connection call go to http://higheralignmentconsulting.com/program/
The REAL Reason You’re Burnt Out (video)- https://higheralignmentconsulting.com/the-real-reason-youre-burnt-out/
Click Here to take the Quiz- Is my Burnout Fixable? https://higheralignmentconsulting.scoreapp.com
Follow Minh-Thu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minh-thulam/
Follow Minh-Thu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minhthu_lam/
Follow Becca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehormonequeen/