Functional Freeze: The Hidden Nervous System Pattern Holding Women Back with Beatriz Albina
Brilliant Balance
This week, I’m joined by Beatriz Albina, a nurse practitioner, somatic coach, and the bestselling author of End Emotional Outsourcing, to discuss a hidden nervous system epidemic among professional women: “functional freeze.” Do you look poised and unstoppable on the outside, but often feel disconnected from yourself? Beatriz breaks down the functional freeze phenomenon and “emotional outsourcing,” the reason you might be stuck in a pattern of overgiving, perfectionism, and people-pleasing.She explains how chronic disconnection from our bodies is a protective response deeply rooted...
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Setting Boundaries That Actually Hold: Listener Questions Answered
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m mixing things up a bit by answering YOUR questions all about setting boundaries that actually hold, especially at work. If you’ve ever found it tough to say no, wondered how to handle tricky power dynamics, or felt overwhelmed by requests after hours, you’re in the right place. I’ll share five real situations that listeners have asked about, along with practical strategies you can use right away. You’ll hear about everything from managing expectations with leaders to finding your voice as the “new person” in the office. My hope is that you’ll recognize your own...
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Life is not linear: If I had known then what I know now about the momentum cycle
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m sharing a simple truth that often goes unspoken: life is not linear. We’re conditioned to believe that progress should be a steady, upward journey, but what if our lives actually operate in cycles, not straight lines? I’m unpacking the “momentum cycle” and exploring why your energy, creativity, and focus naturally ebb and flow through distinct seasons—surges of expansion, hard stops of crisis, the uncertainty of transitions, and the necessity of recovery—and why striving to always be at your peak can actually hinder your progress. If you’re tired of measuring your...
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Getting Good with Money: A Conversation with Kate Northrup
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m sitting down for an eye-opening conversation about wealth with bestselling author, entrepreneur, and creator of the Relaxed Money Method, Kate Northrup, who brings a refreshing perspective on money—seeing it as a relationship, not just a set of numbers. Why does making good money not necessarily make us good with money? Kate explains to us how our stories about money shift through life’s seasons, the surprising role our nervous system plays in financial decision-making, and why feeling truly safe with abundance is the real prize. If you’ve struggled with the tension between...
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When Being Liked Becomes a Limiter
Brilliant Balance
Are you ready to reevaluate how much being liked really matters? In this episode, I’m talking about the surprising, powerful, and sometimes uncomfortable truth that seeking approval can actually keep us from reaching our full potential. I’ll explain how the need to be liked is a fuel woven into our early lives and careers, but then becomes a constraint as we step into midlife and leadership roles. I’ll show you why we need to trade our need for approval for clarity, courage, and the kind of power that inspires true leadership—the power of shifting focus from managing perceptions to...
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Carrying the Family: The Burden & Blessing of Daughtering with Dr. Allison Alford
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m joined by communication scholar and Baylor professor Dr. Allison Alford to shine a light on a topic that speaks directly to the heart of so many women—the often unseen work of “daughtering.” If you’re the steady anchor of your family, the go-to for remembering birthdays, managing sibling dynamics, and smoothing over tensions before anyone else even notices, this conversation is for you! Dr. Alford is the author of Good Daughtering and brings wisdom, empathy, and refreshing clarity to the subtle yet significant roles that many professional women carry as adult daughters,...
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Decide Like the Woman You’re Becoming
Brilliant Balance
If you’re like me, you know you aren’t the same woman you were a year or even a month ago. In this episode, I’m inviting you to make a powerful shift—to make decisions like the woman you're becoming, not the one you’re outgrowing. I’ll talk about how easy it is to default to comfort zones, old identities, or the opinions of others, the pitfalls of letting those steer our lives, and why that keeps us playing small. Let’s explore how tapping into the insight, courage, and vision of our future selves can lead us to choices that have the power to excite, stretch, and fulfill us. This...
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Success Looks Different in Every Season—Cherylanne Is Interviewed by Molly Asplin
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m handing over the host chair and letting you in on a different conversation, where I’m the one answering the questions! In this episode, which I’m re-airing after we recorded it for her show, Molly Asplin interviews me about the story behind Brilliant Balance, my leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and why our personal definitions of success matter more than any universal standard. We talk about the seasons of our lives, the messy reality behind the highlight reels, and how giving ourselves permission to embrace the “now” can change everything. If you’ve ever...
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You vs. You: Why Inner Conflict Makes Everything Harder with Dana Bernstein
Brilliant Balance
Ever find yourself stuck in an endless loop of overthinking, self-doubt, or battling between what you want and what you “should” do? To get to the heart of this inner tug-of-war, today, I’m joined by Dana Bernstein, principal of Dare to Live Brave and author of It's the Thought that Counts: Mastering the Art of YOU vs. You. Dana is a conflict resolution coach, helping professionals in high-stakes environments like universities, government, banking, and the court system. We’re talking real-life inner conflict between ambition and self-doubt, or when your values feel like they’re...
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Don’t Miss the Life You’re Actually Living
Brilliant Balance
Ever feel like you're always racing toward the next big milestone and forgetting to savor the moments of the life you’re actually living? In this episode, I’m discussing how we can easily overlook the lives we’re truly living, continually focused on what’s next, waiting for things to settle down, missing out on the present. I’m talking about my own recent experience of this and the common patterns I see among high-achieving women: treating our current chapter as just a stepping stone, constantly planning, or having trouble letting the good moments sink in. With relatable reflections...
info_outlineDo you feel like your life ticks all the right boxes, yet something’s missing under the surface? This week, I’m discussing a surprising paradox many high-achieving women experience—what happens when our dream lives look perfect and applaudable from the outside, but fail to bring fulfillment on the inside.
If you’ve been performing instead of living or started to sense that your ladder to success has been up against the wrong wall, this episode is for you. I’m sharing how to spot the performance trap and signals of misaligned success, plus practical strategies for reconnecting with your essence, auditing energy-drainers, and letting go of obligations that no longer serve you.
Let’s break the cycle of discontent together and claim a lighter, more satisfying life that both looks and feels great. Are you ready to make your next chapter the one that’s truly yours?
Show Highlights:
- External success vs. inner fulfillment. [00:50]
- The hidden cost of living for achievement-based validation. [02:00]
- Rethinking success and missed inflection points. [04:43]
- The cycle of overwhelm, apathy, and resentment. [06:24]
- Four powerful signals of misalignment from your true self. [09:00]
- Permission to change. [13:37]
- Are you clear on what you really want? [15:20]
- How to audit what’s draining your energy. [16:48]
- The power of purposely dropping a habitual obligation. [18:14]
- Check out the new “Brave” program if you’re ready for support. [20:19]
If you’re ready to make courageous choices that create a life you love, join the BRAVE waitlist today: https://brilliant-balance.com/brave
Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly
Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki