Happy New Year! As we kick off the new year with a fresh season of possibilities and clean, blank calendar pages, the pressure to make "just right" choices can trip us up in our careers and personal lives, or even when managing our week. So, today, I'm discussing the myth of the "perfect choice."

I'm taking a close look at how perfectionism and procrastination go hand in hand, keeping us from taking action. I'll share my honest experiences and a practical framework to help you break out of analysis paralysis, with a gentle reminder that progress happens when we act, not when we wait for certainty—it's movement, not perfection, that creates clarity and momentum.

Plus, I have a free live workshop lined up to help you reclaim your week. Let's make this your year of progress, one bold decision at a time!

Show Highlights:

• Why the New Year's fresh start can get overwhelming. [00:50]
• The disguises of perfectionism and procrastination. [02:05]
• The "perfect choice" myth vs. multiple good choices. [02:54]
• What waiting costs in facets of real life. [04:16]
• How clarity comes after taking the first step, not before. [07:45]
• A four-step framework to overcome perfection paralysis. [08:44]
• Do you face paralysis in everyday, small decisions? [10:47]
• Pattern correction with a "life in miniature" view of the week. [11:52]
• Upcoming free live workshop: "Make Your Week Work for You" [13:52]
• A word of caution to protect your time for the workshop. [15:18]

Register for my free workshop"Make Your Week Work for You": https://brilliant-balance.com

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Ready to make this your most extraordinary year yet—without the pressure of unrealistic resolutions? In this episode, I'm challenging the usual approach to New Year's resolutions and sharing a refreshing perspective to kick off your year.

As we head into January, it's so easy to get caught up in creating grand resolutions and making bold promises for change. But as I discuss, these resolutions often burn bright and then quickly fizzle, leaving us feeling frustrated or behind.

Instead, I'm inviting you to focus on something much more powerful—making small, intentional choices every day. I'll explain why these smaller, consistent decisions matter far more than sweeping resolutions and how they can help you become the best version of yourself, step by step. Tune in and step into a year without the pressure of traditional resolutions!

Show Highlights:

• Rethinking New Year's resolutions. [00:46]
• Inviting you to sign up for BRAVE for deeper change. [02:19]
• The power of small choices vs. broad resolutions. [04:06]
• Making the best choice in the present with agility. [06:32]
• Why meaningful progress is invisible and courageous. [09:27]
• Choosing the next right step toward lasting transformation. [11:02]
• Becoming your best self, not a whole new you. [12:44]
• We're here to support you with BOLD and BRAVE in 2026. [13:13]

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

Today, I want to talk with you about giving yourself permission to pause. As we move through a season that's usually packed with busyness and long to-do lists, I'm inviting you to slow down—truly rest and enjoy the present moment without feeling guilty or needing to justify it.

In this episode, I'm sharing why stepping out of your normal routine, even just for a little while, can help you feel more clear-headed, creative, and connected with the people around you. I believe taking this kind of pause sets us up to enter the new year feeling grounded and restored.

Let's let go of the constant push for productivity and embrace a week of presence, laughter, and simple joy, and enjoy what happens when we allow ourselves to just be. Happy Holidays!

Show Highlights:

• Permission to pause and rest this holiday. [00:48]
• Challenging the urge to use downtime for productivity. [01:50]
• Embracing presence and the magic of slowing down. [03:06]
• The personal benefits of pausing. [05:52]
• Explicit permission to release productivity guilt. [06:38]
• Will you join the collective pause this holiday? [07:51]

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

Today, I'm discussing the hidden cost of playing it safe, a topic that's secretly all too familiar for women with strong track records of achievement. If you feel restless for that next big leap, yet find yourself sticking to the safe and predictable path, or even avoiding measured, everyday growth opportunities, this episode is for you.

I'll help you rethink what responsibility and excellence truly mean, and shed light on why we avoid risk and how to start taking meaningful, supported risks to bring more growth and fulfillment into our lives. From navigating childhood patterns of perfectionism to confronting the fears that keep us boxed in, the insights I'm sharing will help you shift from stagnation to flowing brilliance.

This conversation is your invitation to stop shrinking your possibilities and start stretching into your potential and a vibrant next chapter designed just for you!

Show Highlights:

• Risk aversion in successful women and its disguises. [01:00]
• The excellence trap of achievement. [04:06]
• Early social conditioning behind risk aversion. [06:09]
• Fears that drive safety-seeking behavior. [06:41]
• Considering the risk of end-of-life regrets. [09:36]
• How safety breeds stagnation and resentment. [10:15]
• Is risk-taking a learnable skill? [12:24]
• My big swing with the Brave initiative. [13:36]
• How to take your next "Brave" step with Brilliant Balance. [15:25]

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

Do 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

As this year winds down, I'm inviting you to give it the fully present ending it deserves before you jump ahead to all that next year holds. In this episode, I'm sharing my favorite ways to embrace December with intention, whether that means finishing strong, leaning into rest, or striking a balance between the two.

I'll prompt you to reflect on what you're ready to release, and what you still want to accomplish (minus the pressure or perfectionism), trading burnout for brilliance and making space for the magic that lives in the present moment.

Plus, I'm sharing an exciting sneak peek into Brave, my brand-new community for women who are ready to make the courageous choices that create a life you love. Let's make these last weeks of the year count!

Show Highlights:

• The transition between holidays in this festive season. [00:49]
• My "Be where you are" mantra. [02:40]
• Finishing strong as a pathway to end the year well. [04:34]
• Why calling it is a valid way to close out the year. [06:34]
• Embracing the choice to rest. [09:05]
• Entering the middle path at the year-end. [10:25]
• Two powerful reflective questions for December. [13:37]
• A peek at Brilliant Balance's brand new "Brave" community. [14:53]
• How to get on the waitlist for "Brave." [18:09]

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

In this episode, we're looking at how we unintentionally contribute to our own holiday overwhelm, and how we can make choices this season that actually work FOR us instead of against us. The holidays are meant to sparkle with joy, but we all know firsthand how it feels to get caught in the whirlwind of picture-perfect expectations (miles of twinkling lights and Pinterest-worthy cookies anyone?).

I'm sharing how to take back control, set boundaries, and actually enjoy the season instead of running yourself into the ground. You'll learn why doing less isn't a failure (it's liberation) and how giving yourself permission to break traditions or to call in support can make all the difference. I'll offer my favorite practical ways to simplify and clarify what matters most, so you create a holiday that feels magical instead of exhausting.

Let's say yes to more connection and a whole lot less chaos this holiday season, and create celebrations that are both meaningful and manageable.

Show Highlights:

• Permission to savor the season stress-free. [00:48]
• What do you want to feel this holiday season? [04:58]
• Freedom to delegate and outsource holiday tasks. [06:46]
• Being honest about self-created overwhelm. [08:18]
• Why doing less for the holidays is not failing. [10:39]
• The joy of spontaneity in breaking with tradition. [13:08]
• An extended-family gift exchange idea over individual gift giving. [14:04]
• Tips to manage holiday preparations like a project. [15:56]
• Setting boundaries around holiday participation. [19:27]
• The value of connection over perfection. [21:09]
• Download the Brilliant Balance holiday planning guide. [22:37]

To download my Holiday Planning Guide: https://brilliant-balance.com/holiday

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

This week, I'm joined by our newest Brilliant Balance coach and a certified Enneagram expert, Heather Warnke, for a conversation about the transformative power of the Enneagram. Whether you're a longtime fan of the Enneagram or just curious about this buzzworthy tool, you'll discover how finding your true Enneagram type can catalyze profound self-awareness, compassion, and growth.

We'll break down what the Enneagram really is, why we sometimes mistype ourselves, and how uncovering your correct type can reshape the way you lead, love, and live. For years, I thought I knew my Enneagram type, until Heather walked me through a new assessment, and everything changed.

This episode offers a glimpse into how discovering your core motivations can impact every part of your life, and practical wisdom to embrace your essence. Plus, I'll tell you how you can experience this next-level clarity for yourself with a unique opportunity to work directly with Heather and Brilliant Balance!

Show Highlights:

• Heather Warnke's background and Enneagram journey. [03:40]
• What is the Enneagram? [05:27]
• Subtleties of alike behaviors with unalike underlying motivations. [06:56]
• Avoiding Enneagram type misidentification. [10:14]
• How correct Enneagram typing leads to radical self-integration. [15:38]
• Managing "shadows" for healthy "strengths" expressions. [25:07]
• Why ongoing certified Enneagram guidance matters. [28:56]
• The "act, feel, think" tri-type approach to the Enneagram. [31:34]
• The powerful positive ripples from embodied change. [34:03]
• Announcing the new Brilliant Balance Enneagram offering. [35:33]

To book an Enneagram Intensive with Heather: https://brilliant-balance.com/enneagram

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057