Chasing Brighter Podcast: Choosing Real Over Perfect

Jessica Colarco and Kelly Fox
  • 5.0 (22)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

**2024 PODCAST OF THE YEAR WINNER: BEST FEMALE HOSTED PODCAST** Welcome to the Chasing Brighter podcast;  created as a guide to living brighter, more connected and real. Because real is the new perfect.  Are you ready to embrace the next chapter of your life with confidence and excitement? Whether you’re looking to reinvent your career, improve your health, deepen your relationships, or find your true purpose, Chasing Brighter is here to help. Join us each week as we bring you inspiring stories, expert interviews, and actionable tips to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of midlife. From wellness and personal growth to connection and beyond, we’ve got you covered.

  1. 11h ago

    RE-RELEASE: The Exhaustion That Sleep Can't Fix

    Kicking off their Energy and Overwhelm month, Jessica and Kelly get honest about a kind of tired that sleep cannot touch — the exhaustion that lives underneath an otherwise good, full life. Jessica opens up about six years of intentional self-work — therapy, fitness, nutrition, a 40-pound weight loss journey — and how even with all of that in place, there are still days when something feels off in a way that isn't physical. This episode names that feeling, explores why it's so hard to pinpoint, and offers real, doable ways to start responding to it. What We Cover The tired that sleep can't touch — why doing "all the right things" for physical energy doesn't always reach the deeper layer of depletion The snap-guilt-deplete loop — how low-grade irritability, guilt about being short with the people you love, and further depletion feed each other, and why this is a feedback loop, not a character flaw Why this kind of exhaustion is hard to name — there's rarely one single cause; it's an accumulation of small, individually reasonable asks that add up You can love your life and still be depleted by it — a life that looks full and balanced from the outside can still be exhausting to live Naming it as the first step — saying the exhaustion out loud, treating it as data instead of evidence that something is wrong with you What actually helps in the moment, including: Journaling (paper, phone notes, or voice memos) to help name what's actually going on Canceling plans without guilt-spiraling, and recognizing that honoring your own capacity doesn't cost you relationships Opting out — ordering in, taking something off the plate, choosing rest over obligation Asking for help, even when it feels hard Noticing the difference between numbing (scrolling, binge-watching) and actually replenishing Asking "what would make me feel 5–10% better right now?" Taking a mental inventory — identifying what's taking up space in your head that doesn't need to be there This week's brighter move: Sit with one question — where is my energy going? Not to fix it, just to notice it. Free Resource "Are You Living Your Values or Someone Else's?" — a free values clarity guide with five honest questions and five tips for living more aligned. Takes about five minutes. Available free when you subscribe to the newsletter at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter. Coming Up Next week: Why capable, high-functioning women keep hitting invisible walls — and why trying harder is the wrong answer. A conversation about capacity that reframes everything. Connect With Us 📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter | 📷 @chasingbrighter (Instagram) exhaustion, tired sleep can't fix, energy and overwhelm, emotional depletion, feedback loop, guilt spiral, mental load, emotional labor, naming your feelings, journaling, canceling plans without guilt, asking for help, numbing behaviors, replenishing vs numbing, mental inventory, capacity, values clarity guide, living your values, boundaries, real over perfect, Chasing Brighter podcast, high-functioning women burnout

  2. Jul 20

    RE-RELEASE: Energy First: The Smarter Way to Organize Your Life

    Social media makes organizing look like color-coded bins and perfectly labeled pantries, but Jessica and Kelly get honest about why a one-size-fits-all system rarely works. In this re-released episode, they dig into what it looks like to build your life around your actual energy instead of a list of "shoulds." Expectation-based living — I should wake up early, I should handle more, I should be better by now — builds a life around what looks impressive instead of what's sustainable, and burnout isn't a surprise when that's the foundation. Jessica and Kelly share their own week-long energy tracking experiment and what they learned about themselves. What We Cover Expectation-based living vs. energy-based living — why building a life around "shoulds" makes burnout inevitable, not surprising The four types of energy — physical, emotional, social, and creative — and why they don't all peak at the same time of day A reframe for exhaustion — instead of asking "why am I so tired," ask "what kind of energy is running low right now?" When to loop in a doctor — a pattern of hitting a wall at the same time every day can be worth mentioning at a checkup; things like vitamin D deficiency or hormonal shifts can mimic low energy or even depression The 5-day energy experiment — rating physical, emotional, social, and creative energy 1–10 three times a day to notice your own patterns without judgment Matching tasks to energy levels — using high-energy windows for high-energy tasks instead of "wasting" them on low-energy chores like scrolling or grocery ordering Physical energy isn't always about movement — sometimes it's restorative: a hot bath, a hot tub, a massage, stretching Emotional energy and internal family systems — noticing which "protector" part tends to take over under stress Social energy as an intentional choice — the difference between constant, unavoidable social interaction and choosing a weekly, meaningful connection Creative energy — how it shows up in unexpected places, from meal planning to problem-solving to imagining The self-talk shift — instead of "I suck at planning," try "I need a system that matches my wiring and energy levels" Coming Up This month's free resource: An Organizational Style Quiz to help you find a system that matches your personality instead of forcing a Pinterest-perfect one. Available free with newsletter sign-up at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter. Next week: Simple systems that support real life, not Instagram life — because if a system only works when you're motivated, it's not a real system. Connect With Us 📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter | 📷 @chasingbrighter (Instagram) organizing your life, energy-based living, expectation-based living, burnout, physical energy, emotional energy, social energy, creative energy, energy awareness, energy tracking, energy audit, depleting vs energizing, self-talk, internal family systems, protector parts, organizational style quiz, sustainable systems, real over perfect, Chasing Brighter podcast, women's fatigue, hormonal energy shifts, vitamin D deficiency, matching tasks to energy

  3. Jul 13

    RE-RELEASE: Reset Your Nervous System (Without Reinventing Your Life)

    February is all about resetting, resting, and reconnecting — and Jessica and Kelly start with the foundation of it all: the nervous system. If you've been feeling irritable, exhausted, numb, or like you're running on fumes, it's probably not a motivation problem, it's a regulation problem. This episode reframes the conversation from fixing yourself (which brings shame) to regulating yourself (which brings compassion), and offers a full menu of simple, accessible nervous system resets you can use anywhere — no cold plunge or life overhaul required. What We Cover Regulation, not fixing — why "my nervous system needs support" is a more compassionate (and more accurate) frame than "I need to fix myself" The seasonal mismatch — how winter naturally asks us to slow down, and why expecting spring-level productivity from a winter body creates unnecessary shame Signs your nervous system needs a reset — irritability, feeling emotionally flat or checked out, being exhausted yet wired, and everything feeling like "too much" The nervous system reset menu, broken into four categories: Breath: the physiological sigh, hand-on-chest breathing, and an audible exhale (sigh or hum) Body: wall leaning, the shoulder drop reset, and temperature resets (warm mug, cold water) Environment: shifting overhead lighting to lamps or natural light, taking an outside pause, and using a visual anchor (naming three neutral or pleasant things you see) Mental/emotional: name it to tame it, using a permission phrase ("nothing needs to be solved in this moment"), and a one-question check-in ("what would help me feel 5% better right now?") Emergency-level resets for high-stress days — sitting or lying down and doing nothing for 90 seconds, slowly drinking a full glass of water, and closing your eyes to feel your breath without changing it A daily reconnection question — "What does my nervous system need right now?" instead of "What should I do?" Today's permission slip — I don't have to be at my best to begin again Coming Up Next week: Kelly and Jessica talk about rest without guilt — because you don't have to earn your humanity. Connect With Us 📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter | 📷 @chasingbrighter (Instagram) nervous system reset, nervous system regulation, dysregulation, winter body spring productivity, self-love reset, seven day brighter challenge, micro resets, physiological sigh, hand on chest breathing, vagus nerve, wall leaning, shoulder drop reset, temperature reset, grounding techniques, environmental reset, visual anchor, name it to tame it, permission phrase, emotional regulation, high stress day reset, rest without guilt, self-compassion, real over perfect, Chasing Brighter podcast

  4. Jul 6

    RE-RELEASE: Reconnecting With Yourself Before You Reconnect With Everyone Else

    In this re-released episode, Jessica and Kelly explore what it really means to feel disconnected — not from other people, but from yourself. Valentine's Day and February can amplify loneliness, comparison, and that quiet "am I behind somehow?" feeling, even for people who are partnered, busy, or surrounded by others. Jessica and Kelly unpack how self-disconnection shows up (resentment, numbness, people-pleasing), why these patterns are coping strategies rather than character flaws, and how to begin the slow, quiet work of coming back home to yourself. What We Cover What disconnection actually looks like — resentment, numbness, people-pleasing, and saying yes when you mean no Why these patterns aren't flaws — they're nervous system strategies for safety, connection, and acceptance Being alone vs. being disconnected — why solitude and social fullness aren't the same as connection or disconnection Reading your own energy — noticing what's energizing vs. depleting, and using that awareness as a compass Shifting friendships — how values and identity change over time, and how to reconnect with people in new ways rather than ending relationships The Friendship Audit — a tool for identifying which relationships energize you, which deplete you, and how to set boundaries or shift the dynamic Reflection prompts for self-connection, including: What feels noisy in my life right now — not wrong, just loud? What feels nourishing, even if it's small? Where am I saying yes out of habit instead of alignment? Why self-connection matters — clearer relationships, kinder boundaries, and steadier (not perfect) choices Connect With Us 📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at chasingbrighter.com | 📷 @chasingbrighter (Instagram)  self-connection, disconnection, Valentine's Day loneliness, reconnecting with yourself, nervous system safety, people pleasing, resentment, numbness, coping strategies, energy audit, friendship audit, energizing vs depleting relationships, boundaries, self-awareness, reflection prompts, journal prompts, real over perfect, midlife friendships, identity shift, decluttering and emotional connection, Deanna Moll, Deez Declutter, Organizing with Ease, organizational style quiz, Chasing Brighter podcast

  5. Jun 29

    Super Woman Diaries #21: Home Runs, Hundred-Degree Heat, and Why We're Still Talking About The Crash

    Jessica is back from a week at AFA Nationals in St. George watching Gabby's softball team battle through four games in 102-degree heat (and a home run!), while Kelly's son Wes had his own big weekend in Chicago — also with a home run of his own. The sisters dig into the realities of travel ball season, why some kids start losing interest in the sports they grew up playing, and whether kids today need "real jobs" or if summer chores and creative challenges do the trick. Plus: how Jessica used Claude to build a custom writing workbook for her son who hates writing, summer reading picks (hello, Lord of the Flies), and a full true-crime detour into Netflix's The Crash that gets spicy fast. In This Episode, We Talk About: Surviving four softball games in one day at 102 degrees (and Gabby's clutch home run) Wes's home run weekend at a massive Chicago tournament Why some kids start pulling away from sports they once loved The "should teens have summer jobs" debate — sports vs. work ethic Turning summer into "worker season": chores, reading, and creative projects A flag football carpool experiment in independence (yes, public buses were involved) Using Claude AI to build a custom 60-page writing workbook for a reluctant writer Prepping for honors math placement and tackling Lord of the Flies before fall A deep dive into Netflix's The Crash — the parents, the prosecution, and all the theories A tease for their next true-crime watch, Maternal Instinct Getting nostalgic over Off Campus and what it brings up about their own college years What they're reading this summer (hi, The Bollywood Bride) Shows & Documentaries Mentioned: The Crash (Netflix, 2021) Mean Girl Murders (Hulu) Maternal Instinct Off Campus Books Mentioned: The Bollywood Bride Lord of the Flies by William Golding Connect With Us: 🌐 Visit us at chasingbrighter.com 📲 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for giveaways, insights, and behind-the-scenes fun 💌 Get our Newsletter softball travel ball, AFA Nationals St. George, youth sports parenting, sports tournament parenting, kids losing interest in sports, teen athletes, summer jobs vs sports, work ethic in teens, summer chores for kids, screen time motivation, raising independent kids, public transit for kids, using Claude AI for homework help, AI writing workbook for kids, reluctant writer tips, math placement prep, Lord of the Flies summer reading, true crime podcast moms, The Crash Netflix review, Mean Girl Murders Hulu, Maternal Instinct true crime, Off Campus show reaction, college nostalgia, summer reading list, sisters podcast, Superwoman Diaries, Chasing Brighter podcast

  6. Jun 25

    What We Learned This Season — Our Season 5 Finale

    It's officially a wrap on Season 5. In this finale, Jessica and Kelly look back at the whole arc of the season — from rest and reset in February, to choosing real over perfect in March, through exhaustion and invisible labor in April, identity and worthiness in May, and joy and presence in June. They get honest about what actually shifted in each of them this season, why they expanded the show beyond "midlife" to all women, and what they're each carrying into summer. Plus — two free downloads, a Brighter Move from each host, and an invitation to do one thing this summer that's just about living. In This Episode: A look back at the Season 5 arc: Rest & Reset (Feb), Real Over Perfect (March), exhaustion and invisible labor (April), identity and worthiness (May), and joy and presence (June) Why they shifted the show from "midlife women" to all women, after hearing from listeners in their 30s who didn't feel like the audience Kelly's biggest shift: moving from "what's wrong with me" thinking to "what do I need right now" — and how that language change lightens the load How Kelly's gone from needing months to recognize burnout to catching it within weeks Jessica's biggest shift: reclaiming "Athlete Jessica" after the slow fade that came with motherhood, and what going back to Orange Theory gave her Jessica's honesty about body dysmorphia, posting outfits of the day anyway, and not giving her inner critic the last word Why Jessica's GLP-1 journey is a tool, not a shortcut — letting her body catch up to years of consistent work The "May-sumber" phenomenon and why May always seems to be the month everything piles on Reframing "stuck" as "in process" — and why the questions you're asking now are proof you're moving Two free downloads for summer: the Choose Your Own Adventure Summer Planning Template and a summer fashion freebie A shared invitation: put one thing on your calendar this summer that's purely about living, not achieving Quotable Moment: "You can reclaim yourself in small choices over time. It's not a dramatic thing — it's the accumulated decisions where you keep choosing the person you're becoming, in small little pieces." — Jessica Brighter Moves: Kelly's Brighter Move: Name one thing this season that shifted in you — a question you're asking differently, a choice you wouldn't have made before, a moment you were more present for. Write it down, because it matters. Jessica's Brighter Move: Put one thing on your calendar this week that's purely about living — not building, not achieving, just living. This Month's Freebies 🎉 Two free downloads all June long: Choose Your Own Adventure Summer Planning Template — big anchors, small rituals, your whole summer in one doc Summer Style Freebie — for the fashion lovers Grab both at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter Chasing Brighter podcast, season 5 finale, real over perfect, choosing yourself, midlife women podcast, women's lifestyle podcast, burnout recognition, invisible labor, identity and worthiness, reclaiming yourself, Athlete Jessica, Orange Theory, body image, body dysmorphia, GLP-1 journey, summer planning template, romanticizing your life, presence over productivity, Brighter Moves, season 6 chasing brighter Connect with us: Website & newsletter: chasingbrighter.com Instagram: @chasingbrighter

  7. Jun 22

    Super Woman Diaries #20: Lost AirPods, AI Decor Hacks, and Finding Joy in the Little Things

    Kelly kicks things off with an epic (and hilarious) saga of a missing AirPod that turns a weekend getaway into a full-blown investigation — trash cans, lint traps, and all. From there, Jess and Kelly riff on how far audio tech has come, then dive into something they're both obsessed with lately: using AI to tackle home projects. Jess shares how she used Claude to plan a budget-friendly bathroom refresh (cabinet paint job, new light fixture, desert-themed wall art), and Kelly shares how she used it to completely rearrange her home office without buying a single new thing. They wrap up with simple, affordable ways to bring more joy into your space — plus a reminder to grab their free Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet before summer kicks off. In This Episode Kelly's two-day hunt for a missing AirPod (and where it finally turned up) A quick trip down memory lane on how far wireless audio has come Budget headphone hacks for everyday use vs. real AirPods for calls Jess's $250 bathroom refresh: painting cabinets, new lighting, and the step-by-step cure time for polyurethane Using AI (Claude) for home decor inspiration and room layout planning Where to find affordable, non-copyrighted wall art (Unsplash, Etsy, IKEA frames) Same-day printing hacks using Walgreens and Capital One Shopping discount codes Why small changes — like swapping a light fixture or hanging new art — can completely shift how a room feels A reminder about the free Summer 2026 Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet Resources & Links Mentioned Unsplash (unsplash.com) — free, non-copyrighted photos for wall art Etsy — affordable printable art downloads Walgreens same-day photo printing Capital One Shopping — for promo codes/discounts IKEA — affordable frames Get the Free Download Don't forget to grab our Summer 2026 Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet — a one-pager with trend recommendations in a fun "try it, skip it, already living it" format. 👉 Sign up at chasingbrighter.com/newsletter Follow Us Find us on socials and TikTok: @ChasingBrighter joy, small joys, AirPods, lost AirPods, wireless headphones, AirPod Pro, noise cancelling headphones, home decor on a budget, DIY bathroom renovation, painting cabinets, polyurethane cure time, AI home decor, Claude AI, AI room design, AI office makeover, Unsplash, Etsy printable art, wall art ideas, affordable home decor, IKEA frames, Walgreens photo printing, Capital One Shopping, joy dressing trend, summer fashion trends, Real Over Perfect, Chasing Brighter podcast, Crime Junkie, Ashley Flowers, relatable podcast moments, sisters podcast, women's lifestyle podcast

  8. Jun 18

    Choosing Joy Is an Act of Courage

    Joy isn't something that just happens when the circumstances are right — it's something you have to practice, protect, and sometimes fight for. In this episode, Jessica and Kelly unpack the real difference between happiness and joy, why so many women struggle to fully inhabit the good moments in their lives, and what it actually looks like to choose joy as a daily practice. From the fear of letting yourself feel good, to guilt, to the mental habit of "half-leaving" a beautiful moment — this conversation is honest, grounded, and full of the kind of realness you don't find on a greeting card. Plus: joy sprinkles, banana bread matcha, and a brighter move you can try today. What We Cover: Why happiness and joy are not the same thing — and why the difference actually matters Joy as a practice: how to orient toward it deliberately instead of waiting for it to arrive The fear of joy — that anxious waiting-for-the-other-shoe-to-drop feeling when things are going well Why women in high-efficiency mode can lose access to joy and how to rebuild that channel The guilt dimension: is it okay to feel this much joy when others are struggling? Research on joy: people with more access to genuine joy tend to be more generous and more present Real-life joy in action: Jessica's lunch with Gabby, Dom, and Gio, bathroom renovation chaos, and banana bread matcha What "half-leaving" a good moment looks like — and how to stay in it The 5% better question: small, accessible ways to invite more joy in even on hard days Brighter Moves: a joy practice you can start this week Brighter Moves: Kelly: Name one thing that genuinely brings you joy — specific, personal, not aspirational. Ask yourself: when did I last do this? When can I do it next? Then make it real. Jessica: Practice staying in a good moment this week. When something genuinely lovely is happening — a conversation, a meal, a quiet evening — try to stay in it instead of half-leaving. Add 10 more seconds of presence. That's the practice. Mentioned in This Episode: June download: Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet — chasingbrighter.com/newsletter Smartless podcast (Jessica's go-to pick-me-up) Banana bread matcha at Starbucks (highly endorsed) Next Week: Season 5 Finale — Jessica and Kelly share what this season actually changed for them. Not just the content — the real shifts. Plus a summer invitation you don't want to miss. Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram @chasingbrighter | Blog & show notes: chasingbrighter.com | Newsletter: chasingbrighter.com/newsletter choosing joy, joy as a practice, happiness vs joy, fear of joy, women and joy, intentional living, joy guilt, being present, half-leaving, overcoming perfectionism, personal growth podcast, women's lifestyle podcast, mindset shift, joyful living, real over perfect, chasing brighter podcast, summer mindset, brighter moves, joy for women, letting yourself feel good

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**2024 PODCAST OF THE YEAR WINNER: BEST FEMALE HOSTED PODCAST** Welcome to the Chasing Brighter podcast;  created as a guide to living brighter, more connected and real. Because real is the new perfect.  Are you ready to embrace the next chapter of your life with confidence and excitement? Whether you’re looking to reinvent your career, improve your health, deepen your relationships, or find your true purpose, Chasing Brighter is here to help. Join us each week as we bring you inspiring stories, expert interviews, and actionable tips to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of midlife. From wellness and personal growth to connection and beyond, we’ve got you covered.

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