This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

Let’s get one thing straight: women are not bad at negotiating. They’re doing it just as often—if not more—but getting worse outcomes. So no, the wage gap isn’t because women just need to “ask better.” That’s lazy advice… and frankly, bullshit. In this episode, negotiation expert Attia Qureshi—founder of Atiya Qureshi Consulting, co-author of Never Settle, and trained in FBI-informed negotiation strategies—breaks down the uncomfortable truth: women are playing a game that wasn’t designed for them to win the same way men do. Same words, same ask… wildly different outcomes. And she’s not here with fluff—she’s here with strategies that actually work.  Because here’s the deal: opting out of negotiation doesn’t protect you—it guarantees you get less. What We Cover: Why women are negotiating just as much—but still losing The double bind: too nice = weak, too assertive = “difficult” The internal negotiation happening in your own head Why relationships matter more than you think (yes, it’s annoying, but it’s real) How to use data as your secret weapon without triggering defensiveness The “we strategy” that helps women get better outcomes (even if it feels unfair) Why over-preparing can actually screw you over How to handle rejection and turn a “no” into a “not yet” At the end of the day, negotiation isn’t about becoming someone you’re not. It’s about learning how to advocate for yourself in a system that doesn’t always reward you for it—and doing it anyway. Because you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you’re willing to ask for—and hold your ground on. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/woman  Connect with Attia: Website: https://www.attiaqureshi.com  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Settle-Persuasion-Negotiation-Skills/dp/1668070375  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/attiaq/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/attiaq/  Substack: https://substack.com/@attiaqureshi  Related Podcast Episodes: The 3 N’s - Negotiation, Networking & No with Kathryn Valentine | 327 Be A Likeable Badass with Alison Fragale | 230 162 / Compensation Myths with Kelli Thompson If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leadership is supposed to be a privilege… so why does it feel like a slow burn to the ground? In this raw, unfiltered continuation of the leadership mental health conversation, Nicole Kalil sits down again with organizational psychologist and workplace mental health expert Melissa Doman to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes of leadership today — and why the good ones are dangerously close to walking away. Because here’s the truth no one wants to admit: we expect leaders to be everything — strong, empathetic, decisive, available, perfect — with no room for human error. And then we wonder why burnout is skyrocketing and leadership pipelines are drying up. This episode goes beyond surface-level advice and into the uncomfortable reality: Leaders are human (shocking, we know) Unrealistic expectations are breaking them And we all play a role in either making it better… or making it worse Melissa brings both expertise and real talk to the table — from leadership archetypes (hello, frustrated martyr) to the “sea otter” model of healthy leadership (yes, it’s a thing and yes, you want it). Together, they challenge the outdated narratives, call out toxic expectations, and offer a radically simple starting point: act like leaders are people. Because if we don’t figure this out? The good leaders won’t stay. And what’s left… is not a future anyone wants. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/woman  Connect with Melissa: Website:https://www.melissadoman.com/ Book:https://www.amazon.com/Cornered-Office-Leadership-Mental-Health/dp/139435035X  IG: https://www.instagram.com/thewanderingmel/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadoman1/ Related Podcast Episodes: What Happens When Leadership Becomes Unsustainable: Leader Mental Health with Melissa Doman | 403 Leadership Unblocked (The Hidden Beliefs Sabotaging Your Ability To Lead) with Muriel M. Wilkins | 367 What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses with Mita Mallick | 351 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You hit the goal. You check the box. You reach the milestone. And instead of feeling fulfilled… you’re already onto the next thing. Yeah — that’s the problem.  In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole sits down with Jess Ekstrom — founder, bestselling author, and reformed anxious achiever — to call out the toxic relationship so many high-achieving women have with motivation, success, and self-worth. And spoiler alert: it’s not a motivation problem. It’s a meaning problem. Because somewhere along the way, ambition got tangled up with anxiety, productivity got confused with purpose, and we decided we’d finally feel good enough… later. After the next goal. The next milestone. The next arbitrary number. Sound familiar? We cover: The difference between anxious ambition vs. inspired ambition How to redefine success so it actually feels like success (not just looks good on paper) The “purpose test” that will instantly expose if you’re chasing approval or impact Why you keep moving the goalpost — and how it’s burning you out How comparison can either crush you… or prove what’s possible Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you keep tying your worth to what’s next, you will never feel like enough — no matter how much you accomplish. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/woman  Connect with Jess: Website: https://jessekstrom.com/  Book:https://jessekstrom.com/makingit/  Workshop: https://micdropworkshop.com/  IG: www.instagram.com/jess_ekstrom  FB: www.facebook.com/jessekstrom  X: www.twitter.com/jess_ekstrom  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessekstrom  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-ekstrom-59160342/  Related Podcast Episodes 206 / A Better Way to Define Success with Stella Grizont 7 Keys To Unlock Your Dynamic Drive with Molly Fletcher | 229 160 / Motivation with Kate Tracy  Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s get something straight: women’s healthcare is broken. But not equally broken. In this unapologetically raw and necessary conversation, Nicole Kalil sits down with Dr. Kemi Doll — physician, gynecologic oncologist, researcher, and author of A Terrible Strength — to expose the systemic failures in gynecological care, especially for Black women. This isn’t a “wellness trends” conversation. This is about health inequity, medical bias, reproductive injustice, and the dangerous normalization of women’s pain. Because here’s the truth: when one group of women is dismissed, denied care, and dying at higher rates… it’s not just their problem. It’s a system-wide failure that impacts all of us. They break down: The systemic crisis in gynecology and why womb health is massively underfunded and under-researched Why conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, and uterine cancer are ignored  The dangerous myth of the “strong Black woman” and how that “strength” is costing lives How medical bias and racism show up in real diagnoses, treatment delays, and mortality rates The difference between real health education vs. wellness industry BS How ALL women play a role in demanding better care  This episode will challenge you. It might piss you off. Good. It should. Because we don’t get to claim progress for women while some of us are still being ignored, misdiagnosed, and dying from treatable conditions. And we don’t get to call it “woman’s work” until it works for all of us. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/woman  Connect with Kemi: Website: https://kemidoll.com/  Book: https://kemidoll.com/book/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/kemidoll  Related Podcast Episodes Perimenopause, HRT, and Why Women Are Being Gaslit Into Thinking It’s “Just Aging” with Dr. Sarah Daccarett | 381 Endometriosis & Women's Health with Somer Baburek | 238 Floored - Why Our Pelvic Floor Health Matters with Dr. Sara Reardon | 314 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole Kalil just hit a milestone most people secretly dread… her very first one-star podcast review — and instead of spiraling, she celebrated it. Yep, you read that right. In this unfiltered, unhinged episode, Nicole breaks down why negative feedback, criticism, and even haters might actually be the clearest sign that you’re doing something right. Because if everyone likes you? You’re probably playing it way too safe. This episode is a masterclass in confidence, self-trust, and not shrinking yourself to make other people comfortable. It’s about choosing what opinions matter, letting the noise sort itself out, and continuing to show up boldly — even when it makes people uncomfortable. In this episode, she explores: Why negative reviews and criticism can actually validate your impact How to separate useful feedback from irrelevant noise The psychology behind why people project their opinions Why being disliked is often the cost of being authentic How to stop seeking approval and start trusting yourself And the kicker? Even the haters help boost the algorithm. So technically… they’re part of the marketing team now. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/woman  Connect with Nicole: Subscribe to Nicole’s Substack: https://nicolekalil.substack.com/  Join the Inner Circle: https://nicolekalil.myflodesk.com/newsletter  Related Podcast Episodes: Sequins, Miscommunication, and Marriage | Unfiltered & Unhinged Women Are Tired — Stop Pointing It Out | Unfiltered & Unhinged The Episode About Balls | Unfiltered & Unhinged Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s get one thing straight: the fitness industry has sold us a lie that if you’re not drenched in sweat, tracking every step, optimizing every metric, and borderline hating your life… it “doesn’t count.”  We’re calling bullshit. In this episode, Nicole sits down with Dr. Milica McDowell — doctor of physical therapy, human performance expert, and co-author of Walk — to dismantle everything we’ve been taught about exercise, movement, and what it actually means to take care of our bodies. Because walking? The thing you’ve been dismissing as “not real exercise”? It might be the most powerful, accessible, and science-backed tool for your health, longevity, and mental clarity. In this episode, we cover: Why walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise for women’s health The truth about the 10,000-step myth (and what actually matters) How walking improves mood, creativity, and cognitive function The shocking connection between foot health, balance, and longevity Why your shoes might be sabotaging your body (yes, really) The concept of “movement snacks” and how to fit walking into real life Treadmill vs outdoor walking — what actually counts How to build a walking habit without adding more to your already full plate Because maybe the goal isn’t to do more, harder, faster. Maybe the goal is to finally do what works. And that might be as simple as going for a walk. Thank you to our sponsors! Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Connect with Milica: Website: https://www.milicamcdowell.com/  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Rediscover-Natural-Health-Longevity_One/dp/0306837536 LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-milica-mcdowell/  Related Podcast Episodes The Connection Cure: Social Prescribing, Loneliness, and Why Belonging Is Medicine with Julia Hotz | 373 154 / Affirmation Roulette with Peloton’s Kirsten Ferguson Lift Heavy, Live Long: Reclaiming Your Strength with Anne-Marie Chaker | 368 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s just say the quiet part out loud: work is broken. Burnout is everywhere. People are disengaged. Leaders feel like they can’t win. Employees feel invisible. And somewhere along the way, work became more about transactions than human connection. In this episode, Nicole Kalil sits down with Nidhi Tewari — licensed clinical social worker, Harvard Business Review Advisory Council member, Thinkers50 Radar Award recipient, and author of Working Well — to unpack what’s really going wrong at work… and what actually fixes it. Thank god, it’s not another productivity hack. It’s attunement. In this episode, we cover: Why modern work culture is failing (and why it’s not entirely new) The real reason burnout and disengagement are skyrocketing What “attunement” is — and why it goes deeper than emotional intelligence The 4 core skills of attunement: flexibility, reading cues, self-regulation, and collaboration Simple ways to practice attunement at work — without adding more to your plate Why asking instead of assuming is a leadership superpower How workplace connection directly impacts performance, retention, and fulfillment Because maybe the goal isn’t to care more. Maybe the goal is to show it — consistently, clearly, and in a way people can actually feel. Thank you to our sponsors! Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Families are better when they’re working together… go to myskylight.com/WOMANSWORK for $30 off your Skylight Calendar. Connect with Nidhi: Website: https://www.nidhitewari.com/   Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/788782/working-well-by-nidhi-tewari Related Podcast Episodes What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses with Mita Mallick | 351 Leading From The Inside Out with Dana Maor | 278 What Happens When Leadership Becomes Unsustainable: Leader Mental Health with Melissa Doman | 403 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us aren’t running billion-dollar corporations… we’re just trying to survive our inbox. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: whether we like it or not, we are all participants in corporate systems — where we work, what we buy, and who we support. In this episode, Nicole Kalil sits down with Sarah Federman, author of Corporate Reckoning, to unpack what happens when companies are forced to confront their past — from ties to slavery and genocide to modern-day scandals and ethical failures. Spoiler: ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. This conversation dives into the real work of accountability — not the PR-polished version, but the messy, necessary kind that actually builds trust, integrity, and long-term impact. Because reckoning isn’t about guilt. It’s about responsibility. And whether you're leading a company, part of one, or just spending your hard-earned money with one… you have more power than you think. In this episode, they cover: What “corporate reckoning” actually means (and why it matters now more than ever) Why “leave the past in the past” is a convenient lie How companies benefit from confronting — not hiding — their history The 5-step framework for meaningful accountability (and why most companies screw it up) The role women play in driving corporate change through spending power and how to use your voice, your dollars, and your decisions to influence change This isn’t about cancel culture. It’s about conscious participation. Because the question isn’t “Was this my fault?” — it’s “Now that I know… what am I going to do about it?” Thank you to our sponsors! Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Sarah: Website: https://sarahfederman.com/ Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/814363/corporate-reckoning-by-sarah-federman/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-federman-phd/ Related Podcast Episodes: Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 Diversity Isn’t a Strategy - It’s a Leadership Result with Aiko Bethea | 378 How To Build An Emotionally Intelligent Team with Dr. Vanessa Druskat | 328 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grief is not neat, linear, inspiring, or cured by a casserole dish and a “take your time” platitude. In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with author, podcaster, and storyteller Liz Deacle—author of You Won’t Just Cry When They Die—for an honest conversation about grief, loss, healing, identity, and the brutal reality of what happens when someone you love dies. Liz shares what losing both of her parents taught her about the physical and emotional reality of grief—experiences she writes about in You Won’t Just Cry When They Die—including how it can dismantle identity, disrupt the body, and leave a person wondering who they even are now.  Together, they unpack why grief does not follow a timeline, why healing is not about getting back to who someone used to be, and why being “strong” often has a whole lot less to do with holding it together and a whole lot more to do with telling the truth. They also explore the complicated overlap between grief and midlife, especially for women navigating perimenopause, parenting, caregiving, work, and all the other crap life keeps throwing on the pile. Liz offers deeply human insight into what it means to be held, heard, and supported through loss, and why sometimes the most powerful thing anyone can say is simply, “I’m here.” This episode is for anyone grieving, anyone loving someone through grief, or anyone who needs the reminder that there is no right way to fall apart and no clean, polished way to stitch yourself back together. Thank you to our sponsors! Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Liz: Website/Book:https://elizabethdeacle.com Free Meditation: https://elizabethdeacle.com/justforyou Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/its-a-drama-podcast/id1448200711 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ItsaDrama Related Podcast Episodes: How To Have A Good Death with Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN | 292 099 / Grief Is Love with Marisa Renee Lee How Is Your Spiritual Health? with Dr. Lisa Miller | 287 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unfiltered and unhinged solo episode, Nicole Kalil shares a story she is absolutely still not over: The Great Sequin Debacle of 2016. What started as a simple request — “what’s the dress code?” — turned into a full-blown miscommunication, a gold sequin gown moment, and a night she’d very much like to erase from public memory… except now it’s a podcast episode. Because what seems obvious to you might not be obvious to someone else. And when you’re building a life, a relationship, or even just packing for a trip, assumptions can lead to some very uncomfortable (and very sparkly) consequences. But beyond the story, this episode gets into something way more important: why miscommunication happens in relationships — and how to fix it. This episode is equal parts relatable, hilarious, and actually useful! Nicole shares the simple tool she and her husband now use to actually get on the same page: Family Forecasting. Nicole breaks down how to: Stop relying on assumptions in your relationship Get aligned on schedules, priorities, and decisions (and dress codes) Use family forecasting to avoid unnecessary conflict Strengthen connection through intentional conversations Because the goal isn’t to avoid every misunderstanding — it’s to stop creating the ones you could have prevented. And if you can avoid a sequin-level crisis in the process? Even better. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Nicole: Subscribe to Nicole’s Substack: https://nicolekalil.substack.com/  Join the Inner Circle: https://nicolekalil.myflodesk.com/newsletter  Download the Family Forecasting Agenda: https://nicolekalil.com/resources  Related Podcast Episode Women Are Tired — Stop Pointing It Out | Unfiltered & Unhinged The Episode About Balls | Unfiltered & Unhinged Yell for Help | Unfiltered & Unhinged Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leadership gets glorified a lot and understood very little—and in this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil cuts straight to the part no one wants to talk about: leader mental health. She’s joined by Melissa Doman, organizational psychologist, former clinical mental health therapist, founder of the Workplace Mental Health Method, and author of Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work and Cornered Office. Melissa works with global companies like Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Estée Lauder, helping leaders and organizations have honest, practical conversations about mental health—especially at the top. Together, they unpack the outdated leadership norms that reward burnout and punish humanity, the real mental health toll of constant pressure and scrutiny, and what it actually looks like to lead in a way that’s both effective and human. Because if leadership becomes miserable enough, the good ones won’t stay—and that should scare all of us. In this episode, Nicole and Melissa explore: Why leadership mental health is still the elephant in the corner office How outdated ideas about power, stoicism, and authority hurt leaders Common mental health struggles leaders face, including anxiety, worry, negativity, and helplessness Why communicating capacity is a leadership skill, not a weakness How followers can better support leaders  What companies can do right now to make leadership more sustainable At the end of the day, this conversation makes one thing clear: if we want better workplaces, stronger teams, and sustainable success, we have to start treating leaders like humans—not machines. Thank you to our sponsors! Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Melissa: Website:https://www.melissadoman.com/ Book:https://www.amazon.com/Cornered-Office-Leadership-Mental-Health/dp/139435035X  IG: https://www.instagram.com/thewanderingmel/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadoman1/ Related Podcast Episodes: Leadership Unblocked (The Hidden Beliefs Sabotaging Your Ability To Lead) with Muriel M. Wilkins | 367 The Stress Paradox: Why We Need Stress (and How to Make It Work for Us) with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist | 294 What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses with Mita Mallick | 351 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s get one thing straight: mindset is not about slapping a positive quote on your anxiety and calling it growth. In this episode, Nicole Kalil calls out the fluff and gets real about what mindset actually is - and it’s not just vision boards or pretending everything is fine while your brain is running a full-blown disaster simulation. Joined by Diana Pagano - bestselling author, mindset coach, and expert in breaking mental limits - this conversation dives into what’s actually happening when your brain spirals… and more importantly, what to do about it. This episode unpacks how to interrupt the spiral, regulate your nervous system, and take grounded, imperfect action anyway. No toxic positivity. No BS. Just real tools that actually work. What You’ll Learn: Why mindset has been oversimplified (and how that’s keeping you stuck) The truth about overthinking, fear spirals, and “what if” thinking How to interrupt negative thought patterns in real time The “change the channel” method for shifting focus fast Why confidence isn’t a feeling — it’s a choice backed by action The role of belief systems in success, money, and opportunities Practical tools to stop waiting for confidence and start moving anyway The Real Talk: You don’t need another pep talk. You don’t need to “just think positive.” You need tools to break the loop - and the willingness to take action even while your brain is still arguing with you. Because confidence, momentum, and growth? They don’t come after the fear disappears. They come when you move anyway. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Diana: Website: https://dianapagano.com/  Book:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-more-mindset-diana-pagano/1147998644  IG: https://www.instagram.com/iamdianapagano/  Related Podcast Episodes Abundance: Secrets to Prosperity and Ease with Cathy Heller | 260 All The Ways We Get In Our Own Way with Thais Gibson | 235 The Power of Enough with Elizabeth Husserl | 299 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Nicole Kalil sits down with Faith Roberson, certified life coach, professional organizer, and founder of Organize With Faith, to rip the lid off everything we’ve been told about homemaking, clutter, and what it means to “keep a home.” Because spoiler alert: it’s not about the damn bins. Faith introduces a powerful reframe — that organizing isn’t about perfection, aesthetics, or even productivity. It’s about soul work. It’s about identity, values, boundaries, and the emotional baggage (yes, literally and figuratively) we carry into our spaces. Together, they unpack: The “Snow White Effect” and how society conditioned women to do domestic labor alone (and smile about it) Why clutter isn’t a discipline problem — it’s an emotional processing problem How organizing from the inside out changes everything The truth about invisible labor, gender roles, and why you don’t have to do it all How to set boundaries in your home without losing your mind or your relationship The 3-step framework: Acknowledgement, Action, Alignment to create a home that actually reflects your values This conversation isn’t about having a perfect home - it’s about creating a life that feels like yours. Because what stays and what goes… isn’t just about your closet. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free! Connect with Faith: Website: https://organizewithfaith.com/  Book:https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-Stays-and-What-Goes/Faith-Roberson/9781668011744   IG: https://www.instagram.com/organizewithfaith/  Related Podcast Episodes How To Declutter Your Life with Lisa Woodruff | 285 Wages For Housework with Emily Callici | 325 Your Guide to a More Organized & Intentional Life with Shira Gill | 304 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s be clear: the idea of a “perfect family” is outdated, unrealistic, and holding onto it often causes more harm than good. In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with family lawyer, author, and co-parenting advocate Gabriella Pomare to dismantle the myth that staying together is always best for the kids—and to redefine what healthy, modern families can actually look like. A partner at a leading law firm in Sydney, Gabriella brings over a decade of experience navigating complex family dynamics, from high-conflict separations to international custody cases. Because divorce isn’t the end of a family. It’s the restructuring of one. Gabriella brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the table, sharing how parents can move from conflict to collaboration—even when emotions are high, communication is broken, and resentment is lingering just beneath the surface. This conversation is honest, practical, and refreshingly real about what it actually takes to co-parent with intention instead of ego. In this episode, they cover: Why the “stay together for the kids” narrative is often more harmful than helpful The #1 skill that can make or break your co-parenting relationship: communication Gabriella’s 4-step communication framework How to set boundaries with a high-conflict or difficult ex (without losing your sanity) Tools like co-parenting apps that reduce drama and keep things child-focused How to handle holidays, schedules, and special occasions without turning them into battlegrounds Why kids don’t need the details—they need stability, safety, and reassurance Navigating dating, step-parent dynamics, and blended families  Because at the end of the day, it isn’t about being right. It’s about raising humans who feel safe, loved, and supported—no matter what their family structure looks like. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It’s all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use—so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere! Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Connect with Gabriella: Website: https://thecollaborativeco-parent.com.au  Book:https://www.amazon.com/Collaborative-Parent-Co-Parenting-dignified-collaborative/dp/1636987036/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/collaborativecoparent/ Related Podcast Episodes: 047 / Mindset, Resilience & Divorce with Susan Tripi 198 / Repairing Damaged Relationships with Carlee Myers 204 / How To Let Go Of Your Ex with Dr. Cortney Warren Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unfiltered and unhinged solo episode, Nicole Kalil gets brutally honest about something every high-achieving woman hates to admit: she’s been dropping balls. A lot of them. From missed appointments to forgotten commitments, Nicole pulls back the curtain on what happens when even the most organized, detail-loving, color-coded-calendar kind of woman hits a breaking point. And instead of spiraling into shame (okay, maybe a little), she revisits a powerful mindset shift that changes everything. Enter: glass balls vs. rubber balls. Because not everything that gets dropped is a disaster — and treating it like one is exactly what’s burning women out. This episode is a reality check and a permission slip: Not all mistakes are catastrophic Not everything deserves your guilt And no, you’re not “losing it”… you’re human Nicole breaks down how to: Identify what actually matters (your glass balls) Stop overreacting to the things that don’t (your rubber balls) Give yourself grace without lowering your standards Protect your energy, your priorities, and your sanity Because the goal isn’t to juggle everything perfectly — it’s to know what’s worth catching. And if a few balls bounce? Let them. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It’s all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use—so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere! Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Connect with Nicole: Subscribe to Nicole’s Substack: https://nicolekalil.substack.com/  Join the Inner Circle: https://nicolekalil.myflodesk.com/newsletter  Related Podcast Episode: Women Are Tired — Stop Pointing It Out | Unfiltered & Unhinged Restless Life Syndrome (Why I Want 14 Different Lives) | Unfiltered & Unhinged Yell for Help | Unfiltered & Unhinged Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a fan girl episode. It’s a masterclass in women’s economic power, using one of the most undeniable case studies of our time — Taylor Swift. In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with economist and researcher Misty Heggeness, author of Swiftynomics, to break down what happens when women stop playing small and start reshaping entire industries. Because whether people like Taylor Swift or not? Irrelevant. What she’s done for ownership, influence, and economic impact? Undeniable. This conversation dives into the data behind the headlines — exposing how women have always been driving the economy… just without the credit. In this episode, they explore: What “Swiftynomics” actually means (and why it’s bigger than Taylor Swift) Why traditional economic metrics undervalue women (and always have) How women drive over 80% of consumer spending — and what that means for power The rise of female-led content, companies, and cultural influence Why backlash against powerful women is predictable… and irrelevant The economic shift happening when women support women — and stop supporting what doesn’t support them Why equity in the workplace and at home benefits everyone (yes, even men) This isn’t about celebrity. It’s about who holds power, who gets recognized for it, and who’s done waiting for permission. This episode reframes Taylor Swift as more than a pop icon — she’s proof of what happens when women own their work, their voice, and their value, and in doing so, redefine the entire economic landscape. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It’s all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use—so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere! Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/TIWW for free shipping and 365-day returns! Connect with Misty: Website: https://www.mistyheggeness.com/  Book: https://www.instagram.com/swiftynomics/  Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/swiftynomics.bsky.social  X: https://bsky.app/profile/swiftynomics.bsky.social  Related Podcast Episodes: Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Cultivate Audacity with Anne Marie Anderson | 276 Joan Lunden on Reinvention, Leadership & Life Beyond the Script | 392 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Romantic relationships are not supposed to stay frozen in the honeymoon phase forever. In this episode, Nicole Kalil sits down with attachment theory expert Thais Gibson—bestselling author, PhD, and founder of The Personal Development School—to break down the six stages of relationships, why the power struggle stage is where so many couples get stuck, and what it really takes to build healthy, lasting love. Because, contrary to everything rom-coms, bad advice, and old conditioning taught women, a strong relationship is not about never changing. It is about learning how to grow, communicate, repair, and keep choosing each other when life gets messy, inconvenient, and very unsexy. In this episode, Nicole and Thais discuss: The 6 stages of relationships, from dating to everlasting love Why the power struggle stage is normal, not proof something is broken Why vulnerability is the price of deeper connection The communication mistake couples make on repeat Why women often overfocus on being chosen instead of doing the choosing Why people date potential and how that blows up later What it takes to move from stability into devotion and lasting partnership This conversation gets into the real stuff: dating red flags, codependency, conflict resolution, self-abandonment, subconscious patterns, and the truth about what it takes to create a healthy relationship that evolves with you instead of trapping you. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It’s all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use—so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere! Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TIWW, and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Connect with Thais: Website: personaldevelopmentschool.com  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalDevelopmentSchoolG:  IG: https://www.instagram.com/thepersonaldevelopmentschool/?hl=en  Related Podcast Episodes: All The Ways We Get In Our Own Way with Thais Gibson | 235 Healing Relationships: The 4 Essential Pillars for Lasting Love with Dr. Rachel Glik | 283 163 / Do You Believe in Love? with Arielle Ford Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somewhere along the way, women were sold a lie: competition is the price of ambition. Be faster. Be louder. Be better. And if someone else wins? You must lose. In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with Ruchika T. Malhotra—founder and CEO of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm, and author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success—to dismantle the zero-sum mindset and replace it with something far more powerful: collaboration, abundance, and shared success. Ruchika, a former business journalist and contributor to Harvard Business Review (including co-author of one of HBR’s most-read articles, Stop Telling Women They Have Impostor Syndrome), brings research, global perspective, and real-world strategy to challenge how we think about workplace competition, women in leadership, and ambition. Together, they unpack: Why competition in real life rewards conformity—not excellence The difference between comparison (human) and competition (optional) How social media fuels constant, low-grade competitive anxiety What “uncompeting” looks like in promotions, leadership, and career growth How to turn envy into data instead of self-destruction Why competing with other women isn’t strategy—it’s conditioning Bottom line: Uncompeting isn’t about lowering ambition. It’s about rejecting scarcity, defining success on your own terms, and building long-game leadership rooted in integrity—not insecurity. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Connect with Ruchika: Website: https://www.ruchika.co/ Book: www.uncompetebook.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchikatm IG: https://www.instagram.com/rtulshyan/ Related Podcast Episodes 137 / Ampliship (Mean Girls Part 2) with Caroline Adams Miller 206 / A Better Way to Define Success with Stella Grizont How To Get What You Want with Jenny Wood | 293 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if meditation isn’t about sitting still, clearing your mind, or becoming some perfectly calm, enlightened human? What if it’s simply about presence? In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and founder of the globally consumed meditation podcast A Zen Mind, Jo Rose, to talk about meditation for real life, nervous system regulation, and how cultivating presence can transform the way we work, lead, and live. In this conversation, we explore: The biggest myths about meditation and why so many people think they “can’t meditate” Why meditation isn’t about silencing your mind  How presence and mindfulness can happen during conversations, movement, or everyday tasks The connection between nervous system regulation and feeling calm, open, and grounded Why trying to control outcomes often blocks creativity and intuition The difference between forcing results vs. allowing flow states How to discover routines that support your mental health and well-being (and why copying someone else’s routine rarely works) The power of devotion over discipline when building meditation and mindfulness practices Because meditation isn’t about perfection. It’s about noticing when your mind wanders… and bringing it back. Over and over again. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Listen to A Zen Mind Podcast & Connect With Jo Rose: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/69Jm0pfRlpnaBDaioynNaX?si=r9BQATHYRei2Hm0tBQ2O8w&nd=1&dlsi=dcf04fdb2d8b4ab6 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-zen-mind-guided-meditations/id1599159160 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@azenmind IG: https://www.instagram.com/a.zen.mind Website: https://azenmindglobal.com/  Related Podcast Episodes: Stop Saying “I’m Fine”: Nervous System Regulation for High-Achieving Women with Michelle Grosser | 372 How To Listen When Your Parts Speak (IFS Therapy + Ancestral Wisdom) with Tamala Floyd | 376 How Our Dysregulated Nervous Systems Are Impacting Us with Victoria Albina | 244 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some phrases women hear on repeat really need to be retired — permanently. In this unfiltered & unhinged short episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil revisits her earlier rant “Stop Saying That” (Episode 216) and adds another phrase to the list: “You look tired.” Nicole explains why this comment — even when it’s meant with good intentions — isn’t helpful. If someone looks exhausted, chances are they already know. Between work, family, responsibilities, and the never-ending mental load women carry, it’s no surprise so many are running on fumes. Instead of pointing it out, Nicole suggests a better approach: ask how someone is doing, offer support, or bring coffee. Because there’s a big difference between making an observation and showing actual care. And yes, women are tired — but we keep showing up anyway. Thank you to our sponsors! Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww  Connect with Nicole: Subscribe to Nicole’s Substack: https://nicolekalil.substack.com/  Join the Inner Circle: https://nicolekalil.myflodesk.com/newsletter  Related Podcast Episodes: Stop Saying That! (Like Right F*****g Now) | 216 Restless Life Syndrome (Why I Want 14 Different Lives) | Unfiltered & Unhinged Yell for Help | Unfiltered & Unhinged Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices