Clarity On Fire

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Early Entrepreneur, who’s torn between taking it slower in her business-building efforts so that she can enjoy her lifestyle, or amping up the hustle so that she can make money faster. Isn’t there an inevitable amount of extra work it takes to build a business, anyway? Is it even realistic to think she could grow a business while enjoying a good lifestyle?   Shelby, who’s gone from being adamantly against the idea of marriage, to now being in favor of it for herself in the future! But how does someone who’s been vocally critical of something turn around and tell her friends and family that she’s changed her mind?     Nonplussed with myself, who’s recently achieved a lifelong dream after years of work (and many years before tha

Calling all fellow bookworms, library nerds, and general lovers of literature — it’s time for part TWO of our book club conversation about Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily & Amelia Nagoski.    In part one (listen to this first!) we learned about where burnout comes from, how to process stress in a never-heard-before way, and how to navigate the controllable AND uncontrollable stressors in your life.   Now we’re on to part two! Listen in as we talk about…   The system that keeps all of us (but especially women) stuck in a stress cycle that never ends (and how to break free of it). The 3 big things that can free you from burnout. Some truly wild facts and figures about sleep and physical health that will change the way you think about your body and your need for rest.    Come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share what resonated with you most from our conversation about Burnout!   LAST DAY TO APPLY FOR COACHING!   If you’re burned out and need a change but can’t imagine h

Calling all fellow bookworms, library nerds, and general lovers of literature — it’s time for another book club episode of the podcast!    Whenever there are five Fridays in a month, we devote the extra Friday to a book that we can’t get enough of … except you’ll notice that today is Tuesday.

If you have no idea what you want to do with your life and career, well, you’ve come to the right place.    Our specialty is helping you go from stuck, overwhelmed, and confused to clear, confident, and full of direction and fulfillment.    But once you have that direction, you might need help with the technical details — especially if what you want next is a new job.    That’s where our friend Emily Liou takes over! Her specialty is helping people actually find and get a great job, even when they don’t have all the skills, experience, education, or go-to network.   We brought Emily back (for a third time!) because for the last 6 months we’ve been collecting a bunch of questions from listeners about job searching and career pivoting, and we just knew she’d have really good answers for them.    So, listen in as Emily and the two of us answer questions like…   Where’s the line between spinning and being honest in a job interview? How can someone increase their salary without having to take on a leadership role

Sometimes something becomes such a hot topic that it even reaches Millennials in their 30s who don’t have TikTok.

One of Kristen’s clients came to her recently in a bit of a frenzy, saying:   “I have SO many things that need work — my career, my marriage, my health, my friendships — and they’re ALL important. How do I pick one thing to focus on? And what if it takes forever and then the other things start to suffer even more?? Or I miss out on opportunities because I was too fixated on one thing?!”   If just reading that gave you anxiety, take a deep breath.

Have you ever felt so distraught about your life that you had no other option than to don a sweatshirt, throw the hood up, cinch it tight, and lie on the floor and proceed to sob uncontrollably?   I call it The Hood of Despair. Try it out sometime! I highly recommend it.

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Coach Curious, who’s attracted to the possibility of becoming a coach (like some of you might be, if you’ve been following us for a while!), and wants to know what makes for a good coach? What kind of training is best? What are the pros and cons?    Sarah, a woman in her 40s who’s in a committed relationship, but is reluctant to tie the knot. How do you know if someone is your forever person? What if there’s someone better out there?   Bozzieboo, a 57-year-old woman struggling to bounce back after a series of major emotional hits. She stepped away from the workforce for a while, and now wonders whether it’s worth it to start over at this stage of life.    Come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share how our advice for

Need a little clarity, guidance, or just a fun pick-me-up?   Then today’s your day, because we’re back with another Message from the Universe episode!

A couple months ago, we told you the best way to successfully make it out of your comfort zone is with a slow-and-steady approach.   Annnd because we love to contradict ourselves (but not really, because didn’t someone say once that the best way to understand life is through paradox?

A year ago, on my birthday, I did something I’m prouder of than almost anything I’ve ever done: I published my own solo podcast!   Forever Alone: One introverted millennial’s half-agonizing, half-hopeful journey through singledom.   It’s like a memoir, in audio form. But people tell me it feels less like non-fiction and more like listening to a novel. Whether you’re single or not, it’ll resonate with you if you’re someone who’s been hoping for something for a long time that you haven’t gotten (and if your heart and spirit are a little bruised from the effort of trying).   So, in honor of Forever Alone’s one-year anniversary, I’m letting Kristen interview me again (we did one last year, too!) about everything that’s happened since then. And oh boy … is it a doozy.   We got into…   What happened after I left off at the end of Chapter 7, when I went to the UK (in search of a Scottish husband), My house flooding, moving back in with my parents, and deciding to get on Bumble for the first time, How I managed to s

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Bummed Entrepreneur, who worked her buns off for years to build a successful business. She has a great business partner, a staff, and more growth than she expected—and she’s “miserably numb.” She woke up one day and just … didn’t care, and nothing (not a vacation, not therapy) is changing how she feels. Why is she so bummed after getting everything she asked for?   Angelica, who worked hard (both on herself as a person, and on her career) to land a true dream job that she LOVES. But she finds herself bumping up against a fear that won’t go away—that maybe it’s not possible to have both a dream career AND a dream relationship. How can she let go of the idea that she can’t have both?   A Quitter with Qualms, who’s super disengag

A lot of you are people pleasers, and you know it. You cycle through the greatest hits every day!

There’s not much worse than wanting your life and relationships to change — to deeply thrive — and not seeing or understanding why you can’t seem to get there.   One of the silent causes behind SO many relationship woes (romantic, of course, but ALL of them, including the ones you have at work and with work) is your attachment style.   Never heard of it? Well, you need to! And we happen to have the person to teach you all about it.    On this month’s interview with an expert, we talked to therapist Shira Myrow about the nuances of attachment. Listen in as we explore…   What exactly attachment is, and how to tell if your style is healthy or unhealthy, Examples of how to identify unhealthy attachment in your life and relationships, Ways to regulate and overcome the unhealthy patterns that keep you stuck, Some surprising facts about how the brain works that had us reeling!    Come leave a comment after you’ve listened to share how Shira’s take on attachment resonated with you!   MORE ABOUT SHIRA   Shira is a m

Are you a wee bit tired? Burned out? Exhausted to your core? Weary to the marrow of your being?  

If you haven’t been in the Clarity-verse (it’s a thing, I’ve decided) for a while, you might have missed the fact that one year ago Kristen got a full-time job.   Not because she desperately needed one. Or because Krachel was on the verge of a breakup (going strong, thanks!).    It was because she wasn’t walking her talk.   Ironically, one of the people who created the Passion Profile Quiz was struggling because, go figure, she wasn’t working like a Thriver. They say you teach what you most need to learn!   So, on the year anniversary of Kristen getting a full-time job, I got the inside scoop about how it’s going. We got into…   How she knew this job was going to be able to meet her needs, before she got hired. What it’s been like to balance a job with coaching and running a business. How her energy levels have totally shifted in the last year. How she’s dealt with overwhelm when it’s come up. Why making a decision that seemingly defies logic might land you with more time and energy than you thought possible

Welcome to another episode of Dear Krachel, our monthly advice segment where we answer listener questions about life, career, relationships, existential angst, and anything that helps you become a more whole, fulfilled version of yourself.   This month we answered questions from:   Giamhi, a senior in high school whose parents are pushing her to go into a field like engineering or teaching. She doesn’t know what she wants — but she knows she doesn’t want to do that. How do you make a career choice when you’re feeling pressured to do something that will make other people happy? Summer, who asked us, “What do I do when I’m burned out and not sure if ANY job will reignite my passion?” Less than Optimistic, who was excited to pursue a career in a very specific field, but after applying to over 100 jobs and never getting anything, moved on to something totally different. After a decade, he still has dreams of pursuing his original interest … but obviously he’s not hopeful. How can you tell if something is a pipe

Honing your intuition is one of the most important parts of getting clear on who you are, what you want, and where you’re headed. Without it, you’re like a GPS with bad reception — you’re not going to get very clear guidance, and you may end up driving in circles.   But that takes time and practice, so sometimes it’s nice to piggyback off of another GPS you can trust, even if it’s just long enough to check your directions.    In that spirit, we’re back with another Message from the Universe episode for you! Tune in if you need a little clarity, guidance, or just a fun pick-me-up.    Today we pulled a few cards from The Enchanted Map deck by Colette Baron-Reid. One or all has a message for you — come find out what it is!    We also started out this episode with some fun stories we’ve heard lately from clients about how the Universe showed up for them. If you’ve got a good one to share, we’d love to hear (and maybe share it in a future Message from the Universe episode)! Email us at contact@clarityonfire.com, s

Ever seen that meme of a circle with text in it that says “your comfort zone,” and then a little dot way outside the circle that says, “where the magic happens?”   Ugh, makes us want to roll our eyes. Because it’s TRUE. And we wish it weren’t!   But alas, magic does happen when you’re willing to get uncomfortable. Except it’s not easy at ALL to get out of your comfort zone. Especially if you want to get out and stay out.   So, in this month’s brand-new Side Chat, we’re diving into how to successfully exit your comfort zone. We talked about …   An interesting way to train your body/nervous system to be OK with emotional discomfort. How to know whether you should get out of your comfort zone — what if it’s just not worth it? A little tough love about ways you might be sneakily sidestepping hard things.  And a simple way to figure out the first step you should take, so that you don’t end up crashing and burning.   Leave a comment after you’ve listened to share how this inspired you to get out of your comfort z

For those of you who don’t know (or maybe forgot, since it’s been so long), Rachel and I used to write a new blog post every single week for YEARS. In fact, our writing was what we were most known for in the early years of Clarity on Fire.  All of our old blogs are still available on our site (check out our full library). But many of those old posts haven’t seen the light of day in a while, even though they’re just as relevant today as they were when we first wrote them.  So today, I’m highlighting one of those old posts! This is a concept I still share with my clients when they’re struggling with burnout. Listen in as I read you the blog, or read it in full on our site. ------------- I’m sitting here on a Friday afternoon, and I have a running mental list of everything I could or should be doing right now. I should be responding to emails, or going to the gym, or running errands, or planning dinner, and on and on. But it’s Friday afternoon, and I’m just not feelin’ any of it. All I want to do is sit outside