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Have you ever made a decision and still felt bad afterward? No matter what you choose, there is guilt, second-guessing, or that lingering feeling that you are letting someone (or yourself) down.

In this episode of Be Freaking Awesome, Sami Kinnison and Angela Belford unpack one of the most common but least named challenges people face: conflicting values.

This is not about being indecisive or doing something wrong. It is about what happens when two things that both matter deeply collide in a specific season of life.

What We Talk About in This Episode

• What conflicting values actually are (and what they are not)
• Why guilt, angst, and indecision are often clues that values are colliding
• How competing priorities show up in work, parenting, relationships, and leadership
• Why you can care deeply about multiple things and still have to choose
• How seasons of life change which values need to come first
• The power of deciding what matters most right now
• Why being fully present where you are matters more than doing everything
• How to stop outsourcing your decisions to guilt or other people’s opinions
• Why naming the conflict helps you move forward with clarity and self-trust

Angela shares personal stories about navigating family, finances, career, and commitments, while Sami reflects on capacity, parenthood, and the reality of not having enough energy to give 100 percent everywhere. Together, they normalize the discomfort of hard choices and offer practical ways to approach them with intention instead of shame.

Key Takeaway
If you feel guilty no matter what you choose, you are probably not failing. You are likely holding conflicting values, and the work is not to eliminate the guilt, but to name the conflict, choose intentionally, and be where you are.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
• (Including the principle “Decide what matters most” and the idea that priorities can change by season)
• The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra Adachi
• Big Little Feelings (especially the “10-Minute Miracle” for intentional connection with kids)

Coming Up Next
Next week, Sami and Angela dig into the Inner Critic, and why trying to “fire” it might actually make things worse. They will talk about a healthier, more realistic way to work with your inner voice instead of fighting it.

If this episode hit close to home, you are not alone.

Thanks for listening, and until next time, we hope you go Be Freaking Awesome.

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What if growth doesn’t make life easier… at least not right away?

In this episode of Be Freaking Awesome, Sami Kinnison and Angela Belford get real about the unexpected side effects of emotional healing, like crying more, feeling stretched thin, questioning your capacity, and realizing that growth doesn’t mean you never struggle again.

This conversation is a follow-up to The Nonlinear Journey of Growth, but instead of theory, this episode lives squarely in the messy middle. From therapy breakthroughs to perfectionism flare-ups, from running out of emotional bandwidth to redefining what “enough” actually means, Sami and Angela unpack what growth really looks like when you’re in it.

You’ll hear:

• Why emotional healing can actually bring more feelings, not fewer
• How growth changes your nervous system, your expectations, and your coping mechanisms
• What it means when you realize you don’t have “enough of you to go around”
• Why bounce-back-ability (not perfection) is a better measure of growth
• A powerful story about letting go before you drown, and why holding on can be the real danger

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I’m doing the work… so why is this still hard?”
• “Why am I crying more now than before?”
• “I thought growth meant I wouldn’t feel like this anymore”

…this episode is for you.

This is an honest, compassionate conversation about personal growth, emotional healing, capacity, burnout, and resilience, and a reminder that having hard days doesn’t mean you’re failing. It might actually mean you’re healing.

✨ Growth isn’t about eliminating struggle.
✨ It’s about how you recover, recalibrate, and keep going.

Listen in, and if this episode resonates, send us a DM or share where you’re at in your own growth journey! We’d love to hear your story.

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In this conversation, Olympic medalist and entrepreneur Dominique Blake joins Angela and Sami for an honest, high-energy look at what it means to stay committed to growth when life doesn’t go as planned.

Dominique shares how setbacks in her athletic career sparked a powerful evolution—from running on the track to building businesses, leading wellness communities, and mentoring others through their own journeys. You’ll hear her take on personal responsibility, emotional regulation, and what it really takes to create lasting change.

She also offers perspective on raising confident, resilient kids and reflects on how her own upbringing shaped her drive and discipline. This episode is full of sharp insight, contagious motivation, and practical wisdom for anyone ready to show up fully for their life.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• How to turn failure into fuel
• What discipline looks like in real life
• Building confidence by doing uncomfortable things
• Navigating perfectionism with clarity and compassion
• How childhood experiences shape future resilience
• The mindset shift that helps you keep going when things get tough

Ready for a dose of grit and growth?
Hit play now and hear Dominique’s powerful take on doing the hard things that lead to an extraordinary life. Whether you're in a rut or ready to level up, this episode will challenge and inspire you in all the right ways.

Connect with Dominique Blake:

• Instagram: @dominiqueblake
• Facebook: Dominique Blake Oly

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Let’s be honest. Working with your family can be equal parts beautiful and bananas. And when the holidays hit? Whew. That’s when the lines between pass the gravy and circle back on that project get real blurry.

In this episode, Angela and Sami get vulnerable and hilarious about what it actually looks like to navigate work and personal relationships within a family business. From setting boundaries around when to talk shop (spoiler: not at Christmas dinner) to knowing when you need your mom versus your business partner, they break down real-life tools for keeping your sanity and your relationships intact.

What you’ll hear:

- Why it’s so easy to slip into work talk at family events and how to stop it
- How to clarify which "role" you're in (parent, boss, sibling, coworker)
- What healthy conflict actually looks like in close relationships and how to repair it
- A behind-the-scenes peek into Angela and Sami’s family business dynamics (yes, even the tears and awkward moments)

Whether you work with your family or just want to create healthier relationships with the people closest to you, these tips are for anyone looking for more clarity, better boundaries, and fewer stress-fueled conversations.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Do you work with your family? What’s been the hardest or most beautiful part? Message us on Instagram @BeFreakingAwesome or leave us a review with your thoughts.

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In this episode of Be Freaking Awesome, Angela and Sami dive deep into the world of coaching, what it is, what it isn’t, and why it can be such a powerful catalyst for personal and professional growth.

Together, they explore the difference between coaching and consulting, why your brain naturally resists change, and how nervous system regulation plays a foundational role in leadership, decision-making, and confidence. Angela shares her journey from consultant to executive coach, including how public speaking coaching, emotional intelligence, and business strategy all intersect.

From executive coaching to public speaking fears, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what actually creates sustainable growth, and why skill-building alone is rarely enough.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, resistant, overwhelmed, or unsure why “knowing what to do” still isn’t helping you move forward, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening beneath the surface.

In this conversation, we talk about:

- The difference between coaching and consulting, and when each one is actually helpful
- Why your brain resists growth and how that shows up in work and leadership
- How nervous system regulation impacts confidence, decision-making, and public speaking
- Why emotional intelligence and core beliefs are key drivers of long-term success

If this episode resonated, share it with a friend, colleague, or leader who’s navigating growth or feeling stuck.

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If you’ve ever sat through a workplace training that sounded great in theory but didn’t change a thing, this episode is for you.

Angela and Sami are pulling back the curtain on why team trainings often fall flat, what “improving communication” actually means (hint: it’s not just talking nicer), and how to approach development that truly sticks. From metaphors about runny noses to real-world stories of transformation, this episode is packed with practical insights and a fresh take on what it really takes to build stronger, healthier teams.

Sami also shares her approach to team training and why one-time workshops rarely work. Instead, she’s helping teams move from friction to flow through a layered, series-based model that actually builds new habits.

Whether you're a manager, business owner, or just someone tired of the same old “we need to communicate better” conversation, this one’s going to hit home.

🎙️ In This Episode:

• Why “communication problems” are often symptoms, not root issues
• The dangers of one-and-done team trainings
• How to diagnose what’s actually wrong with your team dynamics
• The role of repetition and real-world application in lasting change
• The “communication doctor” metaphor and how it reframes team development
• Encouragement for leaders and individuals to create small but powerful shifts

🛠️ Resources & Links

Want to improve communication and connection on your team?
Visit bfreakingawesome.com

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Welcome to Episode 200, our first ever live episode! We’re celebrating a huge milestone, giving major shout-outs, reflecting on what this podcast has meant so far, and sharing what’s next for the journey of Be Freaking Awesome.

What’s Inside This Episode

• Live recorded energy and community vibe: This is our first time doing a live broadcast, complete with real-time chats, emojis, and surprise guest drop-ins. We love you all for being here.
• Reflections on success: What does success really mean for a podcast, a business, or your life? We talk about how we define success (spoiler: it’s not just numbers) and why sharing value and joy matters.
• Behind-the-scenes gratitude: A huge shout-out to everyone who helps make this podcast possible, from our technical crew to our editing team and our listeners. You keep this bus rolling.
• Guest catch-ups: We brought on past guests, including DonJay Rice, Gary Ware, and Josh (our original host), to hear what they’re up to now and ask, "What are you doing these days that’s freaking awesome?"
• Live messages and advice on being “freaking awesome”: Real-life wisdom from our guests, from rediscovering childhood passions (like magic) to embracing authenticity and knowing it's never too late to reboot your path.
• Major announcement: Be Freaking Awesome is becoming its own standalone brand. We’re leveling up with more coaching, training, speaking, and maybe even books.
• Looking ahead: We asked each other (and our listeners) to record a “time capsule” message to our future selves. What do we want to thank ourselves for one year from now, when we hit five years?

Why This One Matters

Episode 200 isn’t just a milestone. It’s a marker of growth, gratitude, and intention. It reminds us (and you) that doing the work, showing up, and staying true to yourself matters. It shows a podcast evolving from a side project into a mission-driven brand.

Key Takeaways

• Success isn’t just a number. Sometimes it’s a message sent, a life changed, a mindset shifted.
• It’s OK to show up messy, imperfect, and human. That’s where connection happens.
• You don’t have to monetize everything. Sometimes the thing that brings you joy is worth doing just because.
• It’s never too late to change course, try something new, or rediscover something old.
• Community, consistency, and authenticity are where real impact lives.

Want More?

If you enjoyed this live celebration, consider:

• Revisiting some of our favorite episodes (like Episode 64 on taming the inner critic)
• Signing up for our email list to stay in the loop on what’s next for the BFA brand
• Sending us a “time capsule” voice note of your own—what you want to thank your future self for a year from now: bfreakingawesome.com/message

Order Traveling Light wherever you get your books!

Sign up at bfreakingawesome.com to get the latest news, insights, and episodes straight to your inbox.

Follow Be Freaking Awesome on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Instagram.

Let us know what questions you want to be answered and discussed by emailing us at podcast@bfreakingawesome.com.

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In this powerful and personal episode, Angela and Sami sit down with speaker, leadership trainer, and PhD researcher Summer Jelinek to talk about what it really means to be neurodivergent in the workplace.

From masking and burnout to emotional intelligence and late diagnoses, we explore how modern work culture often fails to support neurodivergent thinkers and what we can do about it. Summer shares her journey of being diagnosed with autism later in life and how that led her to research how neurodivergent women lead, mask, and navigate professional spaces differently.

Sami and Angela get honest about parenting, people-pleasing, crying in the office, and learning to feel your feels without shame. Whether you're neurodivergent yourself, love someone who is, or just want to create a more human-centered workplace, this episode will open your eyes and soften your heart.

In This Episode

- What “neurodivergent” really means and why it's more than just ADHD or autism
- How masking impacts performance, connection, and burnout
- Why neurodivergent women often go undiagnosed for decades
- The emotional labor of “being professional” at work
- How leaders can support team members who think differently
- Why curiosity beats judgment every time

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with a friend, a teammate, or your boss. Conversations like these are how we make change.

Resources and Mentions
- Get the first 3 chapters of Summer’s book: unlockingthemagicofleadership.com/myf
- Connect with Summer Jelinek:
- Website: summerjelinek.com
- LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram: @SummerJelinek

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Let us know what questions you want to be answered and discussed by emailing us at podcast@bfreakingawesome.com.