Chasing Brighter Podcast: A Midlife Guide To Your Best Life

A Summer Meditation: Restoring Through The Season of Light

In this special guided meditation episode, Jessica invites you to slow down and embrace the healing energy of summer. As the days grow longer and the light lingers, let this calming reset help you reconnect with yourself. Whether you're lying in the sun, sitting quietly indoors, or finding a moment in a busy day, this short meditation offers you the space to rest, restore, and renew.
🧘‍♀️ In This Episode You’ll Experience:
A guided meditation designed to calm your nervous system and ground your energy
Breathing exercises to release tension and invite ease
Visualization to connect with your own peaceful summer sanctuary
Reflection prompts to help you explore what you need to release and invite in this season
A gentle reminder: Rest is not a reward — it’s a rhythm.
🌿 Perfect For:
A mid-day reset
A morning intention-setting practice
Unwinding at the end of the day
Anyone needing permission to slow down and breathe
💫 Affirmations from the Episode:
I give myself permission to rest.
I am worthy of ease.
I embrace this season of light to renew and restore.
🌼 Mentioned in This Episode:
Thrive Tribe Membership: A supportive space for women ready to live more intentionally.
🔗 Connect with Us:
Website: chasingbrighter.com
Instagram & Facebook: @chasingbrighter
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Subscribe so you never miss an episode
Leave a review if you loved this guided moment
Share with a friend who could use a little stillness today
✨ Your best life is just a listen away.

Super Woman Diaries #44: The Weight of School Drop Off

In this candid and humorous episode of Super Woman Diaries, Jessica and Kelly dive into the emotional rollercoaster of wrapping up another school year. From navigating last-day chaos to reflecting on how much of our identity gets wrapped up in school drop-offs and motherhood, this episode is full of real talk and relatable moments.
What You’ll Hear About:
🎓 Dominic’s last day of middle school and end-of-year burnout
🚗 The drop-off struggle is real—how Jess and Kelly really feel about the school car loop
🧭 Identity check: “Mom” is a title, not the whole story
🏡 Behind the scenes of Kelly’s lake house project—furniture, zhuzh, and future plans
🏫 Planning for new school routines next year and finding creative solutions
🛠️ How to start asking for help when the mental load gets heavy
☀️ Getting excited for summer and what’s ahead for Chasing Brighter
Quote of the Week:"Life’s too short to sit in the car loop." – Jessica
Mentioned in This Episode:
📘 Life After Kids book & podcast – reminding us that motherhood isn’t our whole identity
🪑 Kelly’s experience with Furnitureland South and furnishing her lake house
🛎️ Thrive Tribe – Join our supportive community at chasingbrighter.com/thrivetribe
Stay Connected:
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @chasingbrighter
Dive into more tools, tips, and inspiration at chasingbrighter.com
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Chasing Brighter Evenings: Your Summer Wind-Down Routine

Super Woman Diaries #43: Parenting Perspectives: Balancing Academics and Mental Health

Build Your Summer Rest Plan ☀️🧘‍♀️

Welcome back to Chasing Brighter, your go-to midlife guide for living your boldest, brightest life. In this episode, we’re embracing the art of rest—the intentional, soul-fueling kind, not the crash-on-the-couch variety.
Join Jessica and Kelly as they share how to craft your very own Summer Rest Plan, complete with:
✨ Your personal “rest menu”🗓️ How to block out sacred recharge days💖 Flipping FOMO into JOMO (Joy of Missing Out!)
Get ready to say yes to peace and no to the pressure of go-go-go summer living. Whether you're sipping a frozen margarita or tuning in on a solo walk, this episode is your permission slip to pause.
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📲 Connect with Us:
🌐 Visit us at ChasingBrighter.com for more tips and resources.
📲 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook 

Super Woman Diaries #42: Chaos, Kids & Care: Finding Balance in the Mayhem

Hot Mom Summer – Fashion Tips to Feel Fabulous After 40 ☀️👗

It's officially Hot Mom Summer, and we're turning up the confidence and the color! In this vibrant episode, we welcome the fabulous Melissa Briskman—actor, stylist, and longtime fashion guru!! Melissa shares her best advice for curating a capsule wardrobe, finding your personal style (even if you're over 40 and think you don’t have one!), and why you should never wear anything you don’t love—even to bed!
Whether you're heading to a baseball game, brunch with your girls, or just chasing kiddos in the summer heat, Melissa's styling tips will have you feeling confident, put-together, and totally YOU.
👠 What we’re talking about:
Capsule wardrobe tips that actually work for real life (and real bodies)
What to wear to youth sports without sacrificing style
Why matching sets and elevated sweats are the unsung heroes of mom fashion
The power of accessories to express your style
Why shopping in-person might change your wardrobe (and your life)
🎁 Links to Melissa’s faves, budget-friendly brands, and summer staples in our BLOG POST!!
✨ Tune in and treat yourself to a style refresh that’s full of permission, play, and personality.
📲 Connect with Us:
Instagram: @chasingbrighter
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Super Woman Diaries #41: Matching Sets & Midlife Style: Comfy, Chic, and Under $15

 
In this fun and fashion-forward episode, Jessica and Kelly dive into one of their latest style obsessions—an ultra-affordable, buttery-soft matching set from Walmart. Jessica shares the scoop on how these $14 sets rival luxury brands like Vuori, why they’re perfect for Zoom calls, school runs, and spontaneous hangouts, and how she’s been styling them for everyday wear.
The hosts also get real about the evolving fashion needs of midlife, the ethical dilemmas of shopping big-box vs. small business, and why realistic choices matter for busy women balancing work, family, and comfort.
Plus, they tease their upcoming episode with stylist Melissa dropping May 27th, where they’ll share even more spring and summer fashion tips.
✨ Whether you're a die-hard fashionista or just looking for comfy style on a budget, this conversation will have you rethinking where and how you shop!
In This Episode:
The $14 matching set that feels like Vuori (00:01)
The rise of matching sets post-pandemic
Why Walmart fashion is having a moment
Balancing ethical shopping with everyday needs
Real-life fashion for midlife women
A preview of what’s coming next on Chasing Brighter
Resources & Links:
Join the Thrive Tribe: chasingbrighter.com/thrivetribe
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for a peek at the outfit: @chasingbrighter
Read the blog and more at chasingbrighter.com
Walmart ButterCore shirt.
Walmart ButterCore shorts.
Stay Connected:💌 Subscribe, rate & share the show📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @chasingbrighter🌟 Your best life is just a listen away!

Redefining What It Means to Be a "Good Mom"

In this heartfelt and honest episode, Jessica and Kelly dive deep into the societal myths of the "perfect mom" and why it's time to let them go. From Pinterest-worthy parties to gentle parenting pressure, today’s moms are bombarded with unrealistic expectations—and it's exhausting.
Together, they explore how redefining motherhood starts with embracing imperfection, setting boundaries, and showing up authentically. You’ll hear real talk about missed games, takeout dinners, emotional repair, and the power of modeling healthy behavior for your kids.
Stay tuned until the end for a special segment, Motherhood Voices, featuring personal reflections from other moms on what being a "good mom" truly means to them.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
There’s no such thing as a perfect mom—and trying to be one only leads to burnout.
Being present, real, and emotionally available matters more than perfection.
Repairing after rupture and modeling vulnerability builds trust and resilience.
Setting boundaries is a form of sustainable love—not selfishness.
Kids thrive when their caregivers are healthy and happy, not overextended.
Authenticity and imperfection help build stronger, deeper connections.
💬 Notable Quotes:
“Being a good mom is not about perfection—it’s about presence.” – Jessica“Boundaries are a gift, not just for you, but for your whole family.” – Kelly“Our kids don’t need a perfect mom. They need a real one.” – Jessica
🌟 Segment Highlight: Motherhood Voices
Hear candid thoughts from other moms as they share their personal definitions of good motherhood—raw, funny, and deeply moving.
📌 Links & Mentions:
Join the Thrive Tribe: chasingbrighter.com/thrive-tribe
Listen to more episodes: chasingbrighter.com/podcast
📲 Connect with Us:
Instagram: @chasingbrighter
Newsletter: Sign up for weekly inspiration and wellness tips
 

Super Woman Diaries #40: The Culture We Allow: Sportsmanship and Accountability in Youth Athletics

In this heartfelt episode, Jessica and Kelly dive into their recent experiences as sports moms and the challenges they've observed with unsportsmanlike behavior in youth athletics. From high school baseball rivalries to locker room dynamics, they explore how sports culture shapes young athletes—and why adult leadership matters. They reflect on the importance of programs that emphasize character, and how it only takes one voice to change the tone on and off the field. Whether you're a parent, coach, or just care about raising respectful humans, this episode is a must-listen.
👉 This episode is brought to you by the Thrive Tribe. Get exclusive content and support at chasingbrighter.com/thrivetribe.
 
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Connect With Us:
🌐 Visit us at ChasingBrighter.com for more tips and resources.
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[[10:45] Managing parental anxiety and staying grounded on game day
[11:30] Respect, boundaries, and why some sideline behavior crosses the line