Advancing Women Podcast
by Dr. Kimberly DeSimone
Welcome to the Advancing Women Podcast where ambitious women come together to challenge the status quo, advance their careers, and up-level their lives. The Advancing Women Podcast is hosted by Gender Equity Expert and Executive Coach Dr. Kimberly DeSimone.
Episodes
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“Just Be Careful”: Women, Safety, and the Invisible Checklist
Find your keys. Watch your drink. Share your location. Text when you get home. Women know the checklist. But how often do we stop to ask what carrying it costs us…and who gets to move through the same world without thinking about it? In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, I explore…
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Season of the Witch: Wicked or Just Inconvenient?
A woman doesn’t become wicked because she stops being convenient. She said no. Set a boundary. Asked for credit. Wanted something for herself. So how did she become the villain? It’s another Season of the Witch on the Advancing Women Podcast, and this year, we’re examining the stories that turn...
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Damned If You Do, Doomed If You Don’t: The Tightrope Bias Women Still Face
Be confident…but not intimidating. Be warm…but not weak. Lead…but please make everybody comfortable while you’re doing it. Sound familiar? In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone revisits tightrope bias through a recent experience: feedback that praised women faculty...
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The Mental Load of Misusing “Mental Load”
What happens when language created to make inequality visible becomes so broadly used that the inequality itself begins to disappear? Terms like mental load, invisible labor, and emotional labor have helped name forms of work —often disproportionately carried by women—that traditional measures of...
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Routine, Wonder & Letting Life Surprise You
When we're young, life is filled with firsts. First days. First trips. First jobs. First heartbreaks. First moments of realizing we can do something we weren't sure we could do. Then somewhere along the way, we get good at life. We build careers, relationships, homes, habits, and routines. And...
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When They're Listening for Errors, Not Understanding
Have you ever tried to tell someone how something made you feel, only to find yourself suddenly defending the accuracy of your own experience? That's not what happened. That's not what I said. That's not what I meant. You're taking it the wrong way. I guess I just can't do anything right. And...
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Confidence, Purpose & the Courage to Take Up Space, with Division I Head Coach Kristen Sharkey
What can a Division I basketball coach teach us about confidence, identity, leadership, and becoming the women we're meant to be? As it turns out…a lot. In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone sits down with University at Buffalo Women's Basketball Head Coach Kristen...
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The Shell Game: Why Doing Everything Right Still Isn't Enough
What if everything you've been told about success is true...just not equally true? For generations, women have been given a roadmap to success. Work hard. Earn the degree. Build your expertise. Develop executive presence. Negotiate. Become exceptional. And millions of women have done exactly…
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Micro Moments of Summer Joy: Why Tiny Moments Matter More Than Perfect Summers
Summer has a funny way of becoming another thing to accomplish. The perfect vacation. The perfect family memories. The backyard projects. The bucket list. The pressure to make every sunny day count. But what if we've been measuring summer all wrong? In this episode, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone explores...
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Why Are We So Comfortable with Women's Suffering?
What started as a frustrating battle with my health insurance over a medication that has worked successfully for nearly two years led me to ask a much bigger question: Why are we so comfortable with women's suffering? In this episode, I explore why women's pain is so often treated as...
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The Hidden Cost of Effortless
What if one of the most common compliments women receive isn't really a compliment at all? In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone explores the cultural obsession with "effortlessness" and the hidden costs that accompany it. Inspired by conversations following a…
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Life Is Short. Less is BORE. Wear the Ears!
What if getting dressed became less about managing perception…and more about self-expression and shaping our experience? In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. DeSimone explores the surprising emotional depth behind something that initially seems lighthearted: overdressing for no...
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Good Moms, Hero Dads, and the Impossible Rules of Parenthood
Every May, social media fills with beautiful tributes to motherhood. “Moms are superheroes” “A mother’s love knows no bounds" ”Home is where mom is” And that gratitude matters. The acknowledgment matters. But underneath all the flowers, hashtags, “best mom ever” mugs, and brunches…there’s a…
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Deferred Life Syndrome: Let’s Stop Waiting & Start Living!
What if the greatest loss in your life isn’t failure, burnout, or even heartbreak, but the quiet absence of moments that make you feel alive? In this episode, we explore Deferred Life Syndrome…the pattern of postponing joy, rest, and meaningful experiences for “later.” After the busy season.…
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The Good Guy Problem: When Allyship Can’t Hear Feedback
What happens when the people we believe are on our side… can’t hear us? In this episode, I explore what I call the “good guy problem”…those moments when someone who sees themselves as fair, supportive, and an ally is given feedback, and instead of responding with curiosity, something shifts. The...
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It’s Not Your Fault You Struggle to Say No (But It Is Your Problem)
We hear it all the time: “You’re too busy because you make yourself too busy.” “It’s your own fault.” “You just need to learn to say no.” But what if it’s not that simple? In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable truth behind that advice, and why it so often falls flat for women. Saying no...
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Overwhelmed or Overfunctioning? How the Language of Overwhelm Blames Women
What if “overwhelm” isn’t actually the problem? In this episode, we take a closer look at a word many women use to describe their lives—and challenge what it might be hiding. Because when women say they’re overwhelmed, it often sounds like a capacity problem…like we simply can’t handle everything...
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The Women Who Saved the Wizarding World
When we think about heroes, the names that come to mind are often male. Yes, in history books, but also in everyday pop culture. From Neo in The Matrix to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars to Harry Potter himself, many of our most celebrated hero narratives center on a single “chosen one”. But when we...
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“Ain’t I a Woman” Black Feminist Voices That Changed the World
February is Black History Month! A time to honor the leadership, scholarship, and activism of African Americans whose contributions have shaped our nation. In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we center and celebrate the Black women whose intellectual and political leadership...
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The Radical Act of Enough: Self-Love in a World That Demands More
Episode Summary: February is the month of love. A time overflowing with hearts, flowers, and grand gestures. Reminders that our worth is somehow tied to being chosen. In this episode, we flip the script. Instead of seeking validation from the world, we explore the radical act of choosing…
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We Don’t Need Bigger Goals. We Need Better Systems
By late January, many of us have already felt it…the quiet pressure, the creeping doubt, the sense that despite our best intentions, the year may start looking a lot like the last one. If that resonates, this episode is for you. This isn’t about trying harder or setting even bigger goals. It’s...
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It’s Not Your Fault: Gaslighting, Fragile Accountability, and Invisible Labor
Why do so many women leave conversations feeling confused, guilty, or like everything is somehow their fault? In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we dive into the subtle but corrosive relational patterns that show up in everyday work and home dynamics. The quiet processes that shift...
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Choosing Yourself: Reflections and Intentions for the Year Ahead
Episode Description: Welcome, warriors, to the final episode of the year! In this reflective, heart-centered conversation, we pause to honor everything this year asked of us, explore the importance of choosing ourselves, and set intentions for the year ahead, not as a “new year, new you”…
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“Going Little” Comfort, Joy, and Doing Less
Episode Description: It’s December. Again. And the end-of-year chaos is real. This episode is your invitation to slow down, find comfort, and embrace joy through the art of going little. In this episode, we explore the Danish concept of Hygge and I share simple, science-backed practices to help…
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Spend With Intention, Support Women This Holiday Season
Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Kimberly calls us into a deeper, more intentional approach to the holiday season; one rooted in solidarity, economic empowerment, and supporting women in every space they lead, create, and build. As the holidays approach and our shopping lists grow, this...
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Gratitude Without Guilt: Gratitude on Your Own Terms
As Thanksgiving approaches, we’re reclaiming the true power of gratitude. Not the polished, pressured version women are so often handed. This episode digs into how gratitude has been distorted, weaponized, or used to quiet our very real experiences, and invites you to take it back on your own...
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The Sensitivity Advantage: Why Feeling Deeply Makes You Powerful
Episode Summary: In this episode of The Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone explores the science and social conditioning behind women’s emotional sensitivity, and reframes it more accurately…as a strength, not a flaw. Research shows that women, on average, have lower baseline serotonin...
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Another Season of the Witch: The Coven of Persisterhood
Episode Summary: Welcome to the Advancing Women Podcast! In this Halloween-themed episode, we reclaim the witch archetype as a symbol of female power, independence, and solidarity. Building on last year’s Season of the Witch, we explore how the witch reflects the experiences of ambitious women...
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Where Did Play Go? Reclaiming Your Joyful Self in a Serious World
Episode Summary: Have you ever felt like a part of yourself got lost along the way? That lighter, playful version of you—the one who laughed without thinking, chased silly ideas, or turned a rainy day into an adventure—quietly slipped away amid responsibilities, deadlines, and endless to-do…
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The feedback trap. When Criticism is Really Bias.
We’ve all heard it: “You’re too controlling.” “You should smile more.” “Maybe if you weren’t so emotional…” But here’s the truth: not all feedback is created equal. And far too often, what women receive isn’t feedback at all. It’s bias dressed up as “constructive criticism.” In this episode…
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Animal Kingdom’s Painted Dogs and the Case for Collaborative Leadership
Episode Summary: What can a pack of African painted dogs teach us about leadership and gender equity? A lot more than you might think. On a recent Disney trip with my son, I hopped on my favorite ride - Kilimanjaro Safari -in one of my favorite parks – Animal Kingdom, and our guide, Kyla, shared...
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The NO Club! Revisiting The Art & Agony of No!
A few years ago, we explored The Art and Agony of No—one of the most popular episodes in the Advancing Women Podcast archive. In this episode, we revisit that topic and dig deeper into why saying no feels so agonizing for women, especially in professional and personal contexts. From social...
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Pick Me’s, Queen Bees, and the Patterns That Persist
Episode Summary: From middle school cliques to corporate boardrooms, patterns of competition, division, and survival strategies among women persist. Here’s the thing though: this isn’t about a flaw in women; it’s about a flawed system. In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we explore…
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Eve, the First Sinner? Or Adam, the First Failed Leader?
We’ve all heard the story of Adam and Eve. The so-called “first sin,” the disobedience, the downfall. But what if we’ve been reading it wrong? What if this ancient story isn’t about the first sinner…but the first failed leader? In this episode, leadership scholar and host Dr. Kimberly DeSimone...
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Cracks, Courage, and the Light That Gets In
Episode Summary: In this deeply honest episode of The Advancing Women Podcast, we explore what it means to stop hiding the cracks—and start honoring them. Inspired by Leonard Cohen’s iconic lyric, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in” from his song Anthem (1992), we dig...
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“Lazy Days” Summer Shortcuts to More Joy and Less Grind
Episode Summary: What if the most productive thing you could do this summer… is less? In this gentle-yet-grounded episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we challenge the pressure to “make the most” of summer by doing more—and instead embrace the science and soul of slowing down. Host, Dr.…
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Contaminated Leisure: Yep, It Has a Name!
~A follow-up to “Permission to Pause” If you've ever stepped away to “rest” but came back feeling just as drained, this episode is for you. In this powerful follow-up to Permission to Pause, we name and unpack a concept that deeply resonated with listeners: contaminated leisure — the kind of...
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Permission to Pause: Can We Stop Doing and Just Be for a Minute?
This episode is for the ambitious woman who’s doing it all—and still feels like it’s never enough. If you’re listening while multitasking—folding laundry, answering emails, or in between Zoom calls—this one’s for you. Dr. KimberlyDeSimone invites you to press pause on the pressure and unpack why...
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Mind the Gap: Between Expectations & Requirements
Are Your Expectations Really the Problem — or Is That Just What You've Been Told? Research shows that expectations can be a major source of stress, anxiety, and even the breakdown of trust and respect in our relationships. But let’s challenge the tired narrative that women’s so-called “too high...
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Praise Publicly, Criticize Privately
In this powerful and timely episode, we explore how feedback—especially public feedback—can have vastly different impacts depending on gender, and why the principle “praise publicly, criticize privately” is more than just good advice—it’s a vital strategy for allyship, equity, and leadership...
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Live What Matters and Let The Rest Go!
We’re constantly reminded to take time for ourselves, to prioritize self-care, to fill our own cup first. These messages are everywhere—but let’s be honest, it’s not always that simple. Life has a way of stacking the deck against us. The expectations never stop piling up. We’re juggling so many...
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Walking in an Autism Mom’s Shoes: The Gift of Empathy
Want to know how you can truly support family or friends raising a child with autism? This episode is for you. With April being Autism Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to learn about what really matters. Studies show that mothers of children with autism experience stress and depression…
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Trailblazing Women: Timeless Words of Wisdom for Women's History Month
In this episode, we celebrate Women’s History Month with words of wisdom from many powerful, brilliant, and inspiring women. Their poignant quotes provide lasting insight and inspiration for all women as we continue to work towards gender equity for all. These quotes and the resulting discussion...
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The Progress Principle
In today’s episode, I dive deep into the feeling of being overwhelmed and constantly busy, despite our best efforts to manage our time better. I share some personal reflections on how to take back control of our time and the importance of making small progress in our personal and professional...
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Oh, The Joy of Missing Out!
What if we could turn FOMO (the fear of missing out) into JOMO (the JOY of missing out)? In this episode of the #AdvancingWomenPodcast join me in exploring how embracing the freedom to say “no” can help us prioritize us and our time. JOMO isn’t about scaling back on ambition or motivation, it’s...
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Black History Month: Historic Black Women's Voices
February is Black History Month, an annual celebration to honor the remarkable achievements of African Americans and acknowledge their pivotal contributions to U.S. history. Throughout this journey, African American women have often been overlooked, despite playing a central role in the ongoing...
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Stop Policing How Women Talk
If you feel like your “tone” and level of emotion are being policed, #tunein because this is the #advancingwomenpodcast episode for you! Scrutiny of women’s speaking patterns is the latest frontier in an endless barrage of judgment and undermining women face. It is yet another way to blame women....
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A New Year, or Just Another Year?
Moving from one calendar year to the next doesn't automatically result in personal growth or transformation. Without making changes to the way we think and behave, we’re unlikely to experience any significant improvement or progress, no matter how much time passes. As author James Clear says…we...
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Let’s Make 2025 a year for daring greatly!
We live in a world designed largely by and for men and men's pursuits. Research shows that women - even working full time - almost always take on the lion's share of home responsibilities and most of the emotional labor in our families. If you are bogged down in the unnoticed, unappreciated work...
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Why you shouldn’t always give 100%
Instead of always aiming for 100%, how about focusing on balance? How about embracing progress over perfection? The "all or nothing" mindset, always pushing to give 100%, may actually be standing in the way of living our best lives. Consider this your permission to let go of this unnecessary...
About this show
Welcome to the Advancing Women Podcast where ambitious women come together to challenge the status quo, advance their careers, and up-level their lives. The Advancing Women Podcast is hosted by Gender Equity Expert and Executive Coach Dr. Kimberly DeSimone.
Hosted by
Dr. Kimberly DeSimone
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