The Nina Gervase Show

Do you even know what the reticular activating system is in your brain? Do you understand how your RAS is literally controlling your future? Because it is. And here’s the part most people don’t realize… Your brain is constantly filtering what you see, what you notice, and what you believe is possible. So if you’re walking around thinking, “this isn’t working,” “I’m stuck,” “nothing ever goes my way”… your brain is going to go find proof of that all day long. It’s doing its job. But it’s also the exact reason you keep ending up in the same place. Now flip that. The second you start focusing on what you actually want— the goal, the future version of you, the life you’re trying to build— your brain starts looking for that instead. Opportunities you missed before. People you wouldn’t have noticed. Paths that were always there… you just weren’t focused on them. Same life. Different filter. In this episode, I’m breaking down how your RAS is either keeping you stuck or helping you move forward—and how to start training it to work for you through visualization, journaling, and daily focus. Because you are the writer, the director, and the producer of your life. And right now… your brain is just following your lead. If this hits, send it to a girlfriend who needs to hear it.

I am so excited for this episode because I finally got Jessica Burgio on the podcast as my very first guest… and I’ve been wanting this conversation for a while.   If you don’t know Jess yet, you will after this—and you’ll get it. I couldn’t wait to introduce you to her!   She’s one of those people where the more you hear her story, the more you realize nothing about it was straight or easy. She’s pivoted more than once, taken chances when things didn’t feel certain, and just kept evolving instead of staying comfortable. And that’s what makes her so powerful to listen to.   I love hearing how people actually got to where they are, and Jess is such a real example of what that looks like. Not perfect. Not planned. Just being open, paying attention, and going for the opportunities when they show up.   She’s a highly sought-after hairstylist, coach, mentor, and group leader—but more than anything, she’s someone who will push you to stop sitting on the sidelines and actually go for what you want.   She’s also the reason this podcast exists. She’s the one who pushed me to stop overthinking and just do it.   I love her. I’m so grateful for her. And I already know you’re going to love her too.   Be sure to connect with Jess: Instagram @jessicaburgio Podcast @The Jessica Burgio Show Get her book! Join her mastermind!

Fifteen years into widowhood, I can tell you this with complete honesty: it doesn't get any easier. Grief has, however, help shape who I have become. In this deeply personal episode, I’m sharing where I truly am after 15 years of carrying love, loss, gratitude, heartbreak, and legacy all at once. I talk about what it feels like to watch your children reach milestones their father should be here for, how joy and pain can coexist in the same breath, and why grief can still crack your heart open decades later. But inside that pain, there is also perspective. There is resilience. There is a reminder to love harder, live fuller, and cherish the people beside us while we still can. If you’ve ever wondered whether what you still feel years later is normal, this episode is for you. And if you love someone who is grieving, this may help you better understand the strength and heartbreak they carry at the same time. If this episode touched your heart, please share it with someone who may need it right now—a widow, someone walking through grief, someone living with a difficult medical diagnosis, or anyone trying to hold joy and heartbreak in the same life. Sometimes one shared conversation can be the thing that helps someone feel less alone.

Inspired by something I recently heard from Dr. Joe Dispenza, this episode is your wake-up call: the new version of you cannot come from the same thoughts, habits, and patterns that created the life you have now. I’m breaking down why real change starts in your mind first—and how visualization, gratitude, and journaling help you finally break the cycles keeping you stuck.   If this hit you, share it with a woman who needs to hear it—and make sure you’re following so you don’t miss what’s coming next.   And when you’re ready, get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

Saying yes does not mean doing everything, girl. This is your permission slip to say yes and be honest about what that yes actually looks like. Yes, I’m in. And here’s what I can give. And here’s what I can’t. That little word AND is what keeps your yes from turning into stress, guilt, and resentment. You are allowed to protect your peace, stay in your strengths, and still go all in on what matters most. Question: Where do you need to start saying yes with rules instead of pressure?

You keep saying yes… and it’s draining you. The guilt. The overcommitment. That gut feeling you ignored—and now you’re stuck. In this episode, we’re getting honest about why you say yes when you shouldn’t, how to pause before committing, and how to say no without overthinking or feeling like you’re letting people down. Because every “yes” is costing you something. And it might be the life you actually want. It’s time to trust yourself, protect your time, and stop doing everything for everyone else. If this hit you, share it with a woman who needs to hear it—and make sure you’re following so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

Fast doesn’t win. Slow does. And if you’re constantly going all in, burning out, and still not where you want to be… we need to talk.   You’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated. You’re just moving too fast without a real plan.   In this episode, I’m calling you out (with love) on the way you’re chasing your goals—and showing you how to actually get there faster by slowing it down, getting it on paper, and working it step by step.   Because burnout isn’t progress. And chaos isn’t a strategy.   This is how you stop spinning your wheels… and start executing like the woman you know you’re meant to be.   Let’s go.   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts  

Welcome to the show that helps you create an independent, confident & audacious life! We women are meant for more, so now it's time to create it!   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

You are one decision away from changing your life.   Not confidence. Not a perfect plan. Not the “right time.”   A decision.   So many women feel stuck because they’ve been conditioned to believe life just happens to them. That circumstances decide. That other people decide for them… giving away so much control in their lives to circumstances.   No.   You are the writer, the director, and the producer of your life.   Every choice you make — or avoid — is casting a vote for the woman you become.   The question is: What decision have you been avoiding that could change everything?   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

Pay attention to the words you say to yourself.   Because they might be the very thing keeping you stuck.   Most women think they lack confidence.   But the real problem is quieter than that.   It’s the language running in the background of your mind.   “I’m not ready.” “I don’t trust myself.” “Now isn’t the right time.”   Those words sound responsible.   But they quietly keep you exactly where you are.   Your words don’t just describe your life.   They direct it.   Change the language. Change the direction. Change the woman you become.   If you’ve ever felt capable of more but keep holding yourself back… you’ll want to hear this.   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

Have you ever wanted something more for your life… but fear keeps pulling you back?   Fear of failing. Fear of looking foolish. Fear of proving those quiet doubts in your head right.   So you wait.   You wait to feel ready. You wait for confidence. You wait for the “right time.”   But here’s the truth most women never hear.   Fear shows up right at the edge of change.   And every time you let fear make the decision, your world gets a little smaller.   Confidence isn’t built by avoiding fear.   It’s built by moving anyway.   One step. One decision. One moment of courage.   If you’ve been feeling that pull inside you — the quiet voice saying there has to be more than this… this conversation might be exactly what you need right now.   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

  We all have goals. Big ones.   But staying motivated every single day? That’s the hard part.   When momentum fades, distractions creep in, and life gets busy, it’s easy to lose sight of what you’re working toward.   That’s where something surprisingly simple can change everything: journaling on paper.   Not typing. Not tapping notes into your phone. Putting pen to paper.   Because writing things down slows you down just enough to think clearly, hold yourself accountable, and remind yourself why you started in the first place.   A journal becomes your mirror, your motivator, and sometimes the voice that says, “Keep going.” It’s simple.   But the impact can be powerful.   Sometimes the smallest habit is the one that keeps you moving toward the life you really want.   What could happen if a pen and paper became the most powerful tool in your personal growth?   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

  I’m just like you… busy as all hell.   Seriously busy. The kind of busy where you feel like you can’t even catch your breath.   But if you’re like me, that busyness can become the perfect excuse.   An excuse not to implement the thing you know you need to do to reach a big goal.   Because implementing something new takes time.   Time to learn. Time to fail. Time to adjust and try again.   And when you’re already busy, it’s really easy to avoid that.   Busyness is familiar. Safe.   But here’s the truth.   Nothing changes until you implement.   If you want to accomplish something meaningful in your life, you can’t just think about it.   You have to start. And you have to start fast.   If you know there’s something you should be implementing right now… this episode is for you.   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

  We’ve all had arguments with friends.   But have you ever had a conflict with one of your closest friends that stopped you in your tracks and felt like a stab wound to the heart?   The kind of moment that shakes you so much that instead of making excuses, you realize it’s time to start looking within at the part you played in leading to the conflict.   Because we all know there are two sides to every story. And each person’s perspective is shaped by their past.   Conflict can be an opportunity to look inward and examine the patterns we’ve been living.   The behaviors we repeat. The things we didn’t even realize we were bringing into our relationships.   Patterns that can quietly lead to a conflict you never saw coming.   You can resolve the disagreement. You can repair the friendship. You can go right back to the way things were.   But if you never look within, take responsibility, and intentionally make a change…   those same patterns can quietly lead to another conflict down the road.   Real growth requires something deeper.   Awareness. Responsibility. And the courage to look within, resolve the conflict inside yourself, and finally heal the stab wound to the heart.   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

I just turned 50.   And instead of dreading it… I celebrated it.   Because the truth is, not everyone gets the privilege of reaching this point in life.   Losing my husband when he was only 36 taught me that in the most painful way possible. Life is fragile. It’s precious. And none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.   Standing on a beach in Costa Rica on my 50th birthday, I had a realization that stopped me in my tracks.   The first 50 years of my life often felt like they just… happened to me.   The next 50 will be different.   More intentional. More aware. More aligned with who I truly am.   No more carrying forward old patterns, unprocessed hurt, or things that don’t belong in the life I’m building now.   This episode is about what that realization looked like for me — and why you don’t have to wait for a milestone birthday to start living your life with intention.   If you are ready for next chapter to start today, then this episode is for you!   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts

Welcome to the show that helps you create an independent, confident and audacious life! We women are meant for more, so it's our time to create it!   Get your FREE journal prompts here: https://carelifecoaching.com/free-journaling-prompts