The Balance Theory

You get to Sunday wondering where the time went and why you’re still exhausted. You’ve blocked out “free time” next week, said no to plans, promised yourself this week would be different… and somehow the days still fill up.

Maybe you know exactly what’s taking your time and just feel stuck with it. Or maybe you’ve tried every planner, app and calendar trick and they all worked for about a week...and you're in the same place - exhausted, what you want getting pushed to the back burner & time poor.

The problem isn’t your calendar and it isn’t your discipline. You’ve just been focusing on the wrong thing.

In this solo episode, Erika walks you through a short, hands-on workshop that changes how you think about time. It’s not another productivity hack. It’s a way of looking at your days that makes planning feel intentional instead of overwhelming and it’s built around the life you actually want!

Grab a notepad because there are exercises along the way and by the end you’ll have a plan that’s yours.

In this episode:

- Why chasing “work-life balance” might be the reason you never feel balanced
- The question to answer before you plan another week
- The bonus tip most people skip and why it frees up more time than anything you add
- A simple 7-day exercise that shows where your time is really going (no more hidden time drains)
- How to stop living on autopilot and make every hour a choice

If you’re ready for your most organised, grounded and intentional season yet, this is the place to start.

FREE PDF HERE

SPONSORS

📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit WaldenU.edu

🏃‍♀️ FABLETICS: Shop now at Fabletics.com/BALANCE to get 70- 80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP (be sure to select 'BALANCE' when prompted to unlock this offer)!

TIME STAMPS
(00:00) Why you're both right and wrong

(02:06) Step 1: The problem with "work-life balance"

(04:34) Step 2: The question that changes everything(09:25) Step 3: Getting clear on what matters

(17:13) Bonus tip

(18:09) Step 4: The exercise you can't skip

(19:53) Why this works

(22:38) Where to go from here

WHO AM I?
I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here.

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You don't need to earn more, work harder or know everything about finance to start building wealth. You just need to understand how money really works and how you feel about it - it sounds simple but that's EXACTLY what we workshop today.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with investor Hasnae Taleb, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Mintiply Capital, who was named the "Shewolf of Nasdaq", to unpack what it actually takes to become financially free. This is not a lecture on budgeting or cutting out your morning coffee. It is a real conversation about the decisions, habits and emotions that separate people who work hard from people who build wealth. Hasnae shares why money is more about emotional intelligence than IQ, how to start investing as a beginner, why your savings may be losing value in the bank and the money habits of the ultra wealthy that anyone can copy.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:
"I work so hard, so why don't I feel financially secure?"
"I don't really get finance stuff."
"I'll start when I earn more."
"Everyone else seems so far ahead of me with money."
"Making real money is for other people, not me."

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Hasnae cover:

• Why building wealth is about decisions and emotional intelligence, not working harder or having a high IQ
• The everyday signs that show whether you are regulated with money, plus a live breakdown of Erika's own regulation level
• The biggest money mistake most people make and what the ultra wealthy do instead
• Where to start if you only have $1,000 to invest
• The first misconception beginners have about investing
• Why saving alone is not enough and how inflation affects the money sitting in your bank
• What your bank statements reveal about why you are not building wealth yet
• How lifestyle inflation quietly keeps you stuck and the one question to ask before any purchase
• The most expensive money habit most people don't realise they have
• Hasnae's "30 Rules of the Game" and her advice if you feel financially behind

Financial freedom is not reserved for someone else. It is built one decision at a time and you can start today.

SPONSORS

Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible:

🧴 TIMELINE: Timeline is offering a 15-day trial of the Mitopure Resurfacing Exfoliator for just $22. Go to https://www.Timeline.com/BALANCE to try it for $22.

📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/

CONNECT
📸 Instagram

TIME STAMPS
(00:00) Introduction
(04:51) What shocked you about the TRUTH about money?
(06:28) Money is not about having a high IQ, it's about THIS
(08:07) Signs you're not stable with money
(12:22) Ask yourself these questions to tell if you're regulated
(16:16) This is the biggest mistake everyone makes
(20:34) If you have $1,000, START HERE
(23:12) Beginners need to know this about investing
(26:39) These money habits actually make change
(27:43) Why your money is losing value in the bank
(28:45) Your bank statements reveal WHY you're not building wealth
(31:01) Understanding lifestyle inflation
(34:32) The most expensive money habit
(42:46) 30 Rules of the Game
(46:40) Advice if you feel financially behind

WHO AM I?
I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here.

📸 ⁠⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS
🌍⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠⁠

📝 ⁠⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠⁠

⭐ ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠
📸 ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠
📱⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠

🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve been trying to do it all. And somehow you still end up feeling guilty, scattered and not fully present anywhere. The problem isn’t that you want more. It’s the belief that you have to carry all of it at once.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Joey Djia, singer-songwriter, content creator, founder of baby and parenting brand Little & Co and mum of two sets of twins, to unpack the reality of being an ambitious working mum who also wants to be a deeply present one. Joey shares what it was like to raise four babies one and under, how motherhood changed her capacity but not her ambition and how she handles mum guilt while building businesses from home. This is not a guide to doing it all perfectly. It is an honest conversation about holding two truths at once.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"Did I even hold them today, just because I wanted to?"

"Why do I feel so guilty taking a day to work?"

"I'm here with my kids, but my brain is on my inbox."

"Will having kids mean putting my dreams on hold?"

"Being a mum is everything to me, but it's not all I am."

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Joey cover:

• What it was really like finding out she was having twins, twice, and raising four babies one and under

• How Joey went from X Factor and a record deal to forensic science, teaching and building her own businesses

• Why her ambition didn't change after kids but her capacity did, and how she's learning to work with it

• The honest truth about mum guilt, including why taking a day to work can feel like leaving your kids behind

• The part of her pre-mum identity she consciously protects and the fear that drives it

• How she shows up as the version of herself she wants her kids to learn from, even on the chaotic days

• What motherhood triggers taught her about her own childhood and the invisible load

• Why some kinds of help are still hard for her to accept

• What she wishes she knew about C-sections, plus the most unnecessary and most worth it baby items

• How she balances being present with capturing content and her dream working mum set up. You do not have to choose between the mum you want to be and the life you want to build.

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios

⁠@pivotalconversations⁠

Book a session: ⁠https://www.pivotalconversations.ai

SPONSORS

Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible:

📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/

🧑‍⚕️ TALK SPACE: Get $80 off your first month with promo code 'SPACE80' at https://www.talkspace.com/

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST
📸 Instagram - Joey Dija

🛍️ Little&Co

TIME STAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(03:46) I’ve had 9 lives

(07:14) Is singing still important to you?

(09:17) I had 4 babies 1 and under

(18:08) What I underestimated about going from 2 to 4

(19:55) I wish I knew this about a C-Section before I had one

(23:46) An ordinary day in our house

(26:44) I'm a walking contradiction (to be honest)

(29:03) What motherhood triggers do you have?

(36:58 ) Are you good at asking for help?

(40:13) Truth about mum guilt

(42:14) Switching from work mode to mum mode

(44:44) What part of your pre-mum identity are you protecting?

(45:48) How was your ambition changed by motherhood?

(55:34 ) Why did you start a business?

(57:01) The most unnecessary baby items

(1:00:33) Raising 4 kids not 2 sets of twins

(1:02:50) Unsolicited CRAZY advice I've received

(01:06:26) Balancing being present and capturing content

(01:11:34) Ideal working mum set up

WHO AM I?
I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here.

📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS
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🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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You do not have to chase what is meant for you. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is step back... and let it come to you.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Margarita Nazarenko, author of Unbothered: The Art of Letting Go to Find Yourself and host of the BEING HER podcast, to unpack what it means to detach. Margarita shares how she moved from anxious attachment to feeling secure and why anxious and avoidant attachment styles stem from the same fear. Detachment is not about becoming cold or pretending you do not care. It is about letting go of others' perceptions so you can live as yourself.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"Why hasn't he replied yet?"
"I am doing everything right, so why is nothing working?"
"What did I do wrong?"
"I care so much about what people think of me."
"I am always doing everything for everyone."

Then this episode is for you. Erika and Margarita cover:

• How Margarita went from anxious attachment to feeling secure and confident
• Why chasing approval and validation pushes away what you want
• The 4 steps to stop abandoning yourself, including the 60 minute hack
• How to identify whose approval you are chasing and why
• What being unbothered really means and why it is not being avoidant
• The good girl tax and the cost of always being useful but never happy
• How to reinvent yourself and handle others' reactions
• Friendship circles and family proximity zones that ease relationship pressure
• A writing exercise to separate reality from the story in your head
• Why motherhood brings new challenges and what an unbothered man looks like

When you stop chasing and start choosing yourself, you make room for everything you want to find you.

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios
Book a session here

SPONSORS
Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible:

🤖 GRANOLA: Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call.

🍳 CARAWAY: Visit ⁠https://www.carawayhome.com/BALANCE⁠ or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase

🪥 OLLIE: Go to https://olliesmile.com and enter code 'BALANCE' for 10% off your order!

📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/margarita.nazarenko
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Margarita.Nazarenko

TIME STAMPS
(00:00) Introduction
(05:40) This Is WHY I wasn't getting anything I wanted
(07:55) What did you have to stop doing?
(8:26) 4 steps to stop abandoning yourself
(16:03) Working out whose approval you're chasing
(18:14 ) How to be unbothered
(19:37) Anxious v Avoidant attachment styles
(22:49) Good girl tax
(25:58) How do I change who I've always been?
(33:15) What responsibility do we have to be considerate of others?
(35:25) How do you deal with fall out with others when you change?
(37:50) Try these 'proximity zones' with family
(40:28) 4 zones in your friendships to learn
(42:35) Start here to become unbothered/detached today
(50:05) Why does motherhood bother you?
(52:29) Should you teach kids to be unbothered?
(55:37) This surprised me the most
(57:35) What would an unbothered man look like?
( 1:04:22) Would you use an AI Twin?

WHO AM I?
I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here.

📸 ⁠My personal IG ⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS
🌍⁠⁠ Sign Up to Our Newsletter

📝 Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ

⭐ ⁠Substack⁠
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🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You finally get a moment to yourself… but you’re too exhausted to do anything with it.

The workout you wanted to do. The book you keep meaning to read. The habit you promised you’d stick to. They get pushed to tomorrow, and somehow tomorrow keeps looking exactly the same.

If you’ve been thinking, “I have no time for myself,” “Why can’t I stay consistent?” or “How does everyone else manage to do it all?” this episode is for you.

I know what it feels like to finish the day with nothing left for yourself. To be busy all day, but still feel like you haven’t made time for the things that matter to you.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing six simple strategies that helped me break that cycle—and could help you feel more energised, use your time more intentionally, and finally make room for yourself.

If you’re struggling with time management, building habits, staying consistent, or finding the motivation to exercise and work towards your goals, this is a practical place to start. You don’t need a perfect routine or a complete life overhaul. You need a starting point that fits your actual life.

You deserve more than getting through the day and hoping you’ll have energy left over.

Download the free workbook HERE to follow along

Newsletter sign up HERE

SPONSORS
🏃‍♀️ FABLETICS: Shop now at Fabletics.com/BALANCE to get 70- 80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP (be sure to select 'BALANCE' when prompted to unlock this offer)!

🧑‍⚕️ TALKSPACE: Get $80 off your first month with promo code 'SPACE80' at https://www.talkspace.com/

💵 CASH APP: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/oe4ya755 #CashAppPod #CashAppPartner Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants.Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12.Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

TIME STAMPS

(00:00) Introduction
(02:07) Strategy 1
(04:40) Strategy 2
(09:32) Strategy 3
(16:56) Strategy 4
(20:18) Strategy 5
(25:02) Strategy 6
(27:07) BONUS Tip (life changing)

WHO AM I?
I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives intentionally. This channel is a space for honest conversations, curiosity and practical tools to support that journey. Welcome - I’m glad you’re here.

📸 ⁠⁠My personal IG ⁠⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS
🌍⁠⁠ ⁠Sign Up to Our Newsletter⁠

📝 ⁠Free EPISODE CURATOR QUIZ⁠

⭐ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠
📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠
📱⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠

🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices