The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser

Say What You Mean. Trust What You Know.

Have you ever known exactly what you needed to do—and then watched yourself not do it?

Maybe you keep asking for one more opinion. Overpreparing. Saying yes when you mean no. Avoiding the conversation. Waiting until you feel completely sure.

From the outside, a lot of playing small can look surprisingly responsible.

But what if the problem isn’t that you need more information or more confidence? What if you already know—and what you’re really avoiding is how you might feel if you act on what you know?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, I’m sharing a version of the talk I recently gave at the Women’s Leadership Summit in Santa Fe. We’ll look at the hidden cost of continually overriding yourself and explore a simple framework for moving forward: Know → Feel → Choose.

We’ll talk about:

• Why highly competent people can still play small
• How second-guessing yourself can erode your authority with yourself
• Why “people-pleasing” may actually be an attempt to avoid uncomfortable emotions
• The difference between discomfort and a sign that you’re making the wrong decision
• Three questions to ask when something is taking up way too much mental real estate

You don’t have to become fearless. You don’t have to stop caring what other people think.

But you can learn to recognize what you already know, feel what you’ve been trying not to feel, and make a choice that’s actually aligned with you.

Say what you mean. Trust what you know.

Find the Enneagram Test here.

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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Plant Allies for When You're Feeling a Little Off

This episode is a little off-topic—and straight out of my home apothecary.

I woke up feeling like I might be coming down with something, and almost automatically started reaching for the herbal allies I’ve learned to work with over the years: astragalus and reishi tea, elderberry tincture, an Epsom salt bath, homemade soup—and the fire cider I really wish I’d remembered to make six weeks ago.

I started studying herbalism after getting sick early in the COVID pandemic and realizing there was an elderberry bush growing right down the street from me…and I had absolutely no idea how to use it.

Something about that bothered me. Somewhere in my lineage, someone knew how to work with the plants around them to care for themselves and their family. That knowledge had been lost along the way, and I wanted to pick it back up.

So today, I’m sharing a little of what I’ve learned.

We talk about making herbal decoctions, elderberry tincture, fire cider, soothing baths, growing and harvesting your own plants—and the simple satisfaction of having a few more tools in your tool belt when you’re not feeling your best.

This isn’t medical advice, and herbs aren’t appropriate for everyone. Some can interact with medications or be contraindicated with certain health conditions, so do your homework and consult a qualified healthcare professional when appropriate.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Herbalism for the Soul / Selima Harleston-Lust — My herbalism teacher and the person I recommend looking up for instruction on making fire cider. Search “Herbalism for the Soul” and “fire cider” on YouTube.

Penn Herb Company — One of my favorite sources for dried herbs, including elderberries, astragalus and reishi.
Penn Herb Company

Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Forêt — A wonderfully accessible place to start if you’re interested in learning how to make simple herbal preparations at home.
Alchemy of Herbs — Penguin Random House

Sometimes taking care of ourselves means remembering that we have more resources available to us than we realize—and some of them may be growing right outside our door.

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VitalistCoaching.com

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Why the Life You Want May Require You to Move Before You’re Ready

For a long time, I carried an image of what it meant to trust: open your arms, have faith, and wait for what’s meant for you to arrive.

Lately, I’ve been wondering if there’s something missing from that picture.

Because I don’t want to get to the end of my life and realize I was so busy waiting, preparing or trying to get things right that I never fully participated in creating the life I was here to live.

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we’re talking about the stretch—that deliciously uncomfortable place where you’re not quite ready, not completely certain, and maybe a little afraid of falling on your face.

I share what a remarkably flexible yoga teacher taught me about actually missing the feeling of being stretched, why doing something at 80% can sometimes require more courage than perfecting it to 100%, and what the regrets of people at the end of their lives can teach us about how we choose to live ours right now.

Whether your stretch is making the ask, going after the bigger job, putting your work into the world before it feels perfect, reaching out to someone, or taking one small step toward a dream you’ve been waiting on, the question is the same:

What is your stretch?

And what would happen if you took one step toward it today?

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What to Do Instead of Bypassing

So if we stop bypassing, what do we do instead?

We stay.

Not forever. Not because discomfort is inherently good. And not because we need to wallow in every difficult emotion that comes along.

We simply practice staying present long enough to notice what’s actually happening before we rush to avoid it, fix it, reframe it or make it disappear.

In this final installment of Bypassing Bites, we bring the series together with a simple practice for meeting uncomfortable moments differently: notice, name, stay and choose.

What am I feeling? What am I trying to avoid? Can I stay with this sensation for just a little longer? And if I weren’t trying to escape this feeling, what would I choose to do next?

Because emotional mastery isn’t getting so evolved that uncomfortable feelings stop showing up. It’s becoming increasingly capable of staying with yourself when they do.

Your final Bypassing Bite:
What becomes possible when discomfort is no longer an emergency?

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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The Hidden Cost of Needing Everyone to Be Okay

There’s a difference between being peaceful and needing there to be peace.

If you need everyone around you to be happy, comfortable and pleased with you, keeping the peace can become a full-time job.

You monitor people’s reactions. Soften what you really mean. Say yes when you mean no. Take responsibility for someone else’s disappointment. Rush in to fix tension before you’ve even decided whether it’s yours to fix.

And ironically, all that peacekeeping can leave you with very little peace inside yourself.

In this fourth installment of Bypassing Bites, we look at what happens when our desire for harmony becomes a way of avoiding discomfort—and why someone else’s disappointment, frustration or disagreement doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong.

Real peace has room for awkwardness. It has room for disagreement. It even has room for someone not being happy with you.

Your Bypassing Bite:
Can I allow someone else to be disappointed without immediately trying to make their disappointment go away?

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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When Being Easy to Work With Gets Expensive

“I hate drama.”
“I’m pretty easygoing.”
“It’s not worth making a thing out of it.”
“I can just let it go.”

Sometimes that’s discernment. And sometimes it’s avoidance dressed up as a virtue.

In this third installment of Bypassing Bites, we’re looking at conflict avoidance—and the ways being agreeable, flexible and “easy to work with” can keep us from saying what actually needs to be said.

Avoiding the conversation may keep things comfortable in the moment. But the conflict doesn’t necessarily disappear. It can show up instead as resentment, exhaustion, withdrawal, over-explaining or quietly checking out.

Not having the conversation doesn’t mean you’ve eliminated the conflict. Sometimes you’ve simply moved the conflict inside yourself.

In this bite-sized episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we explore what it costs us to continually keep the peace—and what can change when we become more willing to tolerate the discomfort of honest conversation.

Your Bypassing Bite:
What conversation am I avoiding because I’m more comfortable being uncomfortable myself than risking making someone else uncomfortable?

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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Why the Thing That Gives You Relief Today Creates Trouble Tomorrow

Avoidance gets a bad rap. But here’s the problem: avoidance works.

Don’t send the email. Don’t make the ask. Don’t have the uncomfortable conversation. Say “it’s fine” and move on.

And almost immediately, you feel better.

That relief is exactly what makes avoidance such an effective self-preservation strategy—and why we keep returning to it. But the thing we avoided rarely disappears. Instead, we may be teaching ourselves that the discomfort itself is something we can’t handle.

In this bite-sized episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we look at why avoiding discomfort can feel so good in the moment, how short-term relief can create bigger problems later, and what changes when we become more willing to stay with discomfort instead of immediately trying to escape it.

Because sometimes the very thing you’re doing to protect yourself from discomfort is also protecting you from the result you want.

Your Bypassing Bite:
Where am I choosing short-term relief at the expense of long-term freedom?

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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Spiritual Bypassing and the Feelings We’d Rather Not Feel

What if “staying positive” isn’t always as healthy as it sounds?

In this first installment of Bypassing Bites, a five-part mini-series from The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we’re looking at spiritual bypassing—the ways we can use positivity, gratitude, forgiveness, spirituality and even personal-growth language to avoid feelings we’d rather not feel.

Sometimes “I’m choosing gratitude” really is gratitude. Sometimes “I’ve let it go” really does mean we’ve let it go.

And sometimes we’re trying to skip over the anger, hurt, disappointment or fear underneath it.

In this bite-sized episode, we explore the difference between genuinely moving through an emotion and trying to get to the other side of it before we’ve actually allowed ourselves to feel it.

Because emotional mastery isn’t about feeling good all the time. It’s about becoming more willing to be with what’s actually here.

Your Bypassing Bite:
What feeling am I trying my hardest not to feel?

Send Erin a text

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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Releasing the fear of imposing so you can fundraise with clarity and ease.

In this live coaching session, Erin sits down with Susan Fox, a practitioner and nonprofit founder who feels like she’s imposing whenever she asks for donations. Together, they unpack the money stories she inherited from family, the “I have to do it all myself” pattern, and the shame that shows up in her body every time she thinks about fundraising.

If you’ve ever felt like asking for support is a burden—or worried people will avoid you if you make the ask—this conversation will feel very familiar.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How early money messages (like “don’t ask for more”) quietly shape your fundraising style
• Why the belief “I’m imposing on people” is actually a protective strategy, not a character flaw
• How mixed energy (wanting to ask + fearing the ask) leaks into your emails, appeals, and donor conversations
• A simple reframe: from “I’m bothering them” to “I’m offering an opportunity to be part of something meaningful”
• A compassionate self-forgiveness process you can borrow to soften old blocks and create safety inside your own system

You’ll walk away with language, insight, and a next step you can use right away as you prepare your next appeal.

Send Erin a text

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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What Your Split Energy Is Communicating Before You Say a Word

You say you want the gift. The promotion. The client. The opportunity.

But is all of you moving toward it?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores “split energy”—what happens when one part of us wants something while another part is quietly backing away.

Using the story of a real estate agent who seemed enthusiastic about selling her house and then disappeared, Erin looks at the messages we're sending beyond our words. Because people aren't only listening to what we say. They're experiencing our follow-through, body language, presence, hesitation, urgency, and energy.

And in fundraising, that matters.

Split energy might look like avoiding the ask, softening it until it's barely an ask at all, overexplaining, failing to follow up—or desperately needing the donor to say yes.

But being “all in” doesn't mean eliminating fear, doubt, or uncertainty. It means becoming clear about your part: showing up, making the invitation, staying present, and allowing the other person to be free in their response.

In this episode:

• How to recognize split energy in yourself
• Why your actions may be communicating something different from your words
• How both hesitation and over-efforting can come from the same internal conflict
• Why being all in doesn't require certainty
• The power of high involvement, low attachment
• A simple inquiry for discovering where you may have one foot in and one foot out

A question to take with you:
What would change about your behavior if you'd already decided you were fully available for what you say you want?

Because your job isn't to control someone else's yes.

Your job is to notice whether you've said yes to your part.

Send Erin a text

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A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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The Hidden Patterns Making Fundraising Harder Than It Has to Be

September used to make me itch. As a professional fundraiser, I knew the all-important fourth quarter was approaching, and I never felt ready. Appeals, Giving Tuesday, events, planned giving messaging—my days were long on tasks and short on energy.

I kept working, but underneath all that activity was a familiar mix of overwhelm, pressure, and avoidance.

What I understand now that I didn't understand then is that the problem wasn't just my workload. Some of the patterns I brought to my workload were making an already demanding season even harder.

In this episode, we explore why we keep doing things we know aren't helping us—overthinking, taking rejection personally, saying yes when we mean no, avoiding uncomfortable conversations, and carrying things that aren't ours to carry. We'll look at how to recognize these patterns with curiosity and begin choosing a different response.

Because maybe you don't need another Q4 strategy right now. Maybe you need fewer old patterns coming with you into Q4.

Join me for a free workshop:
Why Do I Keep Doing That?! Discover the Hidden Patterns Shaping How You Fundraise, Work and Lead

September 24 | 3 p.m. Eastern
90 minutes | Virtual | Free

Register here: https://lnkd.in/gknTTmEq

Send Erin a text

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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Navigating the Heebie Jeebies of Learning in Public

We love growth. We just don't necessarily love letting other people watch us grow.

There's an awkward middle between deciding you want to get better at something and actually becoming good at it—a place where you don't quite know what you're doing yet, other people may be watching, and you can't control what they think about your performance.

For many of us, that's when preparation starts to look awfully attractive.

One more course. A little more research. Another degree. A few more donor touches. Just a little more practice before we put ourselves out there.

But when does responsible preparation become hiding?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, I'm exploring the vulnerability of learning in public—and sharing some of my own discomfort with doing exactly that as I learn how to podcast. We'll look at why being a capable, accomplished adult can actually make beginnerhood harder, what research tells us about women's desire to feel prepared before pursuing professional opportunities, and why avoiding discomfort can quietly cost us the very experience we need to grow.

We'll also look at how this shows up in fundraising: delaying the major-gift ask, researching instead of talking to donors, waiting until we can answer every possible question, or convincing ourselves we're not quite ready for the next opportunity.

Because eventually, there's something preparation can't give us:

Experience.

In this episode:

• Why being inexperienced is not the same as being incompetent
• How preparation can quietly turn into hiding
• Why avoiding vulnerability feels so good in the short term—and what it costs us over time
• The difference between waiting until you're completely ready and being ready enough to learn the rest by doing it
• How fear of not knowing the answer can keep fundraisers from having the conversations that actually move the needle
• Why confidence and capability are often the result of taking action, not prerequisites for it
• A simple experiment for becoming more willing to let other people see you learn

The goal isn't to become fearless.

It's to become safe enough within yourself to say:

You might see me struggle. You might see me make a mistake. You might see me learn. And I'm going to do it anyway.

Because that's how we get from here to there.

Research mentioned in this episode

Tara Sophia Mohr, “Why Women Don't Apply for Jobs Unless They're 100% Qualified,” Harvard Business Review.

Mohr is also the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead.

The episode also references subsequent research examining gender differences in how prepared people want to feel before applying for jobs—and why the commonly repeated “women apply at 100%, men at 60%” statistic shouldn't be treated as established scientific fact.

Stay connected

💌 Join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter for reflections and practical tools around fundraising, leadership, emotional mastery, and your inner climate:

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https://www.vitalistcoaching.com

If this episode made you think of someone who's been preparing, researching, studying, or waiting for permission to begin, send it their way.

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👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

Why your first reaction to a big vision may be the very thing keeping you small

Have you ever had an exciting idea—only to talk yourself out of it before it had a chance to breathe?

In this episode, I share a powerful insight from a recent one-on-one business retreat: the biggest obstacle to our dreams often isn't a lack of time, money, or opportunity. It's the habit of rushing straight to the logistics.

When we're operating from old patterns of fear or self-protection, our minds become remarkably efficient at explaining why something won't work. Before we've even allowed ourselves to imagine what's possible, we've already dismissed it.

What if the first step isn't figuring out how your vision will happen—but giving yourself permission to simply hold it?

Whether you're dreaming about a bold fundraising initiative, a career move, or a life that feels more aligned, this episode invites you to notice how quickly you leave possibility behind—and how opening your heart may be the key to opening your future.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why your nervous system may be shutting down creativity before it has a chance to emerge.
• How childhood patterns of staying safe can quietly keep you thinking small as an adult.
• The surprising connection between an open heart and expansive vision.
• Why jumping immediately to "how" can suffocate your best ideas.
• A simple practice to help you stay with possibility long enough to discover what's truly available.

Sometimes the most courageous thing you can do isn't to build the dream.

It's to stop talking yourself out of it.

Enjoying the podcast?

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if this conversation resonated with you, I'd love for you to leave a rating and review. It helps more fundraisers and nonprofit leaders discover a healthier, more sustainable way to lead.

💌 Join my free newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for practical tools and reflections on emotional mastery, fundraising, leadership, and creating an inner climate where abundance can grow:

https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile

You can also learn more about my coaching and speaking at Vitalist Coaching:

https://www.vitalistcoaching.com

Send Erin a text

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

How to Stop Believing the Stories That Keep You Small

What if the loudest voice in your head isn't the wisest one?

In this special collaboration episode, Erin sits down with Tania Cervoni, host of Banish the Lies, to explore the stories we unknowingly carry about ourselves—and how those stories shape our confidence, our relationships, our careers, and our willingness to pursue what matters most.

Together, they discuss the inner critic, nervous system regulation, curiosity, perfectionism, and the surprising truth that ready isn't a feeling—it's a decision.

Whether you're a fundraiser, leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to stop second-guessing yourself, this conversation offers practical tools for recognizing the voices that keep you small and choosing a different path.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why your inner critic developed in the first place—and what it's trying to protect.
• How curiosity can interrupt anxiety and create new possibilities.
• Why success often triggers fear before it creates confidence.
• What The Big Leap taught both Erin and Tania about expansion and upper-limit problems.
• How childhood strategies can quietly shape our careers and relationships decades later.
• Why "ready" isn't a feeling you wait for—it's a decision you make.
• A compassionate way to relate to the younger parts of yourself that still fear rejection and failure.

About Tania Cervoni

Tania Cervoni is the host of Banish the Lies, a podcast that helps listeners recognize and challenge the unconscious beliefs that quietly shape their lives. Through thoughtful conversations and practical insights, she explores self-awareness, self-compassion, leadership, and the stories we inherit about who we are.

If this conversation resonated with you, I encourage you to listen to Banish the Lies and connect with Tania for more conversations about quieting the inner critic and creating a life based on truth rather than fear.

Stay Connected

If you're enjoying The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, be sure to subscribe and join The Brave &Balanced Note, my free newsletter with practical tools for emotional mastery, sustainable fundraising, and living with greater courage and ease.

And if this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to leave a review or share it with someone whose inner critic has been a little too loud lately.

Send Erin a text

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

How Plants Can Help You Return to Calm, Healing, and Self-Sovereignty

In this personal episode, I'm stepping outside my usual fundraising conversations to share one of the practices that has profoundly shaped my own healing journey: working with medicinal plants.

When I became seriously ill in early 2020, I found myself searching for ways to support my body while the world felt uncertain. That search led me into the study of herbalism—a path that reminded me of something our ancestors once knew well: that many of the plants growing around us have been trusted allies for generations.

This isn't about rejecting modern medicine. Quite the opposite. It's about expanding our understanding of what caring for ourselves can look like. Alongside the incredible gifts of modern healthcare, there's also something deeply empowering about learning simple ways to support our nervous system, our rest, and our everyday well-being.

In this episode, I share:

• Why studying herbalism changed my relationship with healing
• The connection between plants, intuition, and self-sovereignty
• Four gentle herbs I reach for regularly (and why)
• How to prepare nourishing herbal teas and relaxing herbal baths
• Why slowing down and reconnecting with nature may be one of the greatest forms of self-care available to us

Whether you're simply curious about herbs or you've been longing to reconnect with the natural world, I hope this conversation encourages you to explore with wonder, wisdom, and respect.

Mentioned in this episode

Penn Herb — Quality dried medicinal herbs and supplies
https://www.pennherb.com

Strictly Medicinal Seeds — Medicinal herb seeds and plants for growing your own herbal garden
https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com

If you're enjoying these conversations about living with greater courage, balance, and authenticity, I'd love to have you join my free newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, where I share practical reflections and tools to help you create an inner climate that supports the life you're here to live.

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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The Fear That Keeps Brilliant Women Playing Small

Have you ever downplayed your accomplishments, brushed off a compliment, or hesitated to celebrate a win because you didn't want to seem arrogant?

Many of us were taught that being humble is a virtue. But what if some of what we've been calling humility is actually fear?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional patterns that keep so many caring, capable people from stepping fully into their gifts. Together, we'll unpack why we shrink ourselves to stay safe, how old stories about criticism and belonging shape our behavior, and what it really means to lead with confidence without losing our humility.

If you've ever worried about "getting too big for your britches," felt uncomfortable receiving recognition, or found yourself holding back even though you know you're capable of more, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why humility and self-doubt are not the same thing.
• How fear of criticism can quietly keep you playing small.
• The surprising cost of dismissing your accomplishments instead of celebrating them.
• Why you are not responsible for managing other people's emotional reactions to your success.
• A simple daily practice to help you build an internal sense of safety instead of searching for it through other people's approval.

The goal isn't to become louder, more boastful, or more self-promotional. It's to become free—free to accept appreciation, celebrate your growth, and pursue the work you're uniquely here to do without apologizing for taking up space.

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
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How Unexpected Endings Can Lead You Back to Yourself

Losing a job can feel devastating. It can shake your confidence, your identity, and your sense of security. But what if getting fired wasn't the end of your story? What if it was the beginning of something far more aligned?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright shares her own experiences of both being fired and having to let others go, exploring why the career endings we resist can sometimes become the greatest gifts of our lives.

Together, we'll unpack the fear that keeps us holding on long after we've outgrown a role, why some of us are wired to stay longer than we should, and how unexpected transitions create an opportunity to reconnect with who we really are and the work we're here to do.

Along the way, Erin references the astrological concept of Fixed signs—one of the three zodiac modalities—as a metaphor for loyalty, perseverance, and the tendency to resist change. If you're curious about the differences between Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable signs, The Old Farmer's Almanac offers a helpful overview of these personality modalities: https://www.almanac.com/cardinal-fixed-mutable-cardinal-signs. In astrology, Cardinal signs tend to initiate, Fixed signs sustain and stabilize, and Mutable signs adapt and embrace change. While astrology isn't the focus of this episode, it's a useful lens for understanding why some of us naturally cling to the familiar while others are more comfortable embracing change.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why getting fired doesn't define your worth—it can create space for something more authentic.
• How fear quietly keeps us in jobs we've already outgrown.
• The questions to ask yourself after an unexpected career ending.
• How work can become a distraction from your deeper purpose.
• Why life's biggest disruptions often become the catalyst for your greatest growth.

If you're navigating a layoff, career transition, or simply wondering whether it's time for a change, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and trust that endings often make room for beginnings we couldn't yet imagine.

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Fundraising Experience

Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways to give back—but it can also become one of the fastest paths to burnout if you're carrying too much responsibility without enough support.

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores what effective board fundraising really looks like, why asking for money isn't the only way to advance your organization's mission, and how emotional intelligence can help you become a more confident and sustainable volunteer leader.

Whether you're brand new to board service or you've been volunteering for years, this conversation will help you approach fundraising with greater clarity, healthier boundaries, and a mindset that allows you to serve without sacrificing yourself.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why relationship-building is more powerful than simply asking for donations.
• How a culture of philanthropy strengthens fundraising across an entire organization.
• Practical ways new board members can begin fundraising with confidence.
• Why nonprofit organizations have a responsibility to support—not just expect—their volunteer fundraisers.
• How emotional intelligence helps you recognize your limits before burnout and resentment take over.

If you've ever wondered whether you're doing enough as a board member—or felt like you're carrying more than your share of the load—this episode is for you.

Enjoying the podcast?

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share it with a fellow board member, volunteer, or nonprofit leader who could use a little encouragement.

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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

How cognitive distortions drive fundraising anxiety—and a simple progressive muscle relaxation practice to shift your nervous system back into ease, clarity, and authentic confidence.

Ever feel like you have to be “palatable” to donors—like you need to shrink, mask, or perform to succeed? In this episode, Erin sits down with Kelly Hint, LMHC, NCC, and OCD specialist, to unpack the difference between cognitive dissonance (the body-level discomfort of not being your authentic self) and cognitive distortions (the anxious thought-loops that fuel perfectionism, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and the “shoulds”).

You’ll hear how these patterns show up in fundraising pressure—like tying your self-worth to results, assuming a “no” means you failed, or believing you can’t be fully yourself without losing the donor. Then Kelly guides a progressive muscle relaxation practice you can use before donor meetings, after tough interactions, or anytime anxiety takes over—helping you release tension and regain steadiness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Common cognitive distortions that drive fundraising anxiety
• Why uncertainty triggers the mind to “fill in the gaps” with fear
• How the body holds stress—and why job changes don’t automatically reset it
• A step-by-step progressive muscle relaxation exercise (quick, practical, and repeatable)

About Kelly Hint: Kelly is a licensed mental health counselor in New York, a nationally certified counselor, a nationally certified clinical mental health counselor, an OCD specialist, and the author of Kick Ass Coping Companion.

Find Kelly:

• Book: Kick Ass Coping Companion (https://a.co/d/7slRbZ7)
• Therapy: KellyMHint.com
• Coaching: CoachKellyHint.com
• Podcast: The Hint Hive: Amplifying Women’s Voices

Send Erin a text

✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth

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Join the community:
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Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright

Why Other People's Emotions Keep Pulling You Away from Your Most Important Work

Have you ever sat down with a clear plan for your day… only to find yourself pulled into everyone else's problems?

In this episode, Erin shares a simple metaphor from the New Mexico desert that completely changed the way she thinks about work, leadership, and people-pleasing. Using the image of lava rock—with all of its tiny holes and distractions—she explores why so many caring professionals abandon their own priorities in order to manage relationships, smooth conflict, and keep everyone else comfortable.

If you've ever finished a workday exhausted without making progress on what mattered most, this episode will help you understand why—and how to begin changing the pattern with curiosity instead of self-criticism.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why people-pleasing is often a nervous system safety strategy—not a personality trait.
• How workplace relationships can quietly pull your attention away from your highest priorities.
• What this looks like in fundraising conversations with donors and volunteers.
• Why mindfulness helps you notice unconscious patterns before they take over your day.
• A simple question to ask yourself whenever you feel pulled into everyone else's agenda.

Resources mentioned

• Playing Big by Tara Mohr

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, for practical insights on emotional mastery, leadership, and fundraising without burnout.

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If you found this conversation helpful, I'd be grateful if you'd leave a rating or review—it helps more thoughtful fundraisers discover the show.

Send Erin a text

✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth

Listen to all episodes + subscribe:
https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com

Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note

Join the community:
The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser

Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call:
A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing.
👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support:
VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright