In this episode, Jessica talks with Dr. Brandi Kelly, a licensed clinical social worker and former school superintendent who has spent over two decades in education. Brandi’s story starts with deep personal loss. She was in high school when her brother drowned, and that moment changed everything. Since then, she’s walked through grief, burnout, family challenges, and the pressure of leadership at the highest levels.

Now, she’s the founder of Spark Hope EDU and helps others rebuild their lives from the inside out. This conversation is honest, emotional, and packed with wisdom for anyone navigating hard seasons, questioning their path, or wondering if it’s too late to make a change.

Key Takeaways:

• Real leadership often starts in the hard places

• Burnout is your body asking for something different

• It's okay to walk away, even after decades in a role

• Healing starts when you stop going it alone

• Hope is something you build, not just something you feel

Power Move of the Week:
Practice the pause. Slowing down is sometimes the boldest thing you can do.

Want to learn more?
Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/

Download Clarity in 10

Contact Brandi:

https://sparkhopeedu.com

Stop making other people’s comfort your responsibility. If you’ve been swallowing comments, smoothing tension, or staying quiet to keep the peace, it’s not “maturity”—it’s self-silencing. And over time, it chips away at your confidence, your self-trust, and even your nervous system’s ability to feel safe being seen.

In this episode, Jessica Cumming breaks down what really happens when you finally speak up—not dramatically, not aggressively, but clearly. She shares the real-life moment a familiar comment crossed the line and she stopped protecting a dynamic that was never protecting her. The result wasn’t chaos—it was relief, alignment, and a version of herself she could finally respect.

Here’s the CLEAR method to speak up without starting a fight:
C — Clarify what’s actually bothering you (say the real thing, not the softened version)
L — Listen to your gut (your body notices misalignment first)
E — Evaluate the cost of silence (will you respect yourself tomorrow?)
A — Align with your values (speaking up is integrity, not aggression)
R — Respond directly (one sentence is enough)

This episode is for the woman who’s tired of shrinking in meetings, swallowing comments in relationships, or carrying emotional weight she never agreed to hold. Your voice doesn’t come back all at once—it returns one sentence at a time.

Power Move of the Week: Say one thing you’ve been swallowing. One clear sentence. Then stop negotiating with yourself about whether you were “too much.”

Want to learn more? Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/
Download Clarity in 10 Reset: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10
Ready to go deeper? Book a Clarity Call: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/booking-calendar/clarity-call?referral=service_list_widget

What if burnout wasn’t the end but your invitation to begin again?

In this powerful episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, I sit down with Chris Coladonato, a former high-achieving corporate leader turned speaker, coach, and creator of the therapeutic coloring book Color Me, Unplugged. Together, we unpack what burnout really looks like for high performers and why so many of us don’t even realize we’re in it until we’ve broken.

🎧 Chris shares:

• The subtle signs of burnout she missed (until it was too late)

• Her journey from corporate success to breast cancer diagnosis

• The messy, raw middle of losing your identity after “doing it all”

• Why coloring became her reset tool—and how it can help you too

• The life-changing mindset shift that helped her finally love herself

This isn’t just a story of quitting. It’s a story of choosing: to pause, to heal, and to become.

If you’re stuck in “the in-between” the gooey, hard part of growth—you are not alone. And this episode is your permission to stop proving, and start becoming.

✨ Power Takeaways

• “I didn’t know I was burned out—until I started living differently.”

• “I wore busyness like a badge…and a security blanket.”

• “Coloring wasn’t an escape. It was how I learned to focus again.”

• “The cancer didn’t break me. It made me finally receive love.”

🎁 Resources + Links Mentioned

🔗 Chris's Website: connectioncatalyst.com
📘 Color Me, Unplugged Coloring Book – Available now
📲 Follow Chris on Instagram: @chriscolaunplugged

💌 Free Reset Gift for Listeners

Feeling stuck in the swirl? Download my free reset guide:
👉 Clarity in 10: A Quick Reset

📞 Ready to Reset Your Life & Career?

You don’t have to figure this alone.
✨ Book a complimentary Clarity Call: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/booking-calendar/clarity-call?referral=service_list_widget

🗣️ Connect with Me

Instagram: @jessicacumming04/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/
Website: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/