Change is supposed to be normal.
So why does it feel so heavy?

In this special episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine welcome their first-ever guest: Cathy (Jeanine’s mom) for an honest, multi-generational conversation about change, control, and what it means to grow through life’s biggest transitions.

Maria opens up about recent changes that hit deeper than expected like selling her childhood home, watching her son grow more independent, and grieving chapters of life that quietly close. What looks “normal” on the outside often comes with real loss on the inside.

Cathy shares her story of change across decades in leaving home at 18, moving across the country, raising a family, and navigating life with a deep need for control as a way to feel safe. As she puts it, holding emotions in was about not losing control, even when everything else felt uncertain.

Jeanine adds perspective on how control and freedom are often connected, especially for people who’ve lived in environments where decisions weren’t always theirs to make. The conversation moves through parenting, family traditions, technology, and the question of whether change makes us stronger… or just different.

One powerful insight lands clearly: Some change is chosen. Some is forced. And how we experience it depends on who we are and where we are in life.

This is part one of a two-part conversation that ends with a big question:
What happens after the change... and do we believe in second chances?

Come for the reflection. Stay for the honesty. Tune in and come back for part two.

This episode starts with leadership… and somehow ends up in online dating.
So yes - it’s another Brains Gone Bold ride.

On this episode, Maria and Jeanine talk about expectations and how they sneak into everything: work, relationships, leadership, even what we think people “should” do or say.

Maria shares a moment from a leadership talk that hit her hard: we’re always teaching managers how to support their teams, but we rarely ask the obvious question: who’s supporting the managers? She opens up about how heavy leadership can feel, especially when you’re carrying everyone else and still expected to look “fine.”

Jeanine jumps in with the truth: leadership can be lonely, draining, and unrealistic, especially when people get promoted with no training and are told to manage a team on top of doing their old job.

And then… the detour.

Jeanine shares some very real online dating stories, including a guy who went from “promise you won’t stalk me” to “do you want to measure me?” real fast. It turns into a surprisingly deep moment about perception, self-blame, and the pressure women feel to manage other people’s behavior.

By the end, the big takeaway lands clearly: expectations can set us up, but curiosity helps us stay human in leadership, in life, and yes… in dating.

Come join us for another fun ride. Tune in.

The holidays are supposed to feel magical… so why do they sometimes feel like pure chaos?

In this Brains Gone Bold: Holiday Edition, Maria and Jeanine keep it real about what the season actually looks like as adults. You know - the stress, the money, the “what do I buy my teenager?” spiral, and the pressure to have a picture-perfect holiday that doesn’t exist.

They talk about what does bring joy, though:
✨ experience gifts instead of “stuff”
✨ Christmas lights and nostalgia
✨ baking cookies (and freezing them… even if you can taste it)
✨ gingerbread house competitions with secret weapons
✨ and the core memories we all wish we could bottle up and keep forever

Jeanine shares a hilarious (and very real) take on why there’s “no such thing as a Hallmark Christmas” and how the smell of fish can totally hijack Christmas. Maria admits she sometimes wants to strip away gift-giving entirely, just to get back to the actual spirit of the season.

They also end with a warm call to action:
What holiday traditions still work when kids are older and how do you create new core memories? Jeanine says she’s “chasing” that feeling, and they want your ideas.

If you’re looking for a holiday episode that’s funny, honest, and comforting - this one’s for you.

👉 Drop your favorite holiday tradition in the comments.
👍 Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs a holiday laugh