Breaking Intergenerational Trauma Through Parenting with Mary Wilcox Smith

When Something Has Changed: Clarity, Burnout, and Starting Over

In this 50th episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, I’m reflecting on what change has taught me about clarity, capacity, leadership, burnout, discomfort, and starting over. This is not a highlight reel. It is an honest conversation about what happens when something in your life has changed, but you are still trying to carry everything the old way. Maybe you have been asking yourself why you feel different even though your life looks the same. Maybe something that used to feel right no longer feels right, and you have not known how to explain that yet. Maybe your capacity has changed, but you keep expecting yourself to show up the same way you always have. Maybe the discomfort, resentment, exhaustion, or Sunday-night dread you keep pushing through is trying to tell you something. That is what this episode is about. Over the last 50 episodes, we have talked about career transitions, caregiving, grief, confidence, reinvention, self-trust, disappointment, leadership, burnout, and the quiet moments when we realize life no longer fits the way it used to. In this episode, I’m sharing five lessons that keep coming back to me: Growth often starts before you can explain it. Your capacity changes when your life changes. Discomfort is giving you information. Change reveals what your life actually requires now. Being unapologetic means telling the truth sooner. If you are in a season where you feel proud and tired, grateful and restless, capable and overloaded, or successful and ready for something different, this episode is for you. You do not need a whole plan to acknowledge the change. Sometimes the first step is simply admitting that something has changed. And that is where clarity begins. So as you listen, sit with this question: What has changed in my life that I have not fully acknowledged yet? If this episode speaks to you, send it to someone who may be navigating change quietly. And then take one next step: Subscribe so you never miss another episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically. Download the free Clarity in 10 Reset [https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10] to pause, reflect, and begin naming what has changed. Ready for deeper support? Book a call with me [https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/booking-calendar/clarity-call] and let’s get clear together. Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/]for more conversations on leadership, clarity, career transitions, and living unapologetically. And if this conversation would serve your organization, women’s leadership group, ERG, conference, or retreat, invite me to speak. [https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/speaking]

How to Lead Through Summer Without Letting Urgency Run the Work

Summer can change the rhythm of work fast. PTO stacks up, vacations overlap, kids are out of school, approvals take longer, and suddenly every request starts to feel urgent. But every request does not deserve the same level of urgency. In this episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming breaks down how to lead through the summer season without letting urgency run the work. This is a practical leadership reset for managers, project owners, senior individual contributors, caregivers, and high performers trying to keep work moving while real-life calendars keep shifting. You’ll learn how to sort work by what actually needs priority, progress, or a hold; how to build a coverage map before someone goes out on PTO; how to name what changes before saying yes to one more “Can we get this done before vacation?” request; and how to use a simple 10-minute summer reset to keep your team focused. Because urgency can get your attention, but it should not be what makes the plan. In this episode, we cover: How summer changes workplace rhythm, priorities, and decision-making Why every task should not receive the same level of urgency How to sort work into priority, progress, and hold How to plan around PTO, vacation coverage, and unavailable decision-makers Why leaders need to name tradeoffs before saying yes to urgent requests How to use the 10-minute summer reset with your team What to do when the calendar starts driving the work instead of leadership guiding it If you are leading a team, managing projects, navigating summer PTO, or trying to keep work moving without creating unnecessary pressure, this episode will help you slow the chaos, focus the work, and lead with more intention. Subscribe to We Are Women, Unapologetically, for bold conversations about leadership, career transitions, confidence, growth, and what it really means to lead without losing yourself. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/] Inquire about having Jessica speak at your event [https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/speaking]

Breaking Intergenerational Trauma Through Parenting with Mary Wilcox Smith

In this episode of We Are Women Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming sits down with Mary Wilcox Smith, speaker, author, entrepreneur, and parent coach, for an honest conversation about intergenerational trauma, parenting, perfectionism, resilience, and healing. Mary shares her journey from building businesses across three continents to raising four daughters, navigating one child’s serious medical needs, and confronting how childhood trauma, grief, abuse, and loss shaped the way she moved through life and motherhood. Together, Jessica and Mary explore how trauma is not always measured by what happens on the outside, but by what a child was able to handle at the time. They also discuss how parents can unintentionally pass down anxiety, perfectionism, and coping patterns, and how awareness can become the first step toward breaking generational cycles. Mary also introduces her book, The Microstep Method for the Overwhelmed Parent, and explains how small, practical microsteps can help parents build connection, emotional safety, and resilience without trying to overhaul everything at once. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered how their past affects their parenting, confidence, relationships, or ability to let go. It is a powerful reminder that healing often begins with one honest moment, one new response, and one small step forward. Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide loss, abuse, trauma, and mental health Connect with Mary Wilcox Smith Learn more about Mary Wilcox Smith, her parent coaching services, speaking, and resources at her website: Website: Mary Smith Parent Coach / Mary Wilcox Smith Book: The Microstep Method for the Overwhelmed Parent, available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible LinkedIn: Mary Wilcox Smith Instagram: Mary Wilcox Smith Connect with Jessica: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/ Website: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/speaking Clarity in 10: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10

Advocate for Yourself in Healthcare: Patient Communication and Stem Cell Recovery with Dana Sherwin

In this episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming sits down with Dana Sherwin, healthcare consultant, speaker, and stem cell transplant survivor, for a powerful conversation about patient advocacy, healthcare communication, and learning how to take an active role in your own care.Dana shares her journey from healthcare leadership to navigating a blood cancer disorder, preparing for a stem cell transplant, and discovering a renewed purpose in helping people communicate more effectively with doctors. This conversation explores why so many patients feel unprepared for medical appointments, how to ask better questions, and why understanding your body and health history matters before a diagnosis changes everything. Key takeaways from this episode: • Why patient advocacy starts before you are seriously ill • How to prepare for doctor’s appointments with better questions • Why knowing your symptoms, health history, and body matters • How healthcare communication can impact diagnosis, treatment, and confidence • What Dana’s stem cell transplant recovery taught her about purpose, resilience, and self-advocacy • Why being curious and taking care of yourself may be one of the most powerful health decisions you make. Connect with Dana SherwinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desherwin/ Website: TheThinkingPatient.com Connect with Jessica Cumming LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/ Website: jcnewbeginnings.com

The Manager Aftershock: Leadership Burnout During Reorgs Nobody Talks About (Part 4)

Reorgs don’t just impact teams. They impact the managers trying to hold everything together. In Part 4 of this leadership mini-series, Jessica Cumming dives into the emotional and operational reality managers face after organizational change. The pressure to keep morale up, maintain productivity, answer impossible questions, and absorb the fallout without falling apart yourself. This episode explores: • Leadership burnout during reorgs • The hidden weight middle managers carry • How to lead with humanity without becoming the emotional dumping ground • Why managers end up over-functioning or emotionally disengaging • The downstream impact of layoffs, restructuring, and cost-cutting decisions • Communication strategies for leading teams through uncertainty • How to protect your energy while still protecting your people Jessica also shares personal stories from her leadership experience at Dell Technologies, including global team transitions, organizational restructuring, and what happens when leadership decisions create ripple effects teams are forced to absorb long after the announcement is over. If you’ve ever felt emotionally exhausted trying to lead through instability while pretending everything is “business as usual,” this conversation is for you. Because leadership during a reorg isn’t just about keeping work moving. It’s about staying human while everything around you changes. 🎧 Listen now and share with a leader who needs this reminder. Connect on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/]