The Balance Theory

Why do so many relationships fail, even if there’s love?In this episode, I sit down with Mo Gawdat to unpack the logic, equations, and skills behind relationships and why love itself is actually the easy part.Mo is the bestselling author of Solve for Happy and a former Google X executive, known for applying engineering and systems thinking to life’s hardest problems. In this conversation, we explore why 96.8% of relationships fail, what most people were never taught about love, and how relationships can be learned, trained, and improved, just like any other skill.This episode isn’t about romantic clichés or surface-level advice. It’s about understanding:* why love is logical, not irrational* how we unknowingly block love* why relationships fail when seasons change* and how to become good at relationships, without settling or second-guessing yourselfWhether you’re single and looking for love, dating, or already in a long-term relationship, this conversation will change the way you think about connection.We of course also get to know Mo, from his way of thinking all the way through to his current project - EMMA.If this conversation resonates, I’d love to hear your thoughts.💬 What part of relationships do you feel you were never taught?CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST📸 InstagramTIME STAMPS(01:25) Introduction(03:03) How to be more than your job(08:04) Giving yourself permission(13:03) 3 Questions to Align Your Life Choices(15:20) Is Love Is Illogical?(25:40) Is there “THE ONE”(35:42) PPRFCTS - the 7 things we want from a relationship(43:57) Is AI the best place to help with relationships?(52:48) Managing or lowering expectations?WHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

If you feel like there’s a gap between the person you are and the person you know you could be, this episode is for you.In this conversation with Karen Mattar, we explore what really keeps people stuck in the same patterns year after year and why motivation, willpower, and “trying harder” so often fail.This episode is about outgrowing a life that no longer fits, rebuilding confidence through self-respect, and becoming someone who actually follows through on the promises they make to themselves. Not through pressure or self-control, but through identity, leadership, and alignment.If you’ve ever thought “I know I’m meant for more” but struggled to close the gap between intention and action, this conversation will help you understand why, and what needs to change.This episode is for the person who:• Feels like they’ve outgrown their current life• They’re tired of starting over every year• They struggle with consistency and follow-through• They want habits that last, not another motivation spike• They’re ready to become the person they keep visualisingTrust this episode will find you when it’s meant to!CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST📸 InstagramTIME STAMPS(01:17) Introduction(4:50) How do you follow big intuitive moves?(08:12) Changing habits based on self respect(11:29) How do your habits shape your identity?(16:26) Self Control to Self Leadership(22:58) Your environment is silently shaping you(27:01) Negative people you love(32:41) People respect you more when you’re in shape(34:29) Diary of CEO Episode thoughts(42:30) Who is the modern womanWHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱Tiktok

This will find you right before you're about to make a big move, life change or pivot. 3 min of pure straight talk and motivation to get you inspired to move ahead.🎥 If you loved this episode, you'll love the full podcast here.WHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

If you’re waking up feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed, or stuck… start your day with this.These 5 minutes are designed to reset your mindset, shift your energy, and remind you who you are before the world tells you otherwise.Save this.Play it every morning.Let it become your ritual.This compilation includes some of the most powerful moments from The Balance Theory Podcast, conversations about identity, clarity, confidence, and taking ownership of your life. Put your headphones in, breathe, and let these 5 minutes set the tone for your day.✨ Watch These Featured Motivational Episodes Next1️⃣ Make Yourself Irreplaceable2️⃣ You Know There's More For You3️⃣ Why People Get Motivation Wrong4️⃣ How to Be More ConfidentWHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

If you’ve ever worried about staying relevant, being replaced, or falling behind in a world where AI is evolving faster than job titles… this clip is your wake-up call.In this conversation, global communications strategist Maha Abouelenein, who has worked with Gary Vee, Google, Netflix, Red Bull, and even the Prime Minister of Egypt, breaks down what actually makes someone valuable, memorable, and irreplaceable in 2026 and beyond.Whether you’re building your career, growing your personal brand, or just trying to stand out in a crowded world, these insights will help you protect your edge and elevate your opportunities.🎥 Watch the full episode with Maha Abouelenein hereThe full conversation goes deeper into confidence, communication, networking, staying relevant in the age of AI, and exactly how to build a powerful personal brand.WHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

Wondering how to be more disciplined?If you keep telling yourself you’ll “be more disciplined tomorrow” but nothing changes… this clip is for you.In this powerful conversation, Tracy Harmoush breaks down the real reason people struggle with discipline and why most of what you’ve been told about building willpower and consistency simply doesn’t work.Tracy shares the mindset shifts, identity upgrades, and practical steps you need to finally stick to what you say you’ll do in 2026. If you’ve ever felt frustrated, ashamed, or confused about why discipline never seems to last, this video will give you the clarity and momentum you’ve been missing.🎥 Watch the full episode with Tracy Harmoush hereYou’ll hear the full breakdown on discipline, identity work, self-trust, and what it really takes to build a life you’re proud of.WHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

If you’ve been doing all the “right” things and still feel stuck, this episode is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. I’m joined by my therapist, Chantale, who returns for a third time to help me unpack this in a way only she can.Today we’re breaking down the #1 habit keeping you from achieving what you want, a habit she taught me that changed EVERYTHING for me, a habit so common most people don’t even realise they’re doing it…This habit is the reason why you feel guilty saying no, why fear shows up every time you try something new. You’ll learn how to recognise when you’re operating from an inauthentic version of yourself, why your goals fall apart when they’re built on fear, and the neuroscience behind stepping outside your comfort zone.This is a practical, grounded conversation about building self-trust, setting boundaries without guilt, dissolving limiting beliefs, and finally creating goals that feel true to who you are, not who you think you “should” be.By the end, you’ll know exactly how to break this habit, stop abandoning yourself, and take the first aligned step toward the life you actually want.This will unlock everything for you.🎥 PREVIOUS PODCAST WITH CHANTALECONNECT WITH OUR GUEST📸 InstagramTIME STAMPS(01:17) Introduction(02:55) Everything you need to know about people pleasing(07:47) How do you deal with guilt and fear?(12:30) How can you be giving without people pleasing?(16:03) This is essential to do before goal setting(20:35) Limiting Beliefs & Goal Setting(25:57) How to push through limiting beliefs(30:02) “I am not enough”(31:30) Exercise to break through small limiting beliefs (not large traumas)(35:11) Neuroscience for being outside of your comfort zone(39:12) What you need to know about tolerance windows(42:52) Rapid FireWHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial

If you’re approaching your late 20s or early 30s and feel like you’re supposed to have your life together by now… this conversation will feel like a warm exhale.In this episode, I sit down with Caggie Dunlop, founder of the Saturn Returns podcast and author of Saturn Return: Your Cosmic Coming of Age, to unpack what’s really happening when life feels turbulent, uncertain, or like everything is changing at once.Whether you’re starting over after a breakup, questioning your career, drifting from old friendships, or simply thinking, “I thought I’d be further by now,” this episode will help you make sense of a chapter most people silently struggle through.You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re becoming.This episode is for those who are27–33 and feel lostquestioning the life you thought you’d have“starting over” when everyone else seems aheadgrowing out of old friendships and identitiesnavigating big emotional changes all at onceGet ready to learn and reposition yourself to find grounding & peace with your timeline.TIME STAMPS(01:13) What is a Saturn Return?(07:43) Reinvention versus rediscovering who you are(13:42) Reflective Questions for turbulent moments(17:22) Timeline exercise(20:30) Who Am I?(27:06) Friendship break ups(33:28) Juggling work and being a new mum(41:13) Birth storiesCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST📸 Instagram WHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial🌱 Wholefoods & Supplements - use "THEBALANCETHEORY" for 15% off

If you’ve been doing “everything right” but still don’t feel good, this conversation will connect the dots.Today I’m joined by Gary Brecka, human biologist and longevity expert, to break down the daily habits that quietly drain your energy, increase anxiety, and limit your health span. The best part? Most of the fixes are totally free and within your control today.In the first 10 minutes alone, Gary reveals the 3 free habits that have the biggest impact on your sleep, mood, stress, and long-term vitality - especially for people with busy lives and limited time or budget.We also explore the link between isolation and early mortality, why so many people struggle with anxiety without knowing the biological reason behind it, and how to invest in your health in a way that actually moves the needle.This episode is practical, grounding, and genuinely life-changing.(01:28) Introduction(03:01) 3 FREE things to extend your life(06:43) Caregiver syndrome(07:41) Investing in your wellness(09:34) Why people struggle with anxiety(12:32) 40% of people go to sleep like this(15:48) Is it just about more years?(20:13) Are you religious?(21:48) This is the most attractive frequency(24:37) Impact of Botox/Filler on longevity?(29:58) How long are we going to live in 200 years?Connect with today's guest on InstagramWHO AM I?My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 Connect with me on IG!RESOURCES▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge▶︎ Goal Setting System E-BookLET’S BE FRIENDS📸 Instagram📱TiktokMY FAVOURITE STUFF💻 Email & Calendar tool - Sunsama for 1 Month free trial🌱 Wholefoods & Supplements - use "THEBALANCETHEORY" for 15% off