We’re more exhausted than ever—and it’s not just about sleep. In this episode, Connie unpacks the deeper reasons behind our collective fatigue: from overstimulation and social media overload to the pressure of “keeping up” with too many people and commitments. Discover how to reclaim your energy by understanding your capacity, honoring your constraints, and simplifying your schedule.
If you’ve ever said “I’m tired but I don’t know why,” this one’s for you.
🎧 Tune in to learn how to rest your mind, not just your body—and find freedom in doing less, better.
“Peace doesn’t come from pretending you’re not hurt — it comes from releasing what you can’t control.”
Join me for a conversation about the courage it takes to release offence, choose empathy, and walk away from drama without bitterness and HOW to do it.
Have you ever felt the weight of everyone else’s emotions on your shoulders?
As helpers, parents, teachers, and leaders, we often care so deeply that we start carrying what was never ours to hold.
In this week’s episode, I share practical ways to release emotional and mental burdens—without losing your compassion. You’ll learn how to:
Differentiate between what’s yours and what belongs to others
Name your emotions and thoughts without judgment
Find peace through simple rituals of grounding and surrender
These are small, powerful practices that can help you stay connected to others without losing yourself.
🎧 Listen here
And as always, keep being brave. 💛
We’ve all done it. Whispered. Shared a “little secret.” Passed along someone else’s story. Gossip feels like connection in the moment—but underneath, it leaves us carrying burdens that aren’t ours and eroding the very trust we long for.
In this episode of Bravely Connected, I dig into:
💭 Why gossip feels good (at first)
🪢 How carrying other people’s burdens keeps us stuck
💡 Brave alternatives to gossip that build trust and belonging
If you’ve ever wondered why gossip sneaks into your conversations—or how to stop the cycle—this episode will give you the tools and courage to choose real connection instead.
🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: Am I seeking validation, or am I seeking connection?
We live in a paradox.
We say, “You never know what someone is going through.”
Yet, when someone cuts us off, insults us, or rejects us, our first instinct is to wall up and walk away.
But every interaction gives us a choice:
👉 Isolate, or
👉 Connect.
Recently, I was reminded of this in the most ordinary place—the McDonald’s drive-thru—when I chose to respond to anger with an unexpected act of kindness.
It wasn’t about being a saint. It was about remembering: behind every reaction is a story.
Connection is risky. It’s messy. It hurts sometimes.
But love is always worth the risk.
💡 In my latest podcast episode, I explore what it takes to move from isolation to brave belonging—in our families, our workplaces, and our communities.
✨ What if the real crisis in our homes, schools, and workplaces isn’t burnout, but feeling invisible?
In this powerful conversation with author and researcher Zach Mercurio, we explore why mattering—the experience of being seen, valued, and needed—changes everything.
You’ll learn:
✔ Why belonging and inclusion aren’t enough without mattering
✔ The simple skills of Mattering
✔ How teachers, parents, and leaders can reduce burnout and absenteeism
✔ Practical tools you can use today to show others they matterThis isn’t about “soft skills.”
It’s about survival, leadership, and creating communities where people come alive.
📖 Get Zach’s book + free resources here
Subscribe for more conversations on connection, leadership, and community.
This week felt heavy. I was reflecting on this: We don’t crumble because of disasters alone.
We crumble because of the relational cracks we never name.
In our families, schools, and communities, those cracks get exposed—by a crisis, by mental health struggles, by isolation. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away; it makes them wider.
But there is another way. One that starts with courage, connection, and naming what’s broken so it can be healed.
👉 Here’s why being Bravely Connected matters more now than ever.
Ever wonder why certain people rub you the wrong way?
It’s usually not about the person—it’s about THIS. What's "This??" Listen in!
Every one of us carries experiences, words spoken over us, and past hurts that shape how we show up today. When our story collides with someone else’s story, disconnection happens.
The key?
Everyone has a story that could break your heart. When we learn to look beneath behaviour and connect with the human story underneath, that’s where brave connection happens.
In this Canada Day conversation I got to share with Andrew Shultz from News 770, we chat about how powerful things happen when we shift from thinking big to acting small—right in our own neighbourhoods.
From backyard concerts to community clothing drives and youth support, belonging, resilience, and face-to-face connection can transform a block… and eventually a nation.
Whether you're feeling disconnected or fired up to make a difference, this episode will inspire you to start where you are—with what you have.
Because real change starts at home.
You Are Brave. You Belong. | A Brave Journey to Inner Connection
Most people search for belonging in the wrong places—through approval, perfection, and people-pleasing. But true belonging doesn’t start out there. It starts within.
In this episode, I walk you through the brave work of building inner belonging—so you can stop bending to fit in and start living from your full, authentic self.
You’ll learn:
✨ How to coach yourself through emotions, thoughts, and behaviours
✨ Why managing your inner world changes everything
✨ What “You owe me nothing” really means
✨ How to set boundaries around your heart without guilt
✨ Why the people who create the most belonging are the ones who’ve struggled to find it themselves
If you’ve ever felt like you’re too much, not enough, or always just outside the circle—this is for you.
🔔 Subscribe for more tools on brave connection in your home, school, and community.
Are you tired of power struggles, meltdowns, and constant “no’s”? In this podcast, we go beneath the surface of anxiety, ADHD, and opposition in kids—and uncover what’s really going on.
This is the recording of the talk I did for Coventry Hills Parent Night.
Discover why managing behaviour isn’t working—and what to do instead.
Learn how trust, connection, and attunement can actually rewire your child’s brain and lead to lasting change.
Whether you're a parent or educator, this session offers practical insight, hope, and tools to create real transformation in your relationship with the kids you lead and love.
🌱 Why ADHD isn’t a fixed diagnosis
🌱 What anxiety is trying to tell us
🌱 How to deal with opposition without losing your cool
🌱 How attunement builds resilience and rewires the brain
🌱 What every child really needs beneath their behaviour
Want me to visit your school? Contact me on my website at connie@conniejakab.com
Are you stuck in fear, control, and punishment with your kids—and wondering why nothing is working?
In this episode of the Bravely Connected Podcast, I share a powerful parenting litmus test that can help you shift from managing behaviour to building true connection.
Discover the difference between control and discipline, fear and boundaries—and why emotional intelligence is the real key to preparing your child for the future.This isn’t about being permissive. It’s about being present. And brave. 💛🎧
Whether you're a parent, teacher, or community leader, this episode will challenge and equip you to:
✅ Attune in to your own emotional state
✅ Decode the real message behind behaviour
✅ Set strong boundaries without power struggles
✅ Teach through connection—not fearReady to transform your parenting?
Start here.
"He’s not trying to be bad—he literally can’t help it."
If you’ve ever felt judged as a parent or overwhelmed by your child’s impulsive behavior, you’re not alone.
In this episode of the Bravely Connected Podcast, I answer a heartfelt question from a parent raising a child with ADHD.
We talk about:
🧠 Why impulse control isn’t just about discipline
💬 How shame-based parenting makes things worse
💡 What it really means to attune to your child (and yourself)
🌱 How to support emotional regulation and rewire the brain—one brave moment at a time
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or leader, this episode will challenge how you think about behavior and equip you with tools that actually help.
📩 Got a question for the podcast? Email me at connie@conniejakab.com
💛 Subscribe for more real talk and practical tools to help kids (and adults) thrive.
Bullying, gossip, exclusion, and anxiety are symptoms of a deeper issue: disconnection.
In this powerful episode, we explore how fear, control, and punishment shape school culture, parenting, and workplace dynamics—and what it takes to replace them with connection, healthy boundaries, and restorative discipline.
Learn how to spot triangulation, stop anxiety from driving your decisions, and create brave spaces where emotional intelligence and belonging can thrive. Whether you're a parent, educator, or leader, this conversation will equip you to be a powerful force for change.
You were born to belong. You were born to be brave.
Feeling Stuck in Overthinking? This Simple Tool Will Set You Free | Bravely Connected Podcast
Are your emotions keeping you stuck in loops of anxiety, anger, or overwhelm? In this episode of the Bravely Connected Podcast, I share a powerful emotional intelligence tool to help you break free from rumination.
Learn how to move from powerlessness to personal clarity by identifying the hidden thoughts behind your feelings—and take control of how you respond.
Whether you're a parent, teacher, or anyone navigating relationships, this episode will equip you to stay grounded and emotionally steady.
🔔 Subscribe for more tools to stay bravely connected to yourself and others.
📧 Want my personal feedback? Email her your reflection and receive a free resource to take this practice deeper.
Feeling Drained by Toxic People?
Loneliness is at an all-time high—and it's not just teenagers feeling it. In this podcast, I share how to protect your peace, set boundaries with toxic people, and build real belonging from the inside out.
You'll learn about the "Belonging Bullseye"—a simple but powerful tool to know who belongs close to you and who needs to move to the outer rings of your life.
Ready to stop living for other people's opinions and start living from a place of courage and connection?
Join me for the 45-Day Belonging Challenge and let's walk this journey together!
👉 Subscribe for more tools to build inner belonging and brave connection.
👉 Want to join the challenge?
Email me at connie@conniejakab.com
#Belonging #MentalHealth #Boundaries #Leadership #Parenting #EmotionalResilience
When emotions run high, it’s easy to fall into control mode—raising your voice, laying down rules, or shutting down.
But what if the real power in conflict isn’t control… it’s connection?
In this coaching episode, you’ll learn the SHIFT Framework—a practical, step-by-step tool to help you:
✅ Settle your own anxiety
✅ Stop fuelling toxic reactions
✅ Respond with calm, clarity, and compassion
✅ Create safety in your home, classroom, or team
This episode is for parents, teachers, and leaders who want to transform conflict into connection—without judgment, shame, or disconnection.
✨ Listen in and discover how to calm the room without losing yourself.
In a world focused on efficiency and outcomes, it's easy to slip into transactional relationships—at home, in classrooms, or in our communities. But when we lead with connection instead of control, we create spaces where trust, empathy, and belonging can grow.In this week's podcast, let's explore the difference between transactional and relational mindsets, and why it matters for parents, teachers, and leaders who want to build meaningful, lasting relationships.✨ Let’s shift from keeping score to truly showing up for each other.Want the quiz: are you relational or transactional? Email me at connie@conniejakab.com and I'll send it to you.#RelationalLeadership #ParentingTools #ConnectedClassrooms #EmotionalSafety
These brave women open up about loneliness, burnout, and the challenge of helping others while trying to care for themselves.
From single motherhood to creative renewal and peer support dreams, this conversation is full of real talk, heartfelt moments, and reminders that you are not alone.
Whether you're a parent, a helper, or someone at a crossroads, their stories will inspire you to reconnect with yourself and find the courage to reach out.
✨ Featuring real stories, honest struggles, and practical encouragement
💬 Let's break the silence around loneliness and remind each other that it's okay to ask for help
🔔 Subscribe for more brave conversations that matter
All these women just completed 13 weeks of the Dream Academy
#Loneliness #Motherhood #MentalHealth #RealTalk #BraveConversations #SelfCare #PeerSupport #ConnectionMatters
What does it mean to truly belong?
In this episode of the Bravely Connected podcast, I explore the powerful lessons from Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness and my own journey of finding belonging—not by fitting in, but by standing firm in who I am.
💡 How do we build connection in a divided world?
💡 Why is it so hard to belong without changing who we are?
💡 How can we balance courage and kindness in challenging situations?
Join me as I unpack the four elements of true belonging and share real-life stories of stepping into the wilderness, facing criticism, and fostering meaningful connection. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, this episode is for you.
✨ Keep being brave, my friends.
🎧 Listen now and let’s walk this journey together!
#BravingTheWilderness #TrueBelonging #BravelyConnected #BreneBrown #Courage #connection