Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All With Nikki

Episode 61: What I Added for Lent Changed My House in 48 Hours

This week my son asked me something that stopped me cold:
“Mom… is this just our time?”
And I realized how rare that actually is.
Not because I am not around.Not because I do not love my kids.
But because I am almost always partially there.
For Lent this year, instead of giving something up, I added something in: protected, undistracted time with each of my kids and my husband.
No phones.No multitasking.No half-listening.
What happened in just a few days completely shifted the atmosphere in our home.
In this episode, I share:• The moment that made me realize I was physically present but mentally absent• What changed when I put my phone away for two hours• Why this small decision improved not just my relationships, but my work focus too
If you feel stretched thin, constantly multitasking, and wondering why everyone still wants “more” from you… this episode is going to hit home.
Sometimes the shift is not about doing less.
It is about being more.

Episode 60: When Doing Everything Right Still Isn't Working

You’re eating clean. Working out. Doing all the “right” things… and still not seeing results.
Sound familiar?
In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I open up about the frustration so many high-achieving women feel...stubborn belly fat, hormone shifts, low energy, and the pressure to “just try harder.”
But what if you’re not failing?
What if you just need a new strategy?
We’re talking about identity shifts, hormone health, body confidence after kids, and why more effort isn’t always the answer. If you’ve ever felt stuck despite doing everything right, this episode will help you reframe the narrative and take control in a healthier way.
You are not broken. You are evolving.
If you want the body balancing drops I talk about in this episode.  Here is the link: https://tinyurl.com/skinnydropsforyou

Episode 59: This Is Me...When Your Worth Was Tied to What You Did, Not Who You Were

In this deeply personal solo episode, Nikki opens up about what it truly means to say “This Is Me.”
After a recent speaking event, Nikki realized something powerful for most of her life, her worth was tied to what she did, not who she was. Being helpful, busy, productive, and needed became the way she earned love and validation… and it took years to recognize how exhausting that can be.
If you are a mom who feels uneasy resting, guilty saying no, or unsure who you are outside of your roles, this episode is for you.
This is a conversation about identity, worth, and giving yourself permission to exist without constantly proving your value.
You’re not alone and you’re not behind. You’re waking up.

Episode 58: When Enough Is Enough — Learning to Set Boundaries Without Guilt

If you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stretched thin… it might not be because life is too much. It might be because you’ve been available to everyone except yourself.
In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, Nikki opens up about the invisible weight so many moms carry the pressure to say yes, avoid disappointment, and keep everyone else comfortable at the expense of their own well-being.
This is an honest conversation about:
Why setting boundaries feels so hard for moms
How over-giving leads to resentment and burnout
The mindset shift that turns boundaries from “selfish” into necessary
What healthy boundaries actually look like in real life
If you’ve ever agreed to one more thing while already running on empty, this episode will help you rethink what protecting your time and energy really means and why it matters for you and your family.
🎧 Listen now and give yourself permission to take up space in your own life.

Episode 57: When the Pressure Lifts and You Can Finally Breathe Again

When the Pressure Lifts and You Can Finally Breathe Again
I did not realize how heavy life had become… until the pressure was gone.
In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I share what the transition to my kids’ new school has been like and how it unexpectedly changed me too.
With calmer mornings, fewer rushed schedules, and a snow-filled weekend that forced us to slow down, I finally felt what so many moms rarely experience: relief.
This episode is about recognizing how long we live in survival mode… and what happens when the noise finally quiets.
If you are a mom who feels constantly “on,” overwhelmed by schedules, or guilty for craving a slower pace, this episode is a reminder that peace is not laziness—it is alignment.
Sometimes slowing down is not falling behind.Sometimes it is finding your way back to yourself.

Episode 56: New Year, New School, New Us

What happens when you stop resisting change and actually lean into it?
In Episode 56 of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, Nikki shares a personal, unfiltered reflection on trying something new, embracing change, and how small shifts can create massive peace in family life.
From a humorous moment that almost involved catching her hair on fire, to a powerful decision to switch her kids to a new school that prioritizes the child’s soul over performance, this episode explores what happens when you choose alignment over convenience.
If you have been feeling rushed, overwhelmed, or unsure whether a change is worth it, this episode is a reminder that growth does not always have to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes it simply feels… better.
This episode is for moms who are craving calm, clarity, and confidence as they step into a new season.

Episode 55: Building a Business While Caring for Others...Even Before Kids

You don’t have to be a mom to kids to understand responsibility, balance, and the pull toward something more.
In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, Nikki sits down with Elena Elzz, a functional pharmacist, integrative health coach, and proud dog mom, to talk about building a purpose-driven career alongside a demanding job without quitting everything or burning out.
Elena shares how her journey in functional and integrative health evolved while working in pharmacy, how being a dog mom shaped her routines and priorities, and why she chose to build something aligned with her values instead of following a one-size-fits-all career path.
This conversation is for women who:
Are balancing work, life, and responsibility
Feel called to build something more meaningful
Want flexibility and fulfillment without blowing up their life
Believe you don’t have to wait for kids to start designing a life you love
Whether you’re a mom, a future mom, or a woman building before kids, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible.

Episode 54: How One Mom Built Scalable Income in Part-Time Hours

What if building extra income didn’t require quitting your job, creating a product, or starting from scratch?
In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I sit down with pharmacist mom Dayle Diffey, who shares how she built a scalable side business in very part-time hours while still working full-time in retail pharmacy.
Dayle opens up about her journey from launching a PGx consulting practice (and realizing insurance would not pay for her time) to pivoting into a wellness business that allowed her to help more people, earn income quickly, and create flexibility without burning it all down.
In this conversation, we talk about:
Why you don’t have to quit your job to start building income
How a done-for-you, duplicatable system made scaling simple
What it looks like to build income alongside a demanding career
Why this type of opportunity is not just for pharmacists but for any mom ready for more flexibility and ownership
If you’ve been feeling stuck, underutilized, or curious about building extra income without the overwhelm, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible.

Episode 53: A New Year, A New Season, A New YOU Is Calling

This episode marks the beginning of a brand new season of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki.
This is not just about motherhood anymore.This is about identity, ownership, and the quiet pull toward something more.
In this episode, Nikki shares why this podcast is evolving to support moms who feel called to build, create, and reclaim parts of themselves that have been buried under responsibility, expectations, and doing it all for everyone else.
If you have ever felt restless, underutilized, or like you are meant for more but are not sure what that looks like yet, this episode will meet you right where you are.
This season is for the mom who is not done dreaming.The mom who wants purpose alongside motherhood.The mom who is ready to stop surviving and start building.
A new year does not change your life.A new season does.And a new YOU is calling.

Episode 52: One Year In: What This Podcast Taught Me About Showing Up, Growth, and Believing in Yourself

One year ago, I pressed record for the first time and almost talked myself out of it.
I wondered who would listen.I questioned whether my voice mattered.I debated adding one more thing to an already full life.
And yet, here we are one year, 52 episodes, and thousands of downloads later.
This anniversary episode is a reflection on how Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki began, how it evolved, and what this journey has taught me about consistency, courage, and showing up before you feel ready.
From my daughter playing the intro on her guitar, to me singing it myself, to a professional intro, and now no intro at all...this podcast has grown because I grew.
In this episode, I share:• How starting imperfectly changed everything• Why consistency builds confidence• What happens when moms give themselves permission to use their voice• And why if I can do this so can you
If you have been waiting for a sign to start something that matters to you, this episode is it. Subscribe now and share with your mom friends.