A few years ago, we explored The Art and Agony of No—one of the most popular episodes in the Advancing Women Podcast archive. In this episode, we revisit that topic and dig deeper into why saying no feels so agonizing for women, especially in professional and personal contexts. From social conditioning and workplace biases to household expectations, we explore the forces that keep women overcommitted and undervalued.

Using research, real stories, and practical strategies, we discuss:

• The concept of non-promotable work and why women are asked to do it more often—and why we say yes.
• How prove-it-again and tightrope biases make saying no feel risky.
• The transformative story of the No Club, a collective approach to saying no strategically and confidently.
• Actionable ways to start protecting your time, energy, and opportunities, both at work and at home.
• A cultural reflection inspired by the movie 9 to 5, showing how little has changed in the fight for workplace balance.

Key Takeaways / Manifestatement: Your time, your energy, your brilliance are precious. Saying no protects them. This episode is about being intentional, reclaiming your boundaries, and understanding that every no is a doorway to your best yes.

Action Steps for Listeners:

1. Start Your Own No Club: Set a goal for how many requests you’ll decline this week or month.
2. Keep a Log: Track your nos to notice patterns and normalize boundary-setting.
3. Share Your Practice: Encourage friends, colleagues, and family that saying no is strategic, not selfish.

Episode referenced in this episode: The Art and Agony of Saying NO! (8/2/2021) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-and-agony-of-saying-no/id1569849100?i=1000530813744

We’ve all heard the story of Adam and Eve. The so-called “first sin,” the disobedience, the downfall. But what if we’ve been reading it wrong? What if this ancient story isn’t about the first sinner…but the first failed leader?

In this episode, leadership scholar and host Dr. Kimberly DeSimone challenges centuries of patriarchal interpretation by reframing the Genesis narrative through the lens of modern, evidence-based leadership theory. From blame-shifting to moral cowardice, we explore how Adam’s behavior maps onto core leadership failures across five foundational models: Transformational, Servant, Authentic, Adaptive, and Ethical Leadership.

We also examine the enduring harm caused by reading Eve as the source of sin—a misreading that has fueled generations of bias, blame, and the marginalization of women. With insight from feminist and womanist scholars like Phyllis Trible, Renita Weems, and Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, this episode is a powerful call to reclaim sacred texts in ways that center accountability, equity, and truth.

Key Topics Covered:

• Re-examining Genesis 2–3: What the Bible actually says vs. how it’s been taught
• How Adam failed as a leader, not just as a man of faith
• Applying 5 modern leadership theories to the Eden narrative
• The damaging legacy of blaming Eve—and by extension, women—for failure
• The power of feminist biblical interpretation and why it matters
• How reclaiming this story can lead to more just and equitable leadership today

Biblical References:

Genesis 2:16–17, 2:22, 3:6, 3:12 (The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version. Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989.)

Scholars & Thought Leaders:

Trible, P. (1984). Texts of Terror

Trible, P. (1978). God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality

Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza – In Memory of Her (1983)

Renita J. Weems – Just a Sister Away (1988)

Carol Meyers – Discovering Eve (1988)

Harding, S. (1991). Whose Science? Whose Knowledge?: Thinking from Women's Lives

Code, L. (1991). What Can She Know? Feminist Theory and the Construction of Knowledge

Episode Summary: What if the most productive thing you could do this summer… is less?

In this gentle-yet-grounded episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we challenge the pressure to “make the most” of summer by doing more—and instead embrace the science and soul of slowing down. Host, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone offers five simple, evidence-based shortcuts to reclaim moments of real joy, presence, and restoration—without guilt or hustle.

Grounded in psychology and full of permission to pause, this is your gentle invitation to swap striving for savoring, even just for a few minutes a day.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Why summer sometimes feels like a grind (and how to resist it)
• The science behind savoring: Attention Restoration Theory + Positive Psychology
• The power of micro-rest and ritual for combating burnout
• The Broaden-and-Build Theory and how joy makes us stronger
• 5 liberating shortcuts to lighten the mental load

Here’s a sneak peak! 5 Tiny Summer Shortcuts for More Joy & Less Grind:

1. Do chores in the sunshine – Boost mood & vitamin D while still getting things done.
2. Reclaim waiting time – Turn “wasted” minutes into mini-retreats.
3. Make a ritual, not a routine – Infuse meaning into daily habits.
4. Go outside for no reason – Unplug, un-goal, and let nature reset your brain.
5. Say yes to low-stakes joy – Let go of perfection and embrace play.

Manifestatement: You don’t need to escape your life to enjoy your summer. You just need to insert small moments of pause, presence, and play into the life you already have.

Listener Invitation: What does your micro-moment of joy look like? Tag @AdvancingWomenPodcast on IG or Facebook, or send a message to share how you’re reclaiming rest this summer!

References:

• Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995)
• Broaden-and-Build Theory (Barbara Fredrickson, 1998)
• Positive Psychology + the science of savoring
• Norton & Gino (2014) on the power of ritual

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DM or tag to share your summer shortcut joy!

More on Dr. DeSimone here! https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-desimone-phd-mba-ba00b88/