The Comparison Trap: Why Social Media Makes Us Feel Behind (and How to Break Free)

Comparison is everywhere—especially for real estate moms scrolling social media while juggling business, family, and life. In this episode, Shelley opens up about the quiet pressure we feel to “keep up,” the mental toll comparison takes, and why social media often leaves us feeling like we’re never doing enough.

You’ll hear why comparison is so powerful in today’s digital world, how perception often distorts reality, and a deeply personal story that reframes what success actually looks like. Shelley also shares encouragement rooted in faith, along with practical, realistic ways to step out of the comparison cycle and reclaim joy, confidence, and clarity in both business and motherhood.

If you’ve ever closed Instagram feeling defeated—even though you’re working hard—this episode is for you.

• Why comparison is one of the most damaging struggles for real estate moms

• How social media quietly fuels feelings of inadequacy and burnout

• Why we were never meant to consume endless highlight reels

• The difference between perception and reality online

• A powerful story from a real estate conference that changed how Shelley views success

• Why your struggles and story are actually your greatest strengths

• How faith and identity play a role in breaking free from comparison

• Creating a supportive circle where you can be fully seen and known

• Using gratitude to shift focus from what you lack to what you already have

• Setting healthy boundaries around social media use

• Recognizing when digital overload is impacting your mental health

• Trying intentional digital detoxes to reset your mindset

Your business was never meant to look like anyone else’s. You don’t need someone else’s timeline, brand, or blueprint to be successful. Your story, your pace, and your journey are uniquely yours—and they are exactly what your clients need.

You’re not behind. You’re growing. You’re becoming.

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In this episode, we’re diving into the unexpected marketing gold we can all steal from Joanna Gaines — and how these simple concepts can transform the way you show up in your real estate business. From crafting aspirational content to becoming a true community builder, to leveraging authenticity and storytelling that actually converts…we’re breaking down the marketing strategies social media loves and clients respond to.

Whether you’re building out your marketing calendar, tightening up your business systems, or just trying to make a business plan that doesn’t feel overwhelming, this episode will give you clear, doable takeaways you can start using today.

We’ll cover:

• Why aspirational marketing works — and how to use it in reels, listing marketing, and neighborhood spotlights

• How pouring into your town builds trust, visibility, and referral power

• The reason authenticity wins (and why your audience craves the real you)

• How storytelling makes your social media marketing unforgettable

• Ways to incorporate these ideas into your marketing plan, CRM, follow-up systems, and weekly workflow

• Simple content and email marketing templates you can plug into your strategy right now

Perfect for agents who want practical marketing ideas, better business strategies, and systems that let you grow without burning out.

If you’re ready for real estate marketing that feels aligned, magnetic, and actually sustainable…this episode is your new best friend.

Also, here are the great influencers, agents and friends who I talk about in this episode! I hope you enjoy their content as much as I do!

Kathryn McInturff - Realtor in Spokane, Washington

@mcinturffandco

Katie Day - agent in Houston Texas

Houston Unlocked Page

Katie's Main Page

Kyle Whissel - agent in San Diego, California

Everything East County Page

Kyle's Main Page

Shannon McKinstrie - social media coach in Carey, North Carolina

Shannons Instagram

Jeremiah Kobelka and Pip Haxby- Thompson - JFK Living in Haddon Twp, NJ

Listing Video sample

JFK Living main page

I hope these tips help, friend!!

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If you spend hours crafting a vision for your real estate business each year…but your home? It’s just sort of winging it? This episode is exactly what your home needs.

Today, we’re walking through a simple, life-giving practice I do every January: creating a home vision for the year. Not goals that add pressure — but a thoughtful look at what’s working, what’s not, and what our families actually need in this season.

You’ll learn how to: • Identify your biggest household pain points • Build systems that lower stress instead of adding to it • Simplify routines and reduce overwhelm • Support your kids’ unique strengths and needs • Protect time, energy, and peace in a busy real estate schedule • Create rhythms that help your home run smoothly all year long

Plus, I’m sharing a personal story about how our family’s weekly Sabbath became one of the most transformative rhythms we’ve ever added — and how you can create your own version that fits your household.

Whether your home feels one sock pile away from chaos or you’re craving a more grounded rhythm, this episode will help you step into the new year with intention, clarity, and a simple plan that actually supports you.

✨ Download the Free Printable Journal Prompts Grab the guided prompts I walk through in this episode so you can map out your own home vision. 👉 Get them here: Download your Home Vision Journal

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It's your weekly dose of inspiration for business and home, packed with the latest episodes, helpful links, and life-giving resources for real estate moms.

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Episode 6: The Grab-and-Go Client Gifting System for Busy Real Estate Moms

If closing gifts always feel like a last-minute scramble, this episode is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. Today, we’re diving into the simple, streamlined, grab-and-go gifting system our team uses to eliminate overwhelm, save hours each month, and create a polished, boutique experience for every client we serve.

You’ll learn how to build a repeatable routine for gifting, how to incorporate local businesses without adding extra errands to your workload, and how to turn a former stress point into a time-saving method you can prep once and use all year long.

If you’ve been craving more simplicity, more systems, and a little less chaos in your business, this episode will give you a tactical, high-impact strategy you can implement right away.

• Why gifting often becomes a stress point for agents

• The problems with “custom every time” gifting

• The grab-and-go gifting strategy and how it works

• How to batch your gifts for the entire year

• Creating a branded, elevated client experience

• Using local vendors without adding extra overwhelm

• Adding QR-coded vendor cards to support small businesses

• A full breakdown of what’s inside our boxes and where to source items

• How this system saves time, reduces mental load, and simplifies your workflow
  By the way....If you are looking for more systems, strategies, and time-saving routines for your real estate business and home life.... 💌 Join our Revival Newsletter: https://stan.store/ShelleyKillinger You’ll get weekly episodes + simple, life-giving resources to simplify your home and business — without the overwhelm.

Here is a photo of our completed boxes! Happy Gifting!

The Community-Rooted Real Estate Strategy That Actually Feels Good

If you’ve ever felt drained by the constant pressure to chase leads, cold-DM strangers, or obsess over your next transaction… this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale.

Today, we’re diving into a business approach that’s softer, richer, and far more sustainable: building a community-rooted real estate business.

Instead of spreading yourself thin trying to “market to the masses,” you’ll learn how to pour into the people already in your world — your kids’ teachers, your neighbors, the small-business owners you see every week, your friends, your extended family, and the people who make up the heart of your community.

When you shift from transaction chasing to relationship nurturing, you become more than a real estate agent… you become your community’s trusted guide, the person people feel proud to send their loved ones to. This is how you build a business that feels meaningful, sustainable, and deeply aligned with your values as a mom.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Why “next-deal panic” is burning so many real estate moms out

• The mindset shift from lead-hunting to relationship-building

• How to nurture your inner circle and community without feeling salesy

• Simple, joyful daily practices that naturally build deep trust

• Why this approach leads to more referrals, more loyalty, and more peace

• How to become the go-to real estate guide for your people — not through hustle, but through heart

This is a strategy that feels good, works long-term, and aligns beautifully with the way moms are wired to build connection.

If this episode encouraged you, I’d love to have you come hang out with me on Instagram: @shelleykillinger_pittsburgh And if the show is helping you build a calmer, more intentional real estate business, please take a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it truly means the world and helps other real estate moms find the show. 💛

If you’ve ever felt like you’re sprinting through your days—showings, contracts, laundry, school emails, more laundry… this episode is your new best friend.

Today we’re diving into the boundaries every real estate mom needs to put in place so you can run a thriving business and still have a life that feels calm, intentional, and actually enjoyable.

We’ll talk about: ✨ Why boundaries aren’t restrictive—they’re protective ✨ The “mom hours” you should be intentionally reserving in your work week ✨ How to stop letting real estate absorb every free minute of your life ✨ The mindset shift that frees you from the constant hustle pressure ✨ A simple exercise to help you choose ONE boundary to set this week (and actually stick to it)

If you’ve been craving more peace, more structure, and weekends that don’t feel like a second job… you’re going to love this conversation.

Come hang out with me on Instagram for more tips, behind-the-scenes, and mom-friendly systems: @shelley.killinger_pittsburgh

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If evenings feel like a whirlwind of homework, practices, hungry kids, and last-minute client calls… you are so not alone. Real estate moms everywhere are trying to juggle family life and a demanding business — and dinner is often the first thing to feel impossible.

In this episode, Shelley shares four simple systems she uses to make getting a home-cooked meal on the table completely doable, even on the busiest nights. These are the exact strategies she uses as a mom of four and a full-time agent, and they’ll help you replace dinnertime stress with calm, confidence, and a whole lot more ease.

• The Capsule Cooking method that lets you cook once and repurpose it into multiple fast, fresh meals

• How to build your family’s “Everyone Eats It” list so you can stop guessing what will actually get eaten

• The power of an always-ready pantry that helps you create meals without last-minute store runs

• Why your freezer is your best friend (and what to stock it with for instant lunches and no-stress dinners)

These systems aren’t fancy — they’re practical, flexible, mom-tested, and totally doable. If you want to feed your family well without burning yourself out, this episode will help you create structure around mealtime so it finally feels manageable again.

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Find me on instagram @shelley.killinger_Pittsburgh

The Ultimate Mom Calendar System: Reduce Mental Load & Simplify your home and business

If your brain constantly feels like it has 20 tabs open, this episode is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. Today, we’re talking about the ONE home management tool that finally helped me reduce the constant mental load of mom life — and created a smoother, calmer rhythm for our home and my real estate business.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the perpetual calendar system I’ve used for years. It’s the simple, repeatable structure that keeps me from forgetting the thousand tiny things moms carry — from snow boots to summer camps to client gifts — and it has completely transformed the way I run my home (and business!).

• Real-life examples of how forgetting the “little things” creates chaos

• How a Martha Stewart idea sparked a system that works for real estate moms

• What a perpetual calendar is and why it’s the secret to staying organized

• Monthly tasks you can build into your own system (like snow gear, furnace maintenance, camp sign-ups, holiday supplies, and more)

• How this calendar helps you enjoy the seasons instead of scrambling through them

• Ways to apply the system to your real estate business

• How this tool actually reduces stress & increases peace.

This isn’t about adding more to your plate — it’s about getting the right things out of your head and into a rhythm that supports you. A perpetual calendar remembers everything for you. It frees your brain, lowers the noise, and helps you step into each month a little calmer and more prepared.

You’ll walk away with:

• A simple process to create your own perpetual calendar

• A list of home, family, and business tasks to include

• A repeatable routine that keeps you from living in reactive mode

• A tool you can hand off to your assistant or even give to clients (hello, rave reviews!)

👉 Download the Home Care Calendar I give to my real estate customers

Home Care Calendar

👉 My Perpetual Calendar: Click here

👉 Connect on Instagram for more systems, home tips, and support for real estate moms @shelley.killinger_pittsburgh