A pro and con list can’t tell you why a choice feels right in your bones. We start with a deceptively simple question: why would two frequent travelers in a small city townhome with three cats decide to get a dog? That “on paper it makes no sense” moment opens the door to a deeper conversation about discernment, the kind that lives in your body, your intuition, and that quiet internal click of rightness you can’t always explain.

I’m joined by Stephanie Peirolo, executive coach and author of The Saint and the Drunk: A Guide to Making the Big Decisions in Your Life. Stephanie breaks discernment into practical signals you can actually use, especially attraction and aversion. We talk about why women are often taught to mistrust a strong “no,” how cultural expectations distort our choices, and why beginning with the words “I want” can feel startlingly hard. Stephanie also shares the spiritual roots of discernment through Saint Ignatius of Loyola, then offers a more inclusive approach inspired by Alcoholics Anonymous and the idea of a Higher Power you define for yourself.

We also get real about what blocks the signal: trauma, grief, shame, perfectionism, and the fear of making a mistake. Stephanie introduces the idea of an “internal community” of voices, including the one we jokingly call Barbara, and how naming those narratives helps you choose with more clarity and self-compassion. If you’re deciding about a relationship, a career pivot, becoming a parent, moving, or any other life crossroads, you’ll leave with a grounded decision-making process you can practice slowly and make your own.

You can find Stephanie HERE

https://www.speirolo.com/

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