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No one has it all figured out. And anyone who says they do? Well, they’re lying.
This is for the women who are trying. Trying to juggle all the things. Trying to make sense of what they actually want. Trying to keep their heads above water without losing themselves in the process.
Career. Money. Relationships. The pressure to do it all. The pressure to want it all. And the moments you secretly wonder, is it just me?
Here we speak openly, laugh through chaos, and ask questions instead of pretending to have all the answers.
Because we’re all a work in progress.
Gayle Kalvert (00:00):
We spend so much time looking at everybody's highlight reels, and we always keep thinking, myself included, how did they make that look so easy? The truth is nobody has it all together, and that's what this is all about. Work in Progress is a space where we drop the act, we ditch the pretense. No one has it all sorted, so let's get real. This is Work in Progress. I'm your host, Gayle Kalvert, and yes, I'm a work in progress.
Gayle Kalvert (00:31):
Hi everyone, I'm Gayle Kalvert and welcome to the Work in Progress podcast. I'm so excited to be here with you all for our very first, "Is It Just Me?" show. Let me tell you a little bit about this podcast and what you can expect. We all have areas where we're killing it, right? We're thriving, but let's be honest with each other. There are a million things swirling around in our heads and we just don't have the time or energy to fully process it or even find the answers, because life, right?
Gayle Kalvert (01:04):
It gets busy and it's a lot trying to balance work, kids, family, relationships, finances...it's a whole thing. And then you throw in trying to maintain friendships, stay healthy, keep up with your hobbies. It just becomes really overwhelming.
Gayle Kalvert (01:22):
That's where Work in Progress comes from. Sometimes it'll just be me, thinking out loud, literally asking you, is it just me? Other times I'll bring on amazing guests to dive into topics that we're all navigating. I'll ask the questions that are going through all of our minds. We'll cover money, career, love, all of it. Just be real. Have unfiltered conversations with people who get it. My biggest hope is that you'll leave each episode feeling a little lighter, a little less alone, and with the powerful reminder that it is not just you.
Gayle Kalvert (02:02):
So let me take you back to the beginning, to a girl growing up in New York, a girl with big glasses and big dreams, even she couldn't name those dreams yet. But I always knew that I wanted a big life, an exciting life. I pictured an amazing career, a beautiful family, the whole package, and I just assumed it would all work out if I worked hard and I did the right thing. It was a given, right?
Gayle Kalvert (02:30):
Well, looking back, I realized that was a little bit naive. I grew up in a home where everything was fine, a good home, no major drama, very even-keeled. It's almost funny to say, but in a way, I wasn't quite prepared. I wasn't quite prepared for the rollercoaster of highs and lows that real life throws at you.
Gayle Kalvert (02:52):
Fast forward a few years, a bunch of years, and there I was ready to conquer the corporate world. It was the nineties, and I had this image in my head, the power suit, the pin stripes, the briefcase, the heels, clicking on the pavement in New York City. I threw myself into climbing the ladder, and honestly, I loved it. The hustle, the travel, the smart people, the learning, the social life. It was awesome. I truly, truly had a phenomenal experience.
Gayle Kalvert (03:26):
But even as I was succeeding, there was a little voice in the back of my head that was always kind of saying, is this it? I began to realize that no matter how high I climbed or how hard I worked, I still was building someone else's dream. And there was a voice inside me always saying, why not me? It wasn't my dream. And over time I realized that the only way to have true freedom, financial freedom, and to have control over your own life was to own something myself.
Gayle Kalvert (04:01):
Then came the plot twist. There's always a plot twist. The layoff. I was at a crossroads. I could go back to the climb or I could take a risk and do my own thing. It was terrifying, but it was also really liberating. My daughter who's 16 still says, "I remember that day, mom. We celebrated when you were laid off." And I'm so glad that even though I was terrified, that is how my kids remember it. It was a celebration because no matter what life throws at you, I have always learned from my mother that everything really is going to be fine. So one of the best pieces of advice that I've gotten along the way is to not chase your passion necessarily, but to find where your passion and your skills intersect for something that the world needs.
Gayle Kalvert (04:57):
So I jumped. I started small and scrappy. Given the layoff, we had to let go of our au pair and all the systems that we had built to help us thrive in the corporate world with three small kids, and that had to go. So like I said, I started small. We had no safety net. I did not have connections. All I had was the knowledge that I was going to work hard and a gut feeling that would guide me.
Gayle Kalvert (05:32):
So years later, post pandemic, that scrappy start has grown into something I'm immensely proud of. What drives me now, what gets me up in the morning every day isn't just building a business. It's about building a community. It's really about connecting with all of you and the people that I get to work and interact on a daily basis. It's something about creating a place where people feel supported and they can grow where they know that someone has their back.
Gayle Kalvert (06:07):
So I own an agency, and it is equally as important to me that both our clients feel that way as well as the team members who have joined us in business. Because here's the truth, life is messy. We all are just a work in progress, and the most powerful thing we can do is be honest, be vulnerable, and realize that we are not alone in this journey.
Gayle Kalvert (06:34):
So here's the thing, and it's a big one. If you're listening right now and you're lying awake at night wondering if you've done enough, if that dream of yours is ever going to materialize, please hear me when I say you are not alone. I get to have these conversations and yeah, I've been working my tail off to be here, but it also feels like a privilege. And what I want to share more than anything is this: none of us, not a single one of us has it all figured out.
Gayle Kalvert (07:05):
If your credit card debt is piling up and your savings account is a ghost town, if the thought of your kids' college tuition is making your head spin, you're not alone. If you are feeling like you want to start your own business, but your health isn't cooperating and you're not able to get that started, you're not alone. I've been there myself. If you're navigating motherhood and you're not sure that you recognize the person in the mirror anymore, you are not alone. If you're questioning your marriage and you're wondering if you should stay or should you go, you're not alone. And if at the end of the day you feel like you're giving it your all, but things just don't feel like a success story to you, you are so not alone because that's life. It's messy, it's unpredictable, and we're all in this swirling current together.
Gayle Kalvert (07:58):
But we spend so much time looking at everybody's highlight reels, and we always keep thinking, myself included, how did they make that look so easy? The truth is, nobody has it all together. And that's what this is all about. Work in Progress is a space where we drop the act, we ditch the pretense. No one has it all sorted. So let's get real. Let's talk openly. Let's lift each other up.
Gayle Kalvert (08:24):
And look at me. I'm sitting here hosting this podcast, running my own agency, and it has been a wild ride full of ups and downs. And I'll be honest, there have been many moments where I have wondered, how is this going to work out? I have screamed, I have cried, all of it, I promise, and I'm going to share those stories too. And that's the reality for so many of us. I know because I have these conversations with my friends and the people I work with and now on this podcast that no matter how successful somebody looks, all of us are having those moments where we're thinking, is it just me or what now? Or how do I deal with this?
Gayle Kalvert (09:10):
So one of the things that I've been told that has really helped me feel better in those moments, even just on a really tough Tuesday, is you're doing your absolute best, and that is enough. Give yourself some grace. Find something to laugh about, to be happy about. There are certainly silver linings and sometimes it's hard to find them, but we can do that together. So what we need, I think, is a whole lot more conversations, a lot more compassion, a little more grace, and the willingness to just talk to each other because I truly believe that more connection means less stress. We need to give ourselves and each other a break. So many of us crave that authenticity, the permission to be imperfect, but we're held back by fear, and I am too right now. I am so nervous my mouth is dry because I'm thinking, who am I to be doing this right now? What if I mess this up? Will people judge me?
Gayle Kalvert (10:13):
But here's the thing, we're all just trying to navigate this as best we can. And if I can't be real with you, how can I ask you to be real with me? So this is me, Gayle Kalvert, making a promise. I will be honest. I will be authentic always, and I hope with all my heart that this becomes a place where you can exhale, let your shoulders drop and just breathe a little deeper, sending you so much love. Please message me and let me know what are your questions? What are the things that you are wondering? Is it just me? Because let's find those answers together so that we can feel a little more at peace, have a little more fun and a lot less to worry about. Much love.
Gayle Kalvert (11:00):
So is it just me or any of you asking yourself the same question? DM me your "Is it just me?" moments because let's be real, none of us have it all figured out.