Justine Brooks Froelker's Blog

Gratitude changes everything.

Not the surface-level, “everything’s fine” kind, rather the grounded, honest kind that notices the good even in the middle of the hard.

I’m grateful for every breath and every moment. For wondering whether the highlight of the day has already happened or whether something even better is still ahead. It’s not toxic positivity; it’s trust. Trust that there is always some light, some goodness, some glimmer to be found.

Today I’m grateful for more than I could put into a post.
Wishing you a day filled with nourishing food, people who make you feel like yourself, laughter that hurts in the best way, and connection that anchors you in awe and presence.

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In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Three, Be Fully You, with a powerful conversation about authenticity, vulnerability, and trusting yourself enough to show up as who you really are. She invites her longtime client and friend, Chel’Lee Whitten, assistant superintendent at Bayless School District, to talk about what it means to stop playing small and step into the spaces where you already belong.

Chel’Lee shares her journey of stepping into a major leadership role while still battling the old stories of being too much or not enough. She talks about the years of feeling like an outlier and how hearing the words “You were hired to be you” slowly shifted something inside her. Through a challenging school year, personal growth, and staying grounded in her core values of love and knowledge, she began to trust that she truly belonged in the spaces she leads.

Together, Justine and Chel’Lee explore what it looks like to keep promises to yourself, practice consistency, and reclaim self-worth through small daily actions. They talk about showing up for yourself so you can show up well for others, rewriting stories spoken over you, leading with presence and curiosity, and allowing silence to be an act of courage instead of something you rush to fill. Throughout the episode, they return to themes of authenticity, values, self-trust, and how being fully you creates room for others to grow too.

Key Takeaways

Pathway Three, Be Fully You, asks you to bring your whole self into the spaces you move through, even when you feel the pressure to shrink.Old stories like “you are a lot” or “you do not belong” can follow you into adulthood unless you name them and rewrite them.Leadership becomes more grounded when you stay rooted in your values and show up with presence, curiosity, honesty, and accountability.Keeping promises to yourself builds confidence and self-trust, which strengthens your ability to show up authentically.Silence can be an act of courage when you no longer feel the need to fill every space to prove yourself.Authenticity in leadership allows others to access your strengths and learn from you, which grows the community as a whole.Rewriting negative narratives from childhood or past environments is essential when claiming your worth and stepping into who you are.Practicing the pause, resting, and honoring your limits helps prevent burnout and supports long term impact.You cannot love others well if you are not loving yourself well first.

About the guest

Chel’Lee Whitten is the assistant superintendent at Bayless School District in St. Louis. She is a thoughtful, values driven leader who centers love, curiosity, and growth in her work with staff, students, and the wider community. Chel’Lee is passionate about helping others step into their gifts and believes deeply in the power of authenticity, presence, and courageous leadership.

Connect with Chel’LeeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chel-lee-whitten-55570026a/

The post Episode 3: I Was Hired to Be Me and I Am Enough appeared first on Justine Froelker.

A cabin weekend offered me a few unexpected leadership lessons.

First, the spiders. They spend all night building intricate webs, work that will likely be destroyed by morning. And still, they build again.

Then the fog. It settles in and makes everything look gray and heavy, until the sun breaks through and reminds you that clarity always returns.

And finally, the hundreds of photos I took trying to get the perfect Christmas card shot of our dogs. A small reminder that even the things we work hard on may be fleeting, most ending up in the recycling bin, though a few live on refrigerators across America. (Which truly makes me smile.)

Three tiny moments, one big theme:
Life is fleeting, work is temporary, and perspective shapes everything.

As we head into a holiday week, may we all remember to:

• Build from a place of joy
• Serve in a way that honors our values
• Do the work that matters, knowing impact often reaches farther than we can see
• Keep perspective because at the end of all of this, the only thing we really leave behind is love

Wishing you a grounded start to the week and a meaningful season ahead.

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In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Two, Embody Again, with a real and honest conversation about learning to take care of yourself when no one ever taught you how. She invites her close friend, online business manager, and homeschool mom, Kristen Hanff, to share how a long, chaotic season of change became the unexpected training ground for learning to show up for herself.

Kristen walks through the season that included leaving corporate life, choosing to homeschool, relocating to a rural area, launching a business, and navigating a DNA discovery that changed everything at 39. She talks about being traumatized, overwhelmed, and unsure what to do next, while still finding anchors in therapy, trusted friendships, honest conversations with her husband, and stepping away from social media to create space for healing. She also shares how spiritual nudges played a role in helping her take small obedient steps that led to big shifts.

Together, Justine and Kristen explore how values work reshaped everything. Once Kristen named showing up for her people as a core value, she began to understand that caring well for herself was not selfish, it was essential to living that value well. They talk about shifting from rigid routines to flexible rhythms, creating non negotiables that support her mental and spiritual health, and finding work patterns that match her wiring rather than forcing someone else’s system. Throughout the episode, they return to the themes of seasons, community, and courage, and how embodying again happens one grounded choice at a time.

Key Takeaways

Pathway Two, Embody Again, is about getting back into your body, honoring your needs, and following through for yourself so you can show up well for others.When self care was not modeled for you and you were not cared for well as a child, learning to take care of yourself as an adult can feel uncomfortable and confusing.Seasons of big change, like leaving corporate, homeschooling, moving, and life changing family discoveries, often expose how fragile or nonexistent our self care really is.Therapy, journaling, spiritual practices, and stepping away from social media can create space to process trauma and hear what you truly need.Naming core values, such as showing up for your people, can reframe self care from selfishness into a necessary act of love and loyalty.Shifting from rigid “routines” to more flexible “rhythms” allows you to hold both structure and grace as life ebbs and flows.Non negotiables like quiet time, movement, and nourishing food are practical ways to embody courage and keep your nervous system steadier.Entrepreneurs and busy parents often need to rethink time management, choosing work blocks and topic chunks instead of strict time blocking that does not fit their wiring.Overcorrecting from not being cared for can show up as abandoning yourself to care for everyone else, finding the middle requires awareness, boundaries, and support.Seasons will keep changing, and the work of caring well for yourself is ongoing, not something you perfect once and never revisit.

About the guest

Kristen Hanff is the owner of Simplified Services, where she serves entrepreneurs as an online business manager. A wife, mom of four, and homeschooling parent, she knows firsthand what it looks like to juggle family, business, and leadership while learning to care well for herself along the way. Kristen is also working on a devotional book and has a deep gift for listening and responding to spiritual nudges that shape her life and work.

Connect with KristenWebsite: https://www.kristenhanff.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplifiedServices.VirtualAdminInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_simplified.services_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-hanff/Google Business Profile: https://share.google/AEddhhdNcv3yY1BLCLink Tree: https://simplifiedservices.myflodesk.com/learnmore

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In this first full episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway One, Feel It All, with a very personal conversation about big feelings, values, and courage. She invites her longtime friend, author and educator Rebecca Pierce, to share how she learned to feel her feelings instead of being ruled by them and how that work now shapes her family, her school, and her leadership.

Rebecca grew up in a home where emotions were avoided, boxed up, or covered over with doing. As the “big feeler” in her family, she did not always have permission to name what she felt or process hard experiences. Two important people in her life first modeled emotional honesty and story sharing, and later her friendship with Justine gave her language and tools for moving feelings through her body instead of letting them get stuck.

Together, Justine and Rebecca unpack what Pathway One looks like in real life: starting with values, noticing emotional patterns, practicing “both and,” and choosing courage in community rather than getting stuck in shame and isolation.

Key Takeaways

Values come first. Before you can feel it all in a healthy way, you need to know what you stand on. Values are the roots that keep you grounded when your emotions feel big.Feelings need movement. Emotions live in the body. Shaking, bouncing, and literally moving fear or adrenaline through your body is not foolish, it is wise and necessary.Feelings are passengers, not drivers. Your emotions deserve a seat on the bus, but letting them drive your life leads to reactions rather than thoughtful responses.Grace and accountability can coexist. Rebecca gives herself a few days to rest, grieve, and recover when she feels low, then intentionally chooses to shower, show up, and take the next step.We need people in the muck with us. Courage grows when you have people who can validate your feelings, challenge the lies of shame, and remind you of what is true about you.The word “and” changes everything. Launching a child, leading a school, and walking through transitions often feels both beautiful and painful. Allowing yourself to feel both is part of wholehearted living.Courage is built between us. From staff meetings at Trailblazer Academy to kitchen table conversations, this work happens in relationship, not in isolation.

About the guest

Rebecca Pierce is the founder of Trailblazer Academy, a micro school that offers a wholehearted approach to STEAM education rooted in the values of kind, curious, and brave. She is a mother of five, a complex feeler, and a courageous leader who wants kids and adults to have the emotional tools she did not have growing up. Rebecca is also the author of Do Today Well, a grace-based book that offers practical strategies for living a faith filled life one day at a time.

Connect with RebeccaWebsite: Explore Trailblazer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exploretrailblazer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exploretrailblazer/

Book: Do Today Well on Amazon

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Welcome to the Courage Is Built Here Podcast. In this foundational Episode, Justine Froelker invites you into a space where courageous leadership is built one choice, one conversation, and one intentional moment at a time. She introduces the heartbeat of the podcast and the five pathways that shape every courageous leader’s growth.

Justine explains how courage is a skill rather than a personality trait and how it is built through practice, presence, and honesty. She walks listeners through the five pathways of her Courage is Built Here leadership framework and gives a preview of the honest, vulnerable, and empowering stories that will unfold in future conversations.

Key Takeaways

Courage is a daily practice, not a personality traitThe difference between performing courage and embodying itAn introduction to the five Courage is Built Here pathwaysHow leaders grow through clarity, curiosity, compassion, connection, and committed actionWhat to expect in future episodes with courageous leaders and expertsJustine’s philosophy of grit, grace, and whole self leadership

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Leading across generations takes courage.

Different experiences. Different expectations. Different ways of communicating.
And yet, the goal is the same: to connect, collaborate, and build trust.

I’m excited to partner with Enterprise University for a free virtual workshop:

Leading Across Generations with Courage and Clarity is tomorrow morning. Free & open to the public!

We’ll dig into how to:
Lead with empathy and emotional awareness
Build trust through courageous vulnerability
Communicate clearly, stay curious, and set healthy boundaries

Because leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about people.
And courage is built here.

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Something new is coming, and it’s built from courage, connection, and the real conversations we’re all craving.

For months, I’ve been recording stories, practices, and honest conversations with incredible humans who are doing the courage work in their lives, leadership, families, and communities. And very soon, you’ll get to join us.

Because courage isn’t built in isolation.
It’s built in the small, honest moments.
In the questions we’re brave enough to ask.
And in the stories we share with one another.

Courage is Built Here: The Podcast is almost here, a place for you to learn, breathe, laugh, question, and build courage one real conversation at a time.

Inside the episodes, you’ll find:
Courage practices
Real stories of transformation
Leadership tools
Everyday moments of truth, grace, and grit
Guests who are doing the work in their real lives

And before we launch, I just want to say this:
My hope is that this podcast serves you,
that it helps you feel less alone,
that it reminds you of the truth, of your values, and of your belovedness,
and that it gives you real tools for living and leading with courage every single day.

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This morning’s sunrise felt like a reminder.

My routines, especially my morning and nighttime ones, haven’t just improved my health, they’ve saved my life. They’re the bedrock of peace, presence, and pure joy in my days.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

It simply needs to help you feel present, in awe, in wonder, and in joy.

My routines, especially my morning and nighttime ones, haven’t just improved my health; they’ve saved my life. They’re the bedrock of peace, presence, and pure joy in my days.

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