Is there ever a right time to introduce your girlfriend/boyfriend to your parents? Listen to find how Gage made that decision-or how the decision was made for him-and how it went!

Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. It would really help and we would totally appreciate it!

Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal?

Click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/

Highlights:

1:36 Gage gets BUSTED

6:03 Commitment level matters

10:29 Did Gage’s parents make his girlfriend feel uncomfortable at any point?

15:31 Kristal just wants to be getting closer to having grandkids

17:37 Advice, optional of course.

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

Is Work-Life Balance even a thing? We tackle this very question with a special guest, Ellie, Gage’s younger sister who is also experiencing her first real job and struggling with this same question.

Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. It really helps us and we would totally appreciate it!

Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal?

Click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/

Highlights:

1:00 Meet Ellie

2:46 Gage’s definition of work life balance

3:44 Ellie’s definition of work life balance

4:09 Kristal’s definition of work life balance

9:34 To do the cool sh*t in life, it takes a lot of work

19:49 Sometimes all you need is a-little acknowledgement

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

After a five-day break, Gage talks about the anxiety creeping in before Monday hits. Kristal shares simple ways to ease the “Sunday Night Scaries” and how to shift your mindset for a smoother start to the week.

Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it!

Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/

Highlights:

2:26 Gage talks about his coping mechanisms

5:15 Kristal knows it as the Sunday blues and dives into why it happens

10:40 Sunday scaries/blues can have long term effects

12:27 Kristal breaks down what could cause the Sunday scaries in relation to your work week

16:15 Kristal realizes it's not the work week for Gage but his expectations

20:07 Kristal’s recommendations for the weekend

22:04 why exercise is always a good option

We want to hear from you! Reach out to Adviceisoptional@gmail.com.

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

Gage comes home to his childhood room turned guest room, and both Gage and Kristal have their own ideas as to how Gage reacted to the transition.

Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it!

Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/

Highlights:

2:25 everything is different

6:54 We have to take accountability at some point

8:43 Gage says he doesn’t give a shit

9:30 Gage compares home to a really annoying Air BNB

17:55 Gage breaks down his mom’s design choices.

19:20 Gage’s last bit of advice about coming home

We want to hear your ideas! Reach us at Adviceisoptional@gmail.com .

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

Moving to a new town is hard. Dating in a new town is harder. Kristal and Gage break down ideas to make dating less hard, and share views on online dating.

Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it!

Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/

Highlights:

1:36 the experience of online dating

4:04 [what we think is ] the science behind the dating apps

5:30 social media and your self-esteem

11:56 looking for partner has the opposite effect

15:51 forming connections through technology vs. in person discomfort

24:36 Gage’s last piece of advice about dating apps

You can reach us anytime at Adviceisoptional@gmail.com.

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

2:22 moms long answer about how I’m wrong

3:50 why I should ‘take one for the team’

6:49 my girlfriend and I reached a compromise

10:25 my mom offers her date night advice but I am all set

13:57 do I have to get my girlfriend the cheesy valentines bear

15:53 another piece of advice I refuse to take

17:15 I want to see some data on this 5 live languages

17:42 Last minute Advice

Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

The last episode of the season and our FIRST real guest!

We get serious about how to save money when you can barely afford rent and groceries!

If you hate listening to your parents about money, then I suggest listening to Kelly Ennis, CFP® a financial advisor! Just be sure to consult your financial professional prior to making any decisions or taking action

3:45 the time to start financial planning

5:14 Gage’s financial strategy…and it’s not pretty

11:20 calculating how much to put in your Emergency Fund

13:15 is financial software worth the subscription cost

17:52 how your friends group affects your bank account

20:20 Roth IRA explained

26:00 advice

28:00 is bitcoin or dogecoin entertainment or investment

32:37 the obvious disclaimer

Special Guest: Kelly Ennis, CFP®

Infinity Financial Strategies, LLC InfinityFinancialStrategies.net

This is not investing, tax or legal advice. Consult your financial professional prior to making any decisions or taking action. Infinity Financial Strategies is an Investment Adviser registered in the States of CT, MA and NY.

Advice is Optional is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.

If you have to get a job, then you have to listen to this episode.

Finding THE job is grueling and we discuss how it really feels to manage expectations and rejection. We also discuss if high school and career counseling is more hurtful than helpful in some cases.

2:55 job hunting is not for the faint of heart

4:22 rejection totally sucks

6:36 I don’t want to zig zag up the mountain I just want to go straight up

6:55 my mom wants to get me a sign It’s about the Journey not the Destination

7:21 when career counseling fails us

12:00 the important things on your career path that will never show up on your resume

13:14 how much the social pressure impacted me (to tell the truth about my career path)

16:50 my advice for people getting the interviews but not the jobs

18:38 my mom's advice for people my age who are getting interviews but not the job

22.22 my mom gets the last word

Interested in learning more about working one on one with Kristal, head on over to Life 101 Coaching

Advice is Optional is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.