Let’s Get Real with Jena Burris
Welcome to Let’s Get Real, the podcast for women who feel like they’re holding it all together on the outside… but falling apart on the inside.
If you’re exhausted from pretending, overwhelmed by the pressure to be everything for everyone, or unsure who you even are anymore—you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy.
Let’s Get Real is where we have honest conversations about the struggles most people avoid—healing emotional wounds, losing yourself in motherhood, rebuilding your identity, and learning how to live whole again.
I’m Jena Burris—wife, mom, and your host. With a background in marriage and family therapy, life coaching, and years spent navigating life behind the scenes of the NFL and Hollywood, I’m passionate about creating a space where real conversations lead to real healing.
Each week, you’ll hear real stories, practical tools, and the reminder that freedom is closer than you think. Because I believe that in order to heal, we have to get real.
New episodes every Tuesday. Real talk. Real tools. Real healing.
For speaking inquiries, brand partnerships, or workshop opportunities, visit www.jenaburris.com or email jena@jenaburris.com.
Let’s Get Real with Jena Burris
Sidelined by the NFL Life—How Eileen Noyes Reclaimed Her Voice, Identity, and Self-Worth (Part 1)
Have you ever looked around and thought, “I should feel grateful... but instead, I feel like I’ve lost myself”?
That’s exactly what we’re diving into today.
In this episode, I sat down with my friend Eileen Noyes, and her story is one that I know so many of you are going to feel deep in your bones. From the outside, she was living the dream—married to an NFL player, raising a beautiful family, doing everything “right.” But behind the highlight reel, Eileen was slowly fading. She had left behind her career, her community, and the version of herself that felt fully alive.
And what followed was a painful unraveling—one that led to healing, rebuilding, and reclaiming her voice.
Eileen shared what life looked like before the big move to Green Bay. She had built something meaningful as a strength coach at San Diego State. She was coaching athletes, praying over them, and walking in her calling. But when she bought a one-way ticket to follow her husband into the NFL life, she was tossed into a new world where everything familiar disappeared.
She didn’t know a soul. Her husband was gone most of the time. And suddenly, she was alone in a duplex, holding a newborn, wondering where her purpose went.
It didn’t happen overnight. That’s the thing—losing your identity is often a slow fade. A hundred small compromises. A thousand moments of telling yourself, “This isn’t about me.” And over time, your voice just... disappears.
We talked about the unspoken rules women face in high-pressure marriages: Don’t complain. Don’t burden him. Don’t rock the boat. For Eileen, it meant silencing her own struggles, staying small, and hiding behind her kids to avoid being seen.
And y’all—I get it. Because I’ve done that too.
This conversation is tender and real. Eileen opens up about numbing through shopping. About clinging to roles like “mom” just to feel some sense of identity. About how her faith felt stuck while her husband was taking off. And yet—God never stopped pursuing her.
She started to remember who she was. Not because of her title or role, but because of her worth in Christ. And now? She’s helping other women do the same.
If you’ve ever felt like your voice doesn’t matter... if you’ve ever believed the lie that you’re “just” a mom or “just” a wife... this episode is your reminder that God has more for you. You were made for fullness, not survival.
Connect with Eileen:
- https://www.ladybellator.com
- The Unsidelined Life Podcast
- Instagram: @eileenpnoyes
- Facebook: Eileen Bermundo Noyes
And if this episode spoke to you, send it to a friend who might need it too. Or come find me on Instagram @jenaburris —DM me and let’s talk. I’d love to hear your story.
We’re picking up the rest of Eileen’s story in Part 2. Trust me, you’ll want to hear what happens next.
Free Guide:
Motherhood can leave you feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from who you are.
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even feel like myself anymore,”—you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why I created The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again.
It’s a free, practical resource with doable shifts that help you reconnect with yourself without adding more to your to-do list.
Click the link to download it and start taking your life back today.
Link: https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801