Weekly companion blogs to the Transformative Journeys to Growth and Resilience™ podcast.
Revisiting the Ashes: September Reflections on Loss, Change, and Beginning Again
When I first recorded Building from the Ashes, I was still hesitantly finding my footing as a podcaster… and still trying to figure out how I could take my lived experience - not professional expertise - and use it to build something meaningful. Something that might help others not feel alone on their journey... I’m re-sharing the episode now, not because the story has changed… but because, even in these four short months, I have.
Why Your “Too ness” Is Actually a Superpower (Not a Flaw)
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too” anything, you’re not alone. But here’s the reality – being called “too” is really just someone’s way of saying, “You’re making me uncomfortable.” And it has a way of making us try to shrink, soften, or smooth out our edges in order to try to be accepted in a world that too often shies away from authenticity in favour of fitting in.
Empathy vs. Empath: Why Feeling Doesn’t Make You a Doormat
Most of us can feel the vibe of the people around us and respond to it on an emotional level. That’s empathy — our natural ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It’s part of what makes us human. But empathy and “being an empath” aren’t the same thing. Empathy is universal. “Empath” is a word that started in science fiction, got picked up by pop culture, and only much later drifted into psychology and wellness spaces.
Emotional Intelligence: Why Naming and Feeling Your Emotions Changes Everything
Forget the corporate HR buzzword for a second. Emotional intelligence isn’t about performance reviews or trendy employee seminars and workshops - it’s about the hard parts of being human. A bit about survival, a bit about connection, and a lot about healing.
You Don’t Need to Earn Your Rest - Snack Episode 15
Rest isn’t a reward that’s only doled out to those who get their list done first. It’s a Requirement.
Choosing Yourself Without Guilt: Why Healing Isn’t Selfish
the same area of our brain that processes physical pain - the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex or dACC (I don’t even try to pronounce this in the podcast…) - also lights up when we experience social rejection (Eisenberger, 2012). That’s why being left out hurts. Why it hurts when someone shows disapproval toward us. Why setting a boundary can feel like danger. And why choosing our own needs over others can feel like a risk. If you’ve experienced trauma, people-pleasing may have become a form of protection… a way to stay safe. Your nervous system learned that keeping others happy kept you safe. But what’s the cost of always ignoring our own needs?
