Podcasts about emotionally

‘Yes, he's done well, but it's on the backs of other hardworking taxpayers.'‘There is very little to be proud about.'Cai Wilshaw and Kelvin Mackenzie debate Jim Ratcliffe's apology and Keir Starmer's comments about Britain being a ‘diverse and proud' country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you constantly navigating conversations where you feel like you're walking on eggshells? Or maybe you find yourself questioning your reality after talking to someone who can't seem to take accountability, ever?In this episode, I dive into the uncomfortable (but necessary) topic of how to talk to emotionally immature people — whether it's a partner, parent, friend, or colleague.Through the lens of personal growth, communication skills, and emotional intelligence, I'll walk you through what emotional immaturity really looks like, how to protect your peace without cutting everyone off, and powerful ways to respond without abandoning yourself.What you'll get out of this episode… Why emotional immaturity is so triggeringBrave phrases to set boundaries from a grounded placeThe power of walking away (without guilt)Why you don't have to win the argumentHow to hold space without abandoning your truthThis Episode is Sponsored by Chai TonicsThis Galentine's, give the gift of ritual with Chai Tonics — nourishing Ayurvedic superfood chai blends for calm, focus, and a nervous-system exhale. Get 20% off with code VALENTINE at https://bit.ly/trychaitonics.Discover which chai blend matches your vibe with my FREE quiz:⁠ https://chaitonics.com/pages/chai-quiz Breathe better with JASPRIf you're ready to support your healing from the inside out, start with the air you breathe. Try the JASPR Air Scrubber for a cleaner, safer home environment — get $400 off with code BRAVE at https://jaspr.co/brave.Support your body with REJŪVMy go-to science-backed red light therapy for faster recovery, reduced soreness, and deeper repair. Try it today with code BRAVETABLE: Https://werejuv.com/?ref=NEETABHUSHANFollow along for more tips, community, and resources to brave a better you!YOUTUBE / @TheBraveTableIG / @neetabhushan IG / @thebravetable TIKTOK / @neeta.bhushanWEB / https://neetabhushan.comIf you loved this episode, check out…Ep. #396: Everyone Says “Cut Them Off” — Here's What No One Tells You About Family Healing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/396-everyone-says-cut-them-off-heres-what-no-one-tells/id1608226580?i=1000744134535 Ep. #402: You Cannot Manifest From Exhaustion (Here's What to Do Instead): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/402-you-cannot-manifest-from-exhaustion-heres-what/id1608226580?i=1000747025409 Ep. #403: Why You're Already Negotiating Every Day (But Don't Realize It) with Lousin Mehrabi: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/403-why-youre-already-negotiating-every-day-but-dont/id1608226580?i=1000747708015 To receive a free gift, email a screenshot of your 5-star review of The Brave Table to support@globalgrit.co

Dr. Guy Winch explains why we must treat emotional injuries with the same urgency as physical ones. "We ruminate, we beat ourselves up, we criticize ourselves, we think we're weak… and we end up compounding the emotional injury." He introduces the idea of "emotional first aid" and why we need a psychological toolbox to stop that downward spiral. Guy breaks down the difference between how we respond to physical pain versus emotional pain. "We go to the medicine cabinet for a physical injury, but we have no cabinet for emotional injuries." He explains why we must learn emotional hygiene: "The injuries don't just go away." We also discuss how emotional neglect works and the long-term consequences of unacknowledged wounds. "The mind does not heal itself. The mind broods." Finally, Guy offers a new model for how to respond when people open up to you emotionally. "Start with compassion. You can offer logic later." Key Insights: Insight 1: "We ruminate, we beat ourselves up, we criticize ourselves, we think we're weak… and we end up compounding the emotional injury." This explains why emotional pain often intensifies over time without care — because we engage in harmful self-dialogue instead of healing practices. Insight 2: "The mind does not heal itself. The mind broods." Guy challenges the myth that emotional wounds naturally heal. Without intervention, the mind tends to replay and deepen the pain. Insight 3: "We go to the medicine cabinet for a physical injury, but we have no cabinet for emotional injuries." He contrasts our well-established responses to physical pain with the absence of tools for emotional distress — and why this gap needs to be closed. Insight 4: "Emotional hygiene is about treating those injuries when they occur and trying to prevent them in the first place." He introduces emotional hygiene as a proactive and reactive strategy, just like physical hygiene protects against illness and injury. Insight 5: "Start with compassion. You can offer logic later." This is a clear framework for responding to others in distress — showing why empathy should precede problem-solving. Action Items: "Start with compassion. You can offer logic later." Use this sequence when someone shares emotional pain. "The first step is to recognize the injury for what it is." Acknowledge when you've been emotionally hurt. Label it. "Would I say this to a friend? If the answer is no, then don't say it to yourself." A reframe technique to interrupt self-criticism. "You don't take one antibiotic and stop. You have to do the course. It's the same with emotional first aid." Practice emotional tools consistently, not just once. "Rumination is like a psychological infection. And so what you need to do is stop the infection from spreading." Interrupt rumination cycles early. "You have to override your own instinct." Emotionally healthy responses often require pushing against our natural urges to withdraw or self-blame. Get Mind Over Grind, here: https://tinyurl.com/49mshdmv Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comMost leaders were taught to leave their emotions at the door. Today's guest says that advice isn't just outdated — it's costly. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth sits down with Dina Denham Smith, executive coach and bestselling author of Emotionally Charged, to unpack why emotional skill is now a core leadership capability, not a “soft” add-on. Drawing on behavioral science and her work as an executive coach and strategic advisor, Dina explains why emotions are data, how leaders unknowingly perform massive emotional labor, and what it really takes to manage triggers, prevent burnout, and unlock performance. As Dina puts it: “Emotions are money.” By the end of this conversation, you'll see why ignoring emotions is bad for you and bad for business – and what to do instead.SHOW NOTESDina's story — and why this work mattersOne surprising thing about Dina you won't find on the internetHow Emotionally Charged would have helped Dina earlier in her own careerWhat sparked Dina's interest in the science of emotionsHow the pandemic and technology shifts dramatically increased the emotional demands placed on leadersCore ideas from Emotionally ChargedThe key takeaway: Emotions are information“Emotions are money”: how feelings directly translate into performance, retention, and resultsThe biggest myth Dina wants to retire: that emotions get in the way of good business decisionsWhat “emotional labor” really means — and why research shows leaders perform as much of it as customer service professionals (and in more complex ways)The three layers of every emotion: physiology, cognition, and behaviorWhy suppressing emotions is like trying to hold beach balls underwater Practical tools you can use immediatelyBeach balls, masks, and “letting it all hang out”: finding the right balance at workWhy expanding your emotional vocabulary dramatically improves self-regulationDina's BRAVE framework for managing triggers in real time: Breathe, Refocus, Accept, Verbalize, Engage Restoration (not “self-care”): four evidence-based ways leaders recover from emotional strain: Detachment, Relaxation, Mastery, Control Power, leadership, and team cultureWhy leaders consistently underestimate their emotional impactHow power amplifies everything you feel and showWhy everyone cues off their leader's emotional signals (often unconsciously)How leaders can normalize emotional expression on their teams — without turning meetings into complaint sessionsSimple ways managers can reset emotional culture inside their own sphere of influenceDina's reminder: emotional skills are learnable — and improvable at any stage of your career. BIO AND LINKSDina Denham Smith is an executive coach and strategic advisor who helps senior leaders build their capacity, scale their impact, and thrive in complexity. For more than a decade, she has partnered with executives at some of the world's most successful companies, helping them navigate the demands of operating at the highest levels. Dina holds an MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and she is credentialed by both the ICF and EMCC as an executive and team coach. A prolific thought leader, Dina has published more than 60 articles on leadership for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, and other premium outlets. She is the lead author of Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work (Oxford University Press, 2025).Connect with DinaWebsite: https://dinadsmith.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-denham-smith/Her book: https://dinadsmith.com/book/ People and Books ReferencedDr. Alicia Grandey — Dina's co-author https://psych.la.psu.edu/people/aag6/Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker https://a.co/d/07CbSJAYMore from 97% EffectiveMichael's Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You're Really Missing at Work That's Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffectiveAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Self-led digital practices for emotional resilience, inner growth mindset development, and steady living through uncertainty — and beyond.Designed for people who choose self-responsibility, emotional maturity, and inner authority as a way of living.✨ Featured BundleIf you're moving through uncertainty and want to build steadiness from within — without bypassing emotions or forcing clarity — the Uncertainty to Steadiness Inner Growth Mindset Practice Bundle offers self-led practices designed to support emotional resilience, nervous system safety, and intentional living over time.

Most couples believe trust is built by being honest—by not lying, not hiding anything major, and generally doing what you say you'll do. And while integrity absolutely matters, many couples are surprised to find that honesty alone still leaves gaps in connection, security, and emotional safety. You can be faithful, responsible, and well-intentioned… and yet your partner can still feel out of the loop, uncertain, or like something is being held back. That's because honesty and transparency are not the same thing and that difference matters more in marriage than most couples realize. Transparency goes beyond answering questions or avoiding outright deception. It's about being proactive, thoughtful, and emotionally present with your inner world—sharing needs while they're still small, closing gaps before they turn into doubt or resentment, and trusting your partner enough to let them in before there's a problem. In this episode, we unpack what transparency actually looks like in real marriages, the common ways couples unintentionally avoid it, and why playing it "safe" often creates more distance over time. If you want to feel more secure, emotionally connected, and truly on the same team, this conversation will bring clarity to tangible ways to be more transparent and create emotional safety.  ➡️ If you're ready to take the next step in building your connection. We have two main resources to support you. One of two 30-Day Couples Challenges: The level 1 - Prioritizing Us for daily connection  The level 2 - Rebuilding Us for daily trust repairing and rebuilding  

Leave a message & include your contact or I won't know it's you.Many people don't relate to the word abuse—not because nothing happened, but because emotional control often doesn't look dramatic, obvious, or cruel. In emotionally abusive or controlling relationships, the most damaging patterns are often subtle, gradual, and reinforced in ways that are easy to miss while you're in them.In this episode, we explore the subtle signs of emotional control that don't look like abuse, including how conditioning, self-doubt, and relief-based compliance can quietly train you to minimize your needs, question your perception, and adapt in ways you didn't consciously choose. You'll learn why so many people struggle to name emotional abuse, how shame and conditioning keep experiences minimized, and why recognizing these patterns is not about blame—but about clarity and empowerment.This episode is for anyone who has ever thought “It wasn't that bad” while still feeling smaller, more careful, or less like themselves. If you're trying to make sense of lingering confusion after a relationship and want language for what actually happened, this conversation will help you see it clearly—and understand why naming it can be the beginning of real healing.Support the showTo learn more about my Programs visit the websitewww.radiatenrise.com Email: Allison@radiatenrise.comFree 30 Min Root Cause Call Join Radiate and Rise Together - Survivor Healing Community for Women GET YOUR FREE AUDIOTo send a DM, visit Allison's profiles on Instagram and Facebookhttps://www.instagram.com/allisonkdagney/https://www.facebook.com/allisonkdagney/*Formerly (The Emotional Abuse Recovery Podcast)

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I'm your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer — and today's episode is perfectly timed for February. Because it's the month of love… and I want to talk about who you're actually in a relationship with in your business. Not your partner. Not your dog. Your clients. Because here's the thing no one tells groomers early enough: You can be booked solid. You can be making money. You can look “successful” from the outside. …and still quietly dread your day-to-day life. And most of the time, that doesn't come from grooming itself. It comes from the relationships you've built your business on. So today, we're talking about: Fling clients Ideal clients And soulmate clients And how falling in love with your clients doesn't mean being softer, nicer, or more accommodating. It means building a business that actually loves you back. Let's talk about fling clients. And before anyone feels called out, I want to be very clear: Most groomers did not choose fling clients on purpose. We were taught to accept them. Early in our careers, the message was: Say yes. Take what you can get. Be grateful for every client. And in the beginning, that makes sense. You're building. You're learning. You're trying to survive. But somewhere along the way, temporary clients became the foundation of permanent businesses. And that's where things start to hurt. Fling clients are the clients who: Book once and disappear Only show up when they're desperate Don't read your policies Don't remember your boundaries And don't feel invested in you They're not bad people. They're just not committed. Here are a few grooming-specific examples — and I want you to notice how your body reacts as I say them. The once-a-year doodle. They promise they'll be on a schedule… but you don't hear from them again until the dog is matted and they're panicking. The “can you squeeze me in?” client. Not because of an emergency — but because they waited too long and now it's suddenly your problem. The client who disappears the moment you enforce a boundary. You correct pickup time. You enforce a matting policy. You raise prices. And suddenly? Gone. These are fling clients. And here's the part most groomers don't realize until they're exhausted: Fling clients are expensive. Financially, they: Create gaps in your schedule Require re-education every visit Take more time than they're priced for Emotionally, they: Keep you on edge Create resentment Require constant mental energy Operationally, they: Create chaos Make staffing harder Make income unpredictable And the sneakiest part? You start reshaping your business around them. You loosen policies. You over-explain. You hesitate to raise prices. You make exceptions “just this once.” That's not love. That's survival mode. Fling clients are not the problem — expecting commitment from them is. Now let's talk about ideal clients. These are the clients most groomers think they want. They show up. They pay. They're polite. They mostly follow the rules. They're… fine. Ideal clients feel safe. They don't cause drama. They don't stress you out the way fling clients do. But here's the truth that doesn't get said enough: Ideal clients often represent a comfort ceiling. They keep your business running — but not necessarily growing. You still remind them. You still explain policies. You still manage expectations. Let's compare this for a moment. An ideal client: Asks questions about price Occasionally forgets policies Needs reminders Refers people similar to them A soulmate client: Accepts pricing without debate Respects systems Follows policies automatically Refers people who already trust you Ideal clients keep you busy. Soulmate clients make things easier. This is why so many grooming businesses plateau. They're not failing. They're not doing anything wrong. They've just built a business around “good enough.” And if you've ever thought: “I should be happier than I am with this…” That's usually why. Let's clear something up right now. Soulmate clients do not magically find you because you're nice, talented, or have good vibes. That idea keeps groomers waiting instead of building. Soulmate clients are created through systems. Clear messaging. Strong onboarding. Consistent policies. And follow-through. Soulmate clients don't require convincing. They trust your expertise. They understand how your business works. Every boundary you hold does two things: It repels a fling client… and signals safety to a soulmate client. People who value professionalism are attracted to structure. People who want exceptions are repelled by it. That's not a flaw. That's a filter. Soulmate clients: Respect your time Trust your recommendations Follow your systems Refer people just like them And here's the part I really want you to hear: You don't need more clients. You need better-aligned ones. When groomers shift toward soulmate clients, we see: Smaller schedules Higher income Better retention Less burnout More predictability Business stops feeling chaotic and starts feeling calm. And that's not luck. That's alignment. If you're listening and thinking, “Why does this feel so hard for me?” Here's the truth: No one taught us this. Most groomers were trained in: Safety. Technique. Breed patterns. Not client alignment. Not onboarding. Not de-alignment. So when things feel messy, we internalize it. We think: “I'm bad with people.” “I hate clients.” “This is just how grooming is.” No. You're not bad at clients. You're under-supported. Client alignment is a business skill, not a personality trait. And skills can be learned. Practiced. Refined. When you stop blaming yourself and start building systems, everything changes. If this episode hit close to home, that discomfort isn't failure. It's awareness. Most groomers didn't intentionally build businesses that drain them. It happened slowly. Quietly. One “yes” at a time. And once you see the difference between fling clients, ideal clients, and soulmate clients — you can't unsee it. Falling in love with your clients doesn't mean overgiving. It means alignment. Clarity. Respect. And that doesn't happen by accident. That's why I created the Business Workshop Library. Inside, you'll find on-demand workshops like: Identifying & Attracting Your Soulmate Clients Onboarding Clients & Dealing With Difficult Clients Once-A-Year Clients and whether they belong in your business at all ✨ It's $200 for the year ✨ Or $50 a month You can watch at your own pace, revisit when needed, and apply what you learn to your real business. And if you're looking for ongoing support instead of one-off fixes, that's exactly what the Savvy Groomer Circle is for. Inside the Circle, you get continued education, monthly Q&As, real-time conversations, and support as you actively implement boundaries, policies, and systems in your business — not just think about them. And for those of you who want deeper access and closer support, the Inner Circle gives you just that — including direct access to me so you're never figuring this out alone. You can learn more and join at savvygroomer.com/membership If you're ready to stop building your business around flings and start intentionally creating alignment, you'll find the Business Workshop Library at savvygroomer.com/gwg As always — stay savvy, stay greedy, and never apologize for wanting more.

Show Notes: Have you ever felt lonely inside your relationship? Like you're doing all the emotional heavy lifting—asking, explaining, softening, fixing—while your partner stays distant, quiet, or shut down? Imagine if you could stop chasing connection… and still feel close. Imagine setting boundaries without blowing up your relationship. Imagine finally understanding that you're not "too much"—you're just asking for what every human needs: safety, connection, and truth. In this episode, we're talking about emotionally shut down (or emotionally avoidant) partners—where it comes from, why it hurts so much, and how to stop abandoning yourself in the process of trying to keep the peace. This conversation is especially for the women who learned to be "the good girl," the fixer, the one who doesn't need much—but secretly feels exhausted, resentful, and alone. Inside this episode, you'll learn: ✔️ Why emotionally shut down partners aren't cold or heartless—they're protecting themselves ✔️ How childhood roles (hero child, fixer, self-sufficient one) shape adult relationships ✔️ The difference between attunement and codependency—and why monitoring your partner's emotions is costing you ✔️ What doesn't work with emotionally avoidant partners (and why chasing creates more distance) ✔️ How asserting yourself clearly actually creates more safety, not less ✔️ Why boundaries are required for real intimacy—and how to stop seeing them as "mean" If you've been editing yourself, lowering your needs, or telling yourself you're asking for too much… this episode will meet you right there—and help you shift the pattern without losing yourself. LINKS: Repair Guide for the Woman Taught to Keep the Peace https://breathworkcollective.myflodesk.com/repair-guide-for-women Free Empower YOU Breathwork: https://breathworkcollective.myflodesk.com/empower-breathwork   Boundary Babe Academy: https://the-breathwork-collective.circle.so/checkout/boundary-mastery  Follow My Journey: https://www.instagram.com/its.amandaclark/ The Supported Woman Group Transformation Experience: http://amandaclark.biz/supported-woman-group-coaching   

February is short… and yet it drags.Cold. Grey. Emotionally uncanny. And suspiciously haunted.In this episode of Late Night Legends, Colin presents “Why February Feels Wrong”—a half-joking, half-existential breakdown of why this month feels off at a fundamental level. From seasonal blues and depression to ghost stories, cursed timelines, and the unsettling energy of a month that never seems to offer much of anything, we explore why February consistently earns its reputation as the most hated month of the year.Joined by Maria, K, Ashley, Tim, and Frank, the Legends debate whether February truly deserves the crown for worst month—or if January, June, or even July might secretly be worse. Is this just winter fatigue? Or is February genuinely broken?If you're into paranormal discussions, spooky psychology, haunted history, and dark humor that cuts a little too close to the truth, you're in the right place.

Learn How to Influence, Gain Power & Communicate: https://www.gandhiuniversity.com/godmodeDeep down, you already know this: you were meant to be further in life by now. But instead, you're stuck in a reactive loop - overthinking people's words, replaying conversations, holding onto breakups, childhood wounds, and emotional attachments that drain your focus and power.In this video, you'll learn how to emotionally detach, stop reacting, reclaim your inner strength, and finally become fully involved in your own life again.If you're tired of being affected by people, opinions, and the past - watch till the end. This might be the most important shift you make.Learn How to Influence, Gain Power & Communicate: https://www.gandhiuniversity.com/godmode0:00 Stop ignoring this fact0:56 Let people go2:13 You get attached too easily3:34 Step to Becoming whole9:10 Ignore their praise12:15 Golden Retriever - Black cat13:16 Vigyaan Bhairava Tantra15:50 Process your emotionsLearn How to Influence, Gain Power & Communicate: https://www.gandhiuniversity.com/godmodeSaurabh Gandhi is a Psychology expert, CBT Practitioner & well known self-help content creator. Over the years he has helped millions of people find their true purpose, build discipline, speak with power and walk away from destructive habits. People who used to break under pressure are now building their dream careers, leading teams and earning deep respect everywhere they go. People regard him as the "go to psychology guy". He takes away the technical jargon and simplifies human behavior for every Indian looking to be their best selves.

This is what I see everywhere with visionary women. Your calendar and planner are full. Your mind is racing. Your plate is full in every area of your life.But your body? Completely disconnected.This is the epidemic no-one wants to talk about - emotional burnout in high-performing women.Mindset is my genius - but let me be clear - it is not enough on it's own.Enjoy this episode.Show up to your life & Keep Going Always ™ Rebecca.xMy website is here > ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rebeccaadamsbiz.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My powerful EXPANSION program is here to transform your life > ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://racourses.thinkific.com/courses/expansion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My amazing guided journals & planners are here > ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rebeccaadamsbiz.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Psst... Scroll for the link to my book on emotionally intelligent parenting! What if parenting didn't have to rely on punishment, guilt, or constant power struggles? Yep. Really.Today I'm actually the one being interviewed! My friend Amy Nesbitt had me on her podcast, Whole Wellness Mamas, and we unpacked what emotional intelligence parenting really means, and why it's so different from the old-school approaches many of us were raised with. This is the conversation you get to hear today!Amy and I talk about:Why punishing “bad behaviour” is SO outdated, and what actually helps kids become cooperativeHow honouring children's emotions builds connection, trust, and resilienceWhat it looks like to model emotional regulation instead of expecting kids to “just calm down”The power of rupture and repair, taking responsibility, apologising, and rebuilding connectionWhy emotional intelligence parenting takes intention and discipline, but works for so many familiesHow parents can start noticing their own emotional cycles BEFORE reactingExpanding your emotional vocabulary so you can respond, not explodeLINK FOR MY BOOK: If this way of thinking resonates, my book on Amazon goes deeper into these ideas — emotional intelligence as the foundation for calmer, more connected parenting. Think of it as a companion to this conversation.

If you've ever used ChatGPT to talk through your feelings, calm your nervous system, or get clarity during a hard moment — you're not alone.In this masterclass, I'm sharing how to use ChatGPT for therapy-style support in a way that's actually helpful, emotionally safe, and grounded. From prompts to use when you're overwhelmed, to the best ways to reflect, reframe, and regulate — this is a practical guide for using AI as a support tool when you need it most.

Not every struggle in love is “God testing you.” Some relationships are draining your peace, distorting your identity, and pulling you away from Christ. This eye-opening message helps us to recognize emotional abuse, set healthy boundaries, and understand that biblical love never destroys your mental, spiritual, or emotional well-being. Freedom, clarity, and godly discernment start here.#BreakingFreeFromAbuse #HealingAndDiscernment #CITAMChurchOnline #ChurchEveryday

Emotional Repression ~ My now emotionally repressed husband blames himself for my being raped. Listen to caller's personal dramas four times each week as Dr. Kenner takes your calls and questions on parenting, romance, love, family, marriage, divorce, hobbies, career, mental health - any personal issue! Call anytime, toll free 877-Dr-Kenner. Visit www.drkenner.com for more information about the show (where you can also download free chapter one of her serious relationships guidebook).

Why do relationships feel so hard for men? So many men believe relationships are confusing, emotionally overwhelming, or simply "not for them." They assume women are too complicated, that communication is impossible, or that long-term commitment goes against male nature. In this episode, David Chambers dismantles those myths and names the real issue most men have never been taught to see: emotional capacity. Drawing on personal experience, client stories, and relationship science, David explains why men shut down, withdraw, become defensive, or feel overwhelmed in intimacy and conflict. He shows why most relationship advice fails men, why "just communicate better" is often useless, and what actually builds the ability to stay present, grounded, and connected when emotions run high. This is a practical, compassionate, and deeply clarifying episode for men who want calmer, healthier, more connected relationships without losing themselves in the process. Key Topics:  ⭐ Attraction is unconscious, not a logical choice ⭐ Childhood patterns shape adult relationships ⭐ Emotionally unavailable partners feel intoxicating ⭐ Healthy partners can feel "boring" ⭐ Intermittent reinforcement fuels dating addiction ⭐ Projection keeps people attached to fantasy ⭐ Insight alone doesn't change attraction ⭐ Attraction is rewired through the nervous system ⭐ Real chemistry is emotional safety and presence ⭐ Secure relationships are built, not found Connect With David - The Authentic Man: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/  Website: https://www.theauthenticman.net/  For Coaching: hello@theauthenticman.net  Newsletter: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe   

The father wound doesn't just affect your childhood—it impacts every relationship you have, from romantic partners to money, friends, and even your relationship with yourself. In this episode I share my personal journey of healing from a toxic father and breaking the cycle of dysfunctional relationships. I show you exactly how I rewrote my relational blueprint, raised my standards, and ultimately met my husband.  You'll learn: How to identify your non-negotiables and must-haves How to remove unhealthy relationships from your life How to embody emotionally available love for yourself How to attract the love you deserve, without chasing or settling 

Join Dr. Aziz live for a 3-day VIRTUAL event: Not Nice LIVE > Go here for details and tickets. Most people don't struggle to speak up because they lack communication skills. They struggle because crossing that line feels dangerous. In this episode, Dr. Aziz Gazipura explores why you may still feel stuck in passivity or half-assertiveness, even if you've spent years working on yourself. You understand the ideas. You know you “should” speak up. And yet, when the moment arrives, something pulls you back. Rather than offering scripts or techniques, Dr. Aziz focuses on the real breakdown point: the guilt and fear that surface just before honesty. He examines how indirectness becomes a form of self-protection, why “gentle” assertiveness often fails to create real change, and how unspoken rules about being good, kind, or acceptable quietly limit your life. This episode isn't about becoming aggressive or finding better words. It's about recognizing the internal code that says, “If I'm really honest, I'll lose everything,” and understanding why that belief continues to run your behavior unless it's directly confronted. If you already know a lot about assertiveness but haven't been able to live it consistently, this conversation names the threshold you may have been standing at for years—and what it actually takes to cross it. --------------------------------- Many people reach a point where they realize something important: being “nice” isn't working anymore. For years—sometimes decades—they believed that staying flexible, not rocking the boat, and avoiding discomfort was the right way to live. They told themselves they were being considerate, kind, easygoing. They avoided pressuring people, avoided conflict, avoided making anyone uncomfortable. And then slowly, quietly, the cost became undeniable. Resentment started to build. Anxiety didn't go away. Relationships felt draining or unsatisfying. Opportunities were missed. A subtle but persistent sense of frustration crept in—often accompanied by the feeling, “I'm not really being me.” So they arrive at an insight that feels like progress: I need to speak up for myself. And that insight is progress. But it's not the breakthrough. Because knowing that you should speak up does not automatically mean that you can—or that when you do, it will actually work. Why “Just Speak Up” Usually Fails Many people assume assertiveness is a simple behavioral skill. Learn the right words. Use the right tone. Say the thing. But assertiveness isn't primarily about what you say. It's about the inner stance you're coming from when you say it. This is where things break down. Often, people move from passivity into what looks like assertiveness on the surface—but internally, they're still trying not to upset anyone. They soften their message. They hint. They explain excessively. They bring things up indirectly, hoping the other person will “get it” without them having to actually claim what they want. So they say something like: “I just wanted to mention that you said you were going to do X, and then it didn't happen… but it's okay, I handled it.” Technically, they spoke up. Emotionally, they didn't. Nothing meaningful changes—and then comes the conclusion: “See? Speaking up doesn't work.” So they retreat back into silence, often with more resentment than before. The Passive → Gentle → Stuck Cycle This is one of the most common cycles I see: First, passivity. Then, a tentative attempt to speak up. Then, disappointment when nothing changes. Then, withdrawal. Over time, resentment accumulates—not just toward the other person, but toward yourself. Because deep down, you know you didn't fully say what was true. What's most painful isn't that the other person didn't change. It's that real contact never happened. You weren't fully there. The Real Barrier Isn't the Situation People usually have a long list of reasons why they can't be more direct: “It's my boss.” “It's my parent.” “It's my partner.” “That would be mean.” “That would be selfish.” “You can't say that in this situation.” These reasons feel convincing because they're emotionally charged. But they all point away from the real issue. The real issue isn't the circumstance. The real issue is that you're operating within a very narrow internal permission structure—one designed to protect you from something that feels catastrophic. What Are You Actually Afraid Of? Imagine being fully honest in a situation where you usually hold back. Not cruel. Not attacking. Just clear. Naming the pattern. Naming the impact. Naming what does and doesn't work for you. Most people feel immediate discomfort just imagining this. Tightness in the chest. A sinking feeling. An urge to pull back. That discomfort usually isn't about politeness. It's about fear and guilt. And underneath those emotions is a deeper belief: If I'm truly myself, I will lose everything. Lose love. Lose approval. Lose safety. Lose belonging. So your nervous system learned a rule long ago: Don't be too real. That rule doesn't disappear just because you intellectually understand assertiveness. The “Hidden Code” Running Your Life Everyone who struggles to speak up is running unconscious lines of code. They sound like: “If I ask for something, I'm selfish.” “If I make someone uncomfortable, I'm bad.” “If I say no, I'll hurt them.” “If I'm direct, I'll be rejected.” What's striking is that most people don't consciously agree with these beliefs. When you say them out loud, they sound extreme—even absurd. And yet, they quietly govern behavior. You don't need more confidence tips until you start identifying these rules. Because as long as they remain unexamined, they run the show. Why Avoidance Keeps the Fear Alive Avoidance feels safe in the short term. In the long term, it guarantees that the fear never resolves. Just like a phobia, the fear only weakens when you approach what you've been avoiding—in a structured, supported way. As long as you keep telling yourself, “I'll say it later,” or “It's not worth it,” or “They won't change anyway,” the old code stays intact. And life quietly shrinks. What Actually Creates Change Change doesn't come from more information. It comes from: Becoming conscious of the rules you're living by Questioning whether they're actually true Taking real interpersonal risks—consistently This isn't about being aggressive. It's about being real. And yes—at first, the right thing often feels wrong. Assertiveness can feel selfish. Honesty can feel dangerous. Boundaries can feel cruel. Those feelings are not signs you're doing something wrong. They're signs you're upgrading old code. A Simple Place to Start Instead of trying to “be more assertive,” start here: Notice one situation where you hold back. Notice what you feel when you imagine being direct. Ask yourself: What rule am I following right now? Just seeing it begins to loosen its grip. From there, real change becomes possible. Final Thought Knowing how to speak up isn't enough because the problem was never a lack of knowledge. The problem is fear of losing connection by being yourself. And the truth—one that must be experienced, not just understood—is this: You don't lose everything by being real. You lose everything by never being you. Until we speak again, have the courage to be who you are— and know, on a deep level, that you're awesome.

At the end of the day, people don't follow business cards or clever pitches — they follow the people who make them feel seen. When you validate emotions, you create belonging, and belonging is the strongest gravitational pull in networking. This episode reveals how to become that kind of person so people are naturally drawn toward you. This is from an article by Catherine Sherlock . Download from https://www.subscribepage.com/emo-invalidation-and-validation For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.

Send us a textRHOBH-Emotionally Unsafe in Beverly HillsPodcast Summary – RHOBH S15 E7: Headlines and HeartbreakThis episode is heavy on emotion and headlines as the women juggle grief, divorce, and unresolved conflict. Rachel and Erika kick things off bonding over their shared inability to dress casually, while unpacking the bombshell revelation of Amanda's son's passing and the tension it's created within the group. Amanda opens up to Kyle about feeling emotionally unsafe after Dorit's aggressive behavior, explaining how the confrontation triggered real physical anxiety and grief.Kyle becomes the sounding board of the episode, navigating Amanda's pain while also confronting her own unresolved feelings about Mauricio. A lunch with Dorit, Boz, and Boz's longtime friend Summer leads to candid conversations about divorce, custody battles, and Kyle's hesitation to file despite feeling unseen in her marriage. That conversation gets even more uncomfortable when Mauricio unexpectedly joins the table, putting everyone—and especially Kyle—on edge.Meanwhile, Dorit doubles down on her issues with Amanda, questioning whether Amanda uses her grief defensively. Boz, who has experienced loss herself, challenges Dorit's approach and calls out the lack of sensitivity. The group is further shocked when Dorit reveals Amanda once wrote about escaping a cult, raising new questions about her past.The biggest headline of the episode drops when Rachel Zoe confirms she filed for divorce from Roger Berman, framing it as a painful but empowering new beginning. Emotions continue to spiral when Kyle revisits her old family home with Mauricio, breaking down over memories and wondering if her life—and marriage—might have turned out differently.The episode culminates at a joint birthday dinner for Erika and Dorit, where glam is high but tension is higher. Dorit and Amanda come face-to-face, and what starts as a polite attempt to “clear the air” quickly escalates when Amanda asserts she refuses to be verbally accosted at a dinner party. Dorit recoils, hands up in shock, and the episode ends right as things are about to explode.To be continued…Support the showhttps://www.wewinewhenever.com/

How can indie authors raise their game through academic-style rigour? How might AI tools fit into a thoughtful research process without replacing the joy of discovery? Melissa Addey explores the intersection of scholarly discipline, creative writing, and the practical realities of building an author career. In the intro, mystery and thriller tropes [Wish I'd Known Then]; The differences between trad and indie in 2026 [Productive Indie Fiction Writer]; Five phases of an author business [Becca Syme]; Bones of the Deep – J.F. Penn; Today's show is sponsored by Bookfunnel, the essential tool for your author business. Whether it's delivering your reader magnet, sending out advanced copies of your book, handing out ebooks at a conference, or fulfilling your digital sales to readers, BookFunnel does it all. Check it out at bookfunnel.com/thecreativepenn This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Melissa Addey is an award-winning historical fiction author with a PhD in creative writing from the University of Surrey. She was the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence at the British Library, and now works as campaigns lead for the Alliance of Independent Authors. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Making the leap from a corporate career to full-time writing with a young family Why Melissa pursued a PhD in creative writing and how it fuelled her author business What indie authors can learn from academic rigour when researching historical fiction The problems with academic publishing—pricing, accessibility, and creative restrictions Organising research notes, avoiding accidental plagiarism, and knowing when to stop researching Using AI tools effectively as part of the research process without losing your unique voice You can find Melissa at MelissaAddey.com. Transcript of the interview with Melissa Addey JOANNA: Melissa Addey is an award-winning historical fiction author with a PhD in creative writing from the University of Surrey. She was the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence at the British Library, and now works as campaigns lead for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Welcome back to the show, Melissa. MELISSA: Hello. Thank you for having me. JOANNA: It's great to have you back. You were on almost a decade ago, in December 2016, talking about merchandising for authors. That is really a long time ago. So tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and self-publishing. MELISSA: I had a regular job in business and I was writing on the side. I did a couple of writing courses, and then I started trying to get published, and that took seven years of jumping through hoops. There didn't seem to be much progress. At some point, I very nearly had a small publisher, but we clashed over the cover because there was a really quite hideous suggestion that was not going to work. I think by that point I was really tired of jumping through hoops, really trying to play the game traditional publishing-wise. I just went, you know what? I've had enough now. I've done everything that was asked of me and it's still not working. I'll just go my own way. I think at the time that would've been 2015-ish. Suddenly, self-publishing was around more. I could see people and hear people talking about it, and I thought, okay, let's read everything there is to know about this. I had a little baby at the time and I would literally print off stuff during the day to read—probably loads of your stuff—and read it at two o'clock in the morning breastfeeding babies. Then I'd go, okay, I think I understand that bit now, I'll understand the next bit, and so on. So I got into self-publishing and I really, really enjoyed it. I've been doing it ever since. I'm now up to 20 books in the last 10 or 11 years. As you say, I did the creative writing PhD along the way, working with ALLi and doing workshops for others—mixing and matching lots of different things. I really enjoy it. JOANNA: You mentioned you had a job before in business. Are you full-time in all these roles that you're doing now, or do you still have that job? MELISSA: No, I'm full-time now. I only do writing-related things. I left that in 2015, so I took a jump. I was on maternity leave and I started applying for jobs to go back to, and I suddenly felt like, oh, I really don't want to. I want to do the writing. I thought, I've got about one year's worth of savings. I could try and do the jump. I remember saying to my husband, “Do you think it would be possible if I tried to do the jump? Would that be okay?” There was this very long pause while he thought about it. But the longer the pause went on, the more I was thinking, ooh, he didn't say no, that is out of the question, financially we can't do that. I thought, ooh, it's going to work. So I did the jump. JOANNA: That's great. I did something similar and took a massive pay cut and downsized and everything back in the day. Having a supportive partner is so important. The other thing I did—and I wonder if you did too—I said to Jonathan, my husband, if within a year this is not going in a positive direction, then I'll get another job. How long did you think you would leave it before you just gave up? And how did that go? Because that beginning is so difficult, especially with a new baby. MELISSA: I thought, well, I'm at home anyway, so I do have more time than if I was in a full-time job. The baby sleeps sometimes—if you're lucky—so there are little gaps where you could really get into it. I had a year of savings/maternity pay going on, so I thought I've got a year. And the funny thing that happened was within a few months, I went back to my husband and I was like, I don't understand. I said, all these doors are opening—they weren't massive, but they were doors opening. I said, but I've wanted to be a writer for a long time and none of these doors have opened before. He said, “Well, it's because you really committed. It's because you jumped. And when you jump, sometimes the universe is on board and goes, yes, all right then, and opens some doors for you.” It really felt like that. Even little things—like Writing Magazine gave me a little slot to do an online writer-in-residence thing. Just little doors opened that felt like you were getting a nod, like, yes, come on then, try. Then the PhD was part of that. I applied to do that and it came with a studentship, which meant I had three years of funding coming in. That was one of the biggest creative gifts that's ever been given to me—three years of knowing you've got enough money coming in that you can just try and make it work. By the time that finished, the royalties had taken over from the studentship. That was such a gift. JOANNA: A couple of things there. I've got to ask about that funding. You're saying it was a gift, but that money didn't just magically appear. You worked really hard to get that funding, I presume. MELISSA: I did, yes. You do have to do the work for it, just to be clear. My sister had done a PhD in an entirely different subject. She said, “You should do a PhD in creative writing.” I said, “That'd be ridiculous. Nobody is going to fund that. Who's going to fund that?” She said, “Oh, they might. Try.” So I tried, and the deadline was something stupid like two weeks away. I tried and I got shortlisted, but I didn't get it. I thought, ah, but I got shortlisted with only two weeks to try. I'll try again next year then. So then I tried again the next year and that's when I got it. It does take work. You have to put in quite a lot of effort to make your case. But it's a very joyful thing if you get one. JOANNA: So let's go to the bigger question: why do a PhD in creative writing? Let's be clear to everyone—you don't need even a bachelor's degree to be a successful author. Stephen King is a great example of someone who isn't particularly educated in terms of degrees. He talks about writing his first book while working at a laundry. You can be very successful with no formal education. So why did you want to do a PhD? What drew you to academic research? MELISSA: Absolutely. I would briefly say, I often meet people who feel they must do a qualification before they're allowed to write. I say, do it if you'd like to, but you don't have to. You could just practise the writing. I fully agree with that. It was a combination of things. I do actually like studying. I do actually enjoy the research—that's why I do historical research. I like that kind of work. So that's one element. Another element was the funding. I thought, if I get that funding, I've got three years to build up a back catalogue of books, to build up the writing. It will give me more time. So that was a very practical financial issue. Also, children. My children were very little. I had a three-year-old and a baby, and everybody went, “Are you insane? Doing a PhD with a three-year-old and a baby?” But the thing about three-year-olds and babies is they're quite intellectually boring. Emotionally, very engaging—on a number of levels, good, bad, whatever—but they're not very intellectually stimulating. You're at home all day with two small children who think that hide and seek is the highlight of intellectual difficulty because they've hidden behind the curtains and they're shuffling and giggling. I felt I needed something else. I needed something for me that would be interesting. I've always enjoyed passing on knowledge. I've always enjoyed teaching people, workshops, in whatever field I was in. I thought, if I want to do that for writing at some point, it will sound more important if I've done a PhD. Not that you need that to explain how to do writing to someone if you do a lot of writing. But there were all these different elements that came together. JOANNA: So to summarise: you enjoy the research, it's an intellectual challenge, you've got the funding, and there is something around authority. In terms of a PhD—and just for listeners, I'm doing a master's at the moment in death, religion, and culture. MELISSA: Your topic sounds fascinating. JOANNA: It is interesting because, same as you, I enjoy research. Both of us love research as part of our fiction process and our nonfiction. I'm also enjoying the intellectual challenge, and I've also considered this idea of authority in an age of AI when it is increasingly easy to generate books—let's just say it, it's easy to generate books. So I was like, well, how do I look at this in a more authoritative way? I wanted to talk to you because even just a few months back into it—and I haven't done an academic qualification for like two decades—it struck me that the academic rigour is so different. What lessons can indie authors learn from this kind of academic rigour? What do you think of in terms of the rigour and what can we learn? MELISSA: I think there are a number of things. First of all, really making sure that you are going to the quality sources for things—the original sources, the high-quality versions of things. Not secondhand, but going back to those primary sources. Not “somebody said that somebody said something.” Well, let's go back to the original. Have a look at that, because you get a lot from that. I think you immerse yourself more deeply. Someone can tell you, “This is how they spoke in the 1800s.” If you go and read something that was written in the 1800s, you get a better sense of that than just reading a dictionary of slang that's been collated for you by somebody else. So I think that immerses you more deeply. Really sticking with that till you've found interesting things that spark creativity in you. I've seen people say, “I used to do all the historical research. Nowadays I just fact-check. I write what I want to write and I fact-check.” I think, well, that's okay, but you won't find the weird little things. I tend to call it “the footnotes of history.” You won't find the weird little things that really make something come alive, that really make a time and a place come alive. I've got a scene in one of my Regency romances—which actually I think are less full of historical emphasis than some of my other work—where a man gives a woman a gift. It's supposed to be a romantic gift and maybe slightly sensual. He could have given her a fan and I could have fact-checked and gone, “Are there fans? Yes, there are fans. Do they have pretty romantic poems on them? Yes, they do. Okay, that'll do.” Actually, if you go round and do more research than that, you discover they had things like ribbons that held up your stockings, on which they wrote quite smutty things in embroidery. That's a much more sexy and interesting gift to give in that scene. But you don't find that unless you go doing a bit of research. If I just fact-check, I'm not going to find that because it would never have occurred to me to fact-check it in the first place. JOANNA: I totally agree with you. One of the wonderful things about research—and I also like going to places—is you might be somewhere and see something that gives you an idea you never, ever would have found in a book or any other way. I used to call it “the serendipity of the stacks” in the physical library. You go looking for a particular book and then you're in that part of the shelf and you find several other books that you never would have looked for. I think it's encouraging people, as you're saying, but I also think you have to love it. MELISSA: Yes. I think some people find it a bit of a grind, or they're frightened by it and they think, “Have I done enough?” JOANNA: Mm-hmm. MELISSA: I get asked that a lot when I talk about writing historical fiction. People go, “But when do I stop? How do I know it's enough? How do I know there wasn't another book that would have been the book? Everyone will go, ‘Oh, how did you not read such-and-such?'” I always say there are two ways of finding out when you can stop. One is when you get to the bibliographies, you look through and you go, “Yep, read that, read that, read that. Nah, I know that one's not really what I wanted.” You're familiar with those bibliographies in a way that at the beginning you're not. At the beginning, every single bibliography, you haven't read any of it. So that's quite a good way of knowing when to stop. The other way is: can you write ordinary, everyday life? I don't start writing a book till I can write everyday life in that historical era without notes. I will obviously have notes if I'm doing a wedding or a funeral or a really specific battle or something. Everyday life, I need to be able to just write that out of my own head. You need to be confident enough to do that. JOANNA: One of the other problems I've heard from academics—people who've really come out of academia and want to write something more pop, even if it's pop nonfiction or fiction—they're also really struggling. It is a different game, isn't it? For people who might be immersed in academia, how can they release themselves into doing something like self-publishing? Because there's still a lot of stigma within academia. MELISSA: You're going to get me on the academic publishing rant now. I think academic publishing is horrendous. Academics are very badly treated. I know quite a lot of academics and they have to do all the work. Nobody's helping them with indexing or anything like that. The publisher will say things like, “Well, could you just cut 10,000 words out of that?” Just because of size. Out of somebody's argument that they're making over a whole work. No consideration for that. The royalties are basically zilch. I've seen people's royalty statements come in, and the way they price the books is insane. They'll price a book at 70 pounds. I actually want that book for my research and I'm hesitating because I can't be buying all of them at that price. That's ridiculous. I've got people who are friends or family who bring out a book, and I'm like, well, I would gladly buy your book and read it. It's priced crazy. It's priced only for institutions. I think actually, if academia was written a little more clearly and open to the lay person—which if you are good at your work, you should be able to do—and priced a bit more in line with other books, that would maybe open up people to reading more academia. You wouldn't have to make it “pop” as you say. I quite like pop nonfiction. But I don't think there would have to be such a gulf between those two. I think you could make academic work more readable generally. I read someone's thesis recently and they'd made a point at the beginning of saying—I can't remember who it was—that so-and-so academic's point of view was that it should be readable and they should be writing accordingly. I thought, wow, I really admired her for doing that. Next time I'm doing something like that, I should be putting that at the front as well. But the fact that she had to explain that at the beginning… It wasn't like words of one syllable throughout the whole thing. I thought it was a very quality piece of writing, but it was perfectly readable to someone who didn't know about the topic. JOANNA: I might have to get that name from you because I've got an essay on the Philosophy of Death. And as you can imagine, there's a heck of a lot of big words. MELISSA: I know. I've done a PhD, but I still used to tense up a little bit thinking they're going to pounce on me. They're going to say that I didn't talk academic enough, I didn't sound fancy enough. That's not what it should be about, really. In a way, you are locking people out of knowledge, and given that most academics are paid for by public funds, that knowledge really ought to be a little more publicly accessible. JOANNA: I agree on the book price. I'm also buying books for my course that aren't in the library. Some of them might be 70 pounds for the ebook, let alone the print book. What that means is that I end up looking for secondhand books, when of course the money doesn't go to the author or the publisher. The other thing that happens is it encourages piracy. There are people who openly talk about using pirate sites for academic works because it's just too expensive. If I'm buying 20 books for my home library, I can't be spending that kind of money. Why is it so bad? Why is it not being reinvented, especially as we have done with indie authors for the wider genres? Has this at all moved into academia? MELISSA: I think within academia there's a fear because there's the peer reviews and it must be proven to be absolutely correct and agreed upon by everybody. I get that. You don't want some complete rubbish in there. I do think there's space to come up with a different system where you could say, “So-and-so is professor of whatever at such-and-such a university. I imagine what they have to say might be interesting and well-researched.” You could have some sort of kite mark. You could have something that then allows for self-publishing to take over a bit. I do just think their system is really, really poor. They get really reined in on what they're allowed to write about. Alison Baverstock, who is a professor now at Kingston University and does stuff about publishing and master's programmes, started writing about self-publishing because she thought it was really interesting. This was way back. JOANNA: I remember. I did one of those surveys. MELISSA: She got told in no uncertain terms, “Do not write about this. You will ruin your career.” She stuck with it. She was right to stick with it. But she was told by senior academics, “Do not write about self-publishing. You're just embarrassing yourself. It's just vanity press.” They weren't even being allowed to write about really quite interesting phenomena that were happening. Just from a historical point of view, that was a really interesting rise of self-publishing, and she was being told not to write about it. JOANNA: It's funny, that delay as well. I'm looking to maybe do my thesis on how AI is impacting death and the death industry. And yet it's such a fast-moving thing. MELISSA: Yes. JOANNA: Sometimes it can take a year, two years or more to get a paper through the process. MELISSA: Oh, yes. It moves really, really fast. Like you say, by the time it comes out, people are going, “Huh? That's really old.” And you'll be going, “No, it's literally two years.” But yes, very, very slow. JOANNA: Let's come back to how we can help other people who might not want to be doing academic-level stuff. One of the things I've found is organising notes, sources, references. How do you manage that? Any tips for people? They might not need to do footnotes for their historical novel, but they might want to organise their research. What are your thoughts? MELISSA: I used to do great big enormous box files and print vast quantities of stuff. Each box file would be labelled according to servant life, or food, or seasons, or whatever. I've tried various different things. I'm moving more and more now towards a combination of books on the shelf, which I do like, and papers and other materials that are stored on my computer. They'll be classified according to different parts of daily life, essentially. Because when you write historical fiction, you have to basically build the whole world again for that era. You have to have everything that happens in daily life, everything that happens on special events, all of those things. So I'll have it organised by those sorts of topics. I'll read it and go through it until I'm comfortable with daily life. Then special things—I'll have special notes on that that can talk me through how you run a funeral or a wedding or whatever, because that's quite complicated to just remember in your head. MELISSA: I always do historical notes at the end. They really matter to me. When I read historical fiction, I really like to read that from the author. I'll say, “Right, these things are true”—especially things that I think people will go, “She made that up. That is not true.” I'll go, “No, no, these are true.” These other things I've fudged a little, or I've moved the timeline a bit to make the story work better. I try to be fairly clear about what I did to make it into a story, but also what is accurate, because I want people to get excited about that timeline. Occasionally if there's been a book that was really important, I'll mention it in there because I don't want to have a proper bibliography, but I do want to highlight certain books. If you got excited by this novel, you could go off and read that book and it would take you into the nonfiction side of it. JOANNA: I'm similar with my author's notes. I've just done the author's note for Bones of the Deep, which has some merfolk in it, and I've got a book on Merpeople. It's awesome. It's just a brilliant book. I'm like, this has to go in. You could question whether that is really nonfiction or something else. But I think that's really important. Just to be more practical: when you're actually writing, what tools do you use? I use Scrivener and I keep all my research there. I'm using EndNote for academic stuff. MELISSA: I've always just stuck to Word. I did get Scrivener and played with it for a while, but I felt like I've already got a way of doing it, so I'll just carry on with that. So I mostly just do Word. I have a lot of notes, so I'll have notepads that have got my notes on specific things, and they'll have page numbers that go back to specific books in case I need to go and double-check that again. You mentioned citations, and that's fascinating to me. Do you know the story about Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner? It won the Pulitzer. It's a novel, but he used 10% of that novel—and it's a fairly slim novel—10% of it is actually letters written by somebody else, written by a woman before his time. He includes those and works with them in the story. He mentioned her very briefly, like, “Oh, and thanks to the relatives of so-and-so.” Very brief. He got accused of plagiarism for using that much of it by another part of her family who hadn't agreed to it. I've always thought it's because he didn't give enough credence to her. He didn't give her enough importance. If he'd said, “This was the woman who wrote this stuff. It's fascinating. I loved it. I wanted to creatively respond and engage with it”—I think that wouldn't have happened at all. That's why I think it's quite important when there are really big, important elements that you're using to acknowledge those. JOANNA: That's part of the academic rigour too— You can barely have a few of your own thoughts without referring to somebody else's work and crediting them. What's so interesting to me in the research process is, okay, I think this, but in order to say it, I'm going to have to go find someone else who thought this first and wrote a paper on it. MELISSA: I think you would love a PhD. When you've done a master's, go and do a PhD as well. Because it was the first time in academia that I genuinely felt I was allowed my own thoughts and to invent stuff of my own. I could go, “Oh no, I've invented this theory and it's this.” I didn't have to constantly go, “As somebody else said, as somebody else said.” I was like, no, no. This is me. I said this thing. I wasn't allowed to in my master's, and I found it annoying. I remember thinking, but I'm trying to have original thoughts here. I'm trying to bring something new to it. In a PhD, you're allowed to do that because you're supposed to be contributing to knowledge. You're supposed to be bringing a new thing into the world. That was a glorious thing to finally be allowed to do. JOANNA: I must say I couldn't help myself with that. I've definitely put my own opinion. But a part of why I mention it is the academic rigour—it's actually quite good practice to see who else has had these thoughts before. Speed is one of the biggest issues in the indie author community. Some of the stuff you were talking about—finding original sources, going to primary sources, the top-quality stuff, finding the weird little things—all of that takes more time than, for example, just running a deep research report on Gemini or Claude or ChatGPT. You can do both. You can use that as a starting point, which I definitely do. But then the point is to go back and read the original stuff. On this timeframe— Why do you think research is worth doing? It's important for academic reasons, but personal growth as well. MELISSA: Yes, I think there's a joy to be had in the research. When I go and stand in a location, by that point I'm not measuring things and taking photos—I've done all of that online. I'm literally standing there feeling what it is to be there. What does it smell like? What does it feel like? Does it feel very enclosed or very open? Is it a peaceful place or a horrible place? That sensory research becomes very important. All of the book research before that should lead you into the sensory research, which is then also a joy to do. There's great pleasure in it. As you say, it slows things down. What I tend to say to people if they want to speed things up again is: write in a series. Because once you've done all of that research and you just write one book and then walk away, that's a lot. That really slows you down. If you then go, “Okay, well now I'm going to write four books, five books, six books, still in that place and time”—obviously each book will need a little more research, but it won't need that level of starting-from-scratch research. That can help in terms of speeding it back up again. Recently I wrote some Regency romances to see what that was like. I'd done all my basic research, and then I thought, right, now I want to write a historical novel which could have been Victorian or could have been Regency. It had an openness to it. I thought, well, I've just done all the research for Regency, so I'll stick with that era. Why go and do a whole other piece of research when I've only written three books in it so far? I'll just take that era and work with that. So there are places to make up the time again a bit. But I do think there's a joy in it as well. JOANNA: I just want to come back to the plagiarism thing. I discovered that you can plagiarise yourself in academia, which is quite interesting. For example, my books How to Write a Novel and How to Write Nonfiction—they're aimed at different audiences. They have lots of chapters that are different, but there's a chapter on dictation. I thought, why would I need to write the same chapter again? I'm just going to put the same chapter in. It's the same process. Then I only recently learned that you can plagiarise yourself. I did not credit myself for that original chapter. MELISSA: How dare you not credit yourself! JOANNA: But can you talk a bit about that? Where are the lines here? I'm never going to credit myself. I think that's frankly ridiculous. MELISSA: No, that's silly. I mean, it depends what you're doing. In your case, that completely makes sense. It would be really peculiar of you to sit down and write a whole new chapter desperately trying not to copy what you'd said in a chapter about exactly the same topic. That doesn't make any sense. JOANNA: I guess more in the wider sense. Earlier you mentioned you keep notes and you put page numbers by them. I think the point is with research, a lot of people worry about accidental plagiarism. You write a load of notes on a book and then it just goes into your brain. Perhaps you didn't quote people properly. It's definitely more of an issue in nonfiction. You have to keep really careful notes. Sometimes I'm copying out a quote and I'll just naturally maybe rewrite that quote because the way they've put it didn't make sense, or I use a contraction or something. It's just the care in note-taking and then citing people. MELISSA: Yes. When I talk to people about nonfiction, I always say, you're basically joining a conversation. I mean, you are in fiction as well, but not as obviously. I say, well, why don't you read the conversation first? Find out what the conversation is in your area at the moment, and then what is it that you're bringing that's different? The most likely reason for you to end up writing something similar to someone else is that you haven't understood what the conversation was, and you need to be bringing your own thing to it. Then even if you're talking about the same topic, you might talk about it in a different way, and that takes you away from plagiarism because you're bringing your own view to it and your own direction to it. JOANNA: It's an interesting one. I think it's just the care. Taking more care is what I would like people to do. So let's talk about AI because AI tools can be incredible. I do deep research reports with Gemini and Claude and ChatGPT as a sort of “give me an overview and tell me some good places to start.” The university I'm with has a very hard line, which is: AI can be used as part of a research process, but not for writing. What are your thoughts on AI usage and tools? How can people balance that? MELISSA: Well, I'm very much a newbie compared to you. I follow you—the only person that describes how to use it with any sense at all, step by step. I'm very new to it, but I'm going to go back to the olden days. Sometimes I say to people, when I'm talking about how I do historical research, I start with Wikipedia. They look horrified. I'm like, no. That's where you have to get the overview from. I want an overview of how you dress in ancient Rome. I need a quick snapshot of that. Then I can go off and figure out the details of that more accurately and with more detail. I think AI is probably extremely good for that—getting the big picture of something and going, okay, this is what the field's looking like at the moment. These are the areas I'm going to need to burrow down into. It's doing that work for you quickly so that you're then in a position to pick up from that point. It gets you off to a quicker start and perhaps points you in the direction of the right people to start with. I'm trying to write a PhD proposal at the moment because I'm an idiot and want to do a second one. With that, I really did think, actually, AI should write this. Because the original concept is mine. I know nothing about it—why would I know anything about it? I haven't started researching it. This is where AI should go, “Well, in this field, there are these people. They've done these things.” Then you could quickly check that nobody's covered your thing. It would actually speed up all of that bit, which I think would be perfectly reasonable because you don't know anything about it yet. You're not an expert. You have the original idea, and then after that, then you should go off and do your own research and the in-depth quality of it. I think for a lot of things that waste authors' time—if you're applying for a grant or a writer-in-residence or things like that—it's a lot of time wasting filling in long, boring forms. “Could you make an artist statement and a something and a blah?” You're like, yes, yes, I could spend all day at my desk doing that. There's a moment where you start thinking, could you not just allow the AI to do this or much of it? JOANNA: Yes. Or at least, in that case, I'd say one of the very useful things is doing deep searches. As you were mentioning earlier about getting the funding—if I was to consider a PhD, which the thought has crossed my mind—I would use AI tools to do searches for potential sources of funding and that kind of research. In fact, I found this course at Winchester because I asked ChatGPT. It knows a lot about me because I chat with it all the time. I was talking about hitting 50 and these are the things I'm really interested in and what courses might interest me. Then it found it for me. That was quite amazing in itself. I'd encourage people to consider using it for part of the research process. But then all the papers it cites or whatever—then you have to go download those, go read them, do that work yourself. MELISSA: Yes, because that's when you bring your viewpoint to something. You and I could read the exact same paper and choose very different parts of it to write about and think about, because we're coming at it from different points of view and different journeys that we're trying to explore. That's where you need the individual to come in. It wouldn't be good enough to just have a generic overview from AI that we both try and slot into our work, because we would want something different from it. JOANNA: I kind of laugh when people say, “Oh, I can tell when it's AI.” I'm like, you might be able to tell when it's AI writing if nobody has taken that personal spin, but that's not the way we use it. If you're using it that way, that's not how those of us who are independent thinkers are using it. We're strong enough in our thoughts that we're using it as a tool. You're a confident person—intellectually and creatively confident—but I feel like some people maybe don't have that. Some people are not strong enough to resist what an AI might suggest. Any thoughts on that? MELISSA: Yes. When I first tried using AI with very little guidance from anyone, it just felt easy but very wooden and not very related to me. Then I've done webinars with you, and that was really useful—to watch somebody actually live doing the batting back and forth. That became a lot more interesting because I really like bouncing ideas and messing around with things and brainstorming, essentially, but with somebody else involved that's batting stuff back to you. “What does that look like?” “No, I didn't mean that at all.” “How about what does this look like?” “Oh no, no, not like that.” “Oh yes, a bit like that, but a bit more like whatever.” I remember doing that and talking to someone about it, going, “Oh, that's really quite an interesting use of it.” And they said, “Why don't you use a person?” I said, “Well, because who am I going to call at 8:30 in the morning on a Thursday and go, ‘Look, I want to spend two hours batting back and forth ideas, but I don't want you to talk about your stuff at all. Just my stuff. And you have to only think about my stuff for two hours. And you have to be very well versed in my stuff as well. Could you just do that?'” Who's going to do that for you? JOANNA: I totally agree with you. Before Christmas, I was doing a paper. It was an art history thing. We had to pick a piece of art or writing and talk about Christian ideas of hell and how it emerged. I was writing this essay and going back and forth with Claude at the time. My husband came in and saw the fresco I was writing about. He said, “No one's going to talk to you about this. Nobody.” MELISSA: Yes, exactly. JOANNA: Nobody cares. MELISSA: Exactly. Nobody cares as much as you. And they're not prepared to do that at 8:30 on a Thursday morning. They've got other stuff to do. JOANNA: It's great to hear because I feel like we're now at the point where these tools are genuinely super useful for independent work. I hope that more people might try that. JOANNA: Okay, we're almost out of time. Where can people find you and your books online? Also, tell us a bit about the types of books you have. MELISSA: I mostly write historical fiction. As I say, I've wandered my way through history—I'm a travelling minstrel. I've done ancient Rome, medieval Morocco, 18th century China, and I'm into Regency England now. So that's a bit closer to home for once. I'm at MelissaAddey.com and you can go and have a bit of a browse and download a free novel if you want. Try me out. JOANNA: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Melissa. MELISSA: That was great. Thank you. It was fun. The post Research Like An Academic, Write Like an Indie With Melissa Addey first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Emotionally intelligent and emotionally available women often carry more than they're meant to. We listen deeply. We empathize easily. We show up consistently. And while these are beautiful qualities, they can also become exhausting when they're not reciprocated or protected.In this episode, we talk about why being emotionally available can feel draining at times not because it's a flaw, but because it's a gift that requires boundaries. This conversation is for the woman who loves deeply, supports faithfully, and feels everything but is learning how to rest, release, and choose herself without guilt.This episode is encouraging, grounding, and a reminder that your emotional depth is not meant to be overextended it's meant to be honored.

Are you functioning but not truly living? Do you show up for your life, your work, and your family, yet feel like you're watching it all through a pane of glass?In this episode, we pull back the veil on emotional numbness. Often mistaken for strength or "having it all together," numbness is actually the body's way of flipping the circuit breaker to avoid a total system overload. We explore why we shut down, the hidden "storage units" where our unfelt emotions live, and the high cost of living a life that is functional but unfulfilling.Whether you are the "Strong One," the "Overachiever," or the "I'm Fine Machine," this episode is a gentle invitation to stop performing and start thawing. Join us as we move from the safety of the void back into the vibrance of a heart fully alive.

M&M Hour is back and boy is there a lot to cover this week! Mandy and Melissa spend a little time complaining about winter weather and the world being in shambles before diving deep into this week's Beverly Hill's episode. They also touch on the part 3 of the RHOSLC reunion. Check out the Your Bish Therapist podcast for part 2 of M&M Hour!For all things Melissa: Link Treelinktr.ee/yourbishtherapistFollow Mandy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandyslutsker/

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Self-led digital practices for emotional resilience, inner growth mindset development, and steady living through uncertainty — and beyond.Designed for people who choose self-responsibility, emotional maturity, and inner authority as a way of living.✨ Featured BundleIf you're moving through uncertainty and want to build steadiness from within — without bypassing emotions or forcing clarity — the Uncertainty to Steadiness Inner Growth Mindset Practice Bundle offers self-led practices designed to support emotional resilience, nervous system safety, and intentional living over time.

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It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin explore a provocative scenario involving unexpected family dynamics and how it would likely change the way you view your parents forever. The dorks then move into their main topic - the most emotionally unprepared they've been for a movie or TV show. They break down moments in entertainment history that either delivered a character's unexpected demise, betrayals, endings that didn't feel great, and all the times they were unexpectedly taught grief when they were just trying to enjoy a movie.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where you can watch our episodes! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

Hello Bravo Bosses! Today we are recapping RHOBH Season 15 Episode 7 (3:00) and The Valley Persian Style Season 1 Episode 5 (20:24). Love you BBs! Join the Patreon for $5 a month to get 4 extra episodes a month! ad free episodes! early episodes! and bonus content! Join the fun at patreon.com/thebravoinvestigatorpodcast YouTube  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group NOTE: No claims have been verified and all information today is alleged, speculation, and is intended purely just for fun. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Self-led digital practices for emotional resilience, inner growth mindset development, and steady living through uncertainty — and beyond.Designed for people who choose self-responsibility, emotional maturity, and inner authority as a way of living.✨ Featured BundleIf you're moving through uncertainty and want to build steadiness from within — without bypassing emotions or forcing clarity — the Uncertainty to Steadiness Inner Growth Mindset Practice Bundle offers self-led practices designed to support emotional resilience, nervous system safety, and intentional living over time.

Send episode requests hereWe've been told that at a certain age, especially as Black women, our options dry up. That if you're divorced, over 35, a single mom, or plus-sized, you should just take what you can get. But I'm 38, divorced, and I only date men who invest in me—emotionally AND financially.In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what shifted for me to get here. You'll discover why trying to prove you're "not a gold digger" attracts the bottom of the barrel, what happens when you start asking for everything (even when you can afford it yourself), and why the men who tell you "men won't do that" are just telling you what they won't do.Ready to stop playing small and start receiving what you actually want? It starts with my free training: Attract 3 Commitment Ready Boyfriends in 90 Days. Happening On: Sunday, February 15th, 2026REGISTER HEREOnce you register, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to the free training.What you'll learn:

Serious question. Why does my oven have a lasagna button? Are people out here crushing lasagna at such a high frequency that it earned its own dedicated setting? And more importantly… am I not eating enough lasagna?Then it hits me. I am officially out of passwords. Mentally. Spiritually. Emotionally. It's 2026 and we are still typing characters into tiny boxes like it's 2009. How is this still the system and why has no one saved us yet?And just when you think life couldn't get more dangerous, winter rolls around and suddenly we are propping open kitchen cabinets so pipes don't freeze. All good until you wake up half asleep at 3am, go to the bathroom, and absolutely wreck your chin on an open cabinet door.This episode is a rapid-fire rant about modern inconveniences, outdated systems, and the oddly specific things no one warned us about. Come for the lasagna button confusion. Stay for the password burnout and mild household injuries.

Trauma Bonding at a Societal LevelTrauma bonding at a societal level occurs when entire communities become emotionally attached to ongoing stress, chaos, and threat through repeated cycles of fear and temporary relief. Constant exposure to crisis-driven narratives keeps the nervous system in a heightened state of activation, where cortisol remains elevated and the brain's threat centers dominate decision-making. In this state, people often bond not to peace or truth, but to the very sources of stress that intermittently offer reassurance, identity, or meaning. Over time, this creates emotional dependence on narratives, movements, or media ecosystems that feel familiar and validating—even when they are harmful.Neurologically and physiologically, societal trauma bonding erodes clarity and resilience. The prefrontal cortex becomes less effective, nuance disappears, and group identity replaces independent discernment. Communities begin to mirror trauma responses seen in individuals: rigidity, hypervigilance, emotional reactivity, and fear of separation from the group. Healing begins when individuals restore nervous system regulation, reconnect to local reality, and reclaim rhythm, coherence, and embodied presence. Calm, grounded truth—rather than outrage—becomes the antidote that slowly dissolves trauma bonds and allows cultures to recover stability and compassion. Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about Community Gaslighting! 

Self-led digital practices for emotional resilience, inner growth mindset development, and steady living through uncertainty — and beyond.Designed for people who choose self-responsibility, emotional maturity, and inner authority as a way of living.✨ Featured BundleIf you're moving through uncertainty and want to build steadiness from within — without bypassing emotions or forcing clarity — the Uncertainty to Steadiness Inner Growth Mindset Practice Bundle offers self-led practices designed to support emotional resilience, nervous system safety, and intentional living over time.

Many high-achieving, capable adults don't identify as “traumatized” — yet they feel emotionally drained, disconnected, or stuck in patterns they can't quite explain.In this powerful episode of Mindset Mastery Moments, Dr. Alisa Whyte sits down with Dr. Shahrzad Jalali — clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, founder of Align Remedy, and author of the upcoming book The Fire That Makes Us — to unpack the often-overlooked impact of silent trauma.This conversation moves beyond surface-level mindset work and explores how unresolved trauma quietly shapes identity, performance, relationships, and leadership — even in high-functioning individuals who appear “fine” on the outside.In this episode, you'll learn:What silent trauma is and why it often goes unrecognizedHow trauma becomes a pattern — not just a past eventWhy mindset shifts don't last without nervous system regulationHow people-pleasing, perfectionism, and overachievement can be survival responsesPractical ways to begin reclaiming emotional agency and personal powerDr. Jalali weaves together neuroscience, clinical insight, and lived experience, offering nervous-system-based tools that help listeners move from survival mode into regulation, alignment, and self-authority.If you've ever felt like you're doing all the right things but still feel internally misaligned, this episode gives language to what you've been carrying — and illuminates a clear path forward.

What if an AI could help you organize your abuse evidence, understand your trauma, and save you thousands in legal fees?Aimee Says isn't just another AI tool—it's a specialized digital health platform that understands power and control dynamics, helps you document patterns of abuse, organizes your evidence for court, and keeps your data completely private and encrypted. Whether you're trying to understand what's happening in your marriage, preparing for custody battles, or just need someone to help you see the patterns you can't yet name, this tool could change everything.

Most people lose control because they fuse their emotions with the moment, and in this episode, I break down why that's a problem. Detachment does not mean avoidance or suppression, it means stepping back internally while staying fully present. When I can separate how I feel from what's happening, I gain perspective without losing engagement. This skill lets you think clearly under pressure and act without emotional spillover. It's how you stay calm, sharp, and in control when things get intense. Show Notes: [02:03]#1 Separate observation from participation. [05:52]#2 Treat the moment as data, not a verdict.  [10:56]#3 Anchor to your principles, not to your feelings. [15:17] Recap Next Steps: --- Power Presence is not taught. It is enforced. If you are operating in environments where hesitation costs money, authority, or leverage, the Power Presence Mastermind exists as a controlled setting for discipline, execution, and consequence-based decision-making. Details live here: http://PowerPresenceProtocol.com/Mastermind  This Masterclass is the public record of standards. Private enforcement happens elsewhere. All episodes and the complete archive: → WorkOnYourGamePodcast.com 

Beyond butterflies and fireworks, what truly makes a relationship thrive? We're diving deep into the often-overlooked power of emotional protection. Join us to learn what it means, why it matters, and how to cultivate it in your own love life.Originally Aired: Mar. 22, 2025NEXT STEP: Book a complimentary Love Strategy Session and let us help you attract love this year: https://go.lovestrategies.com/session

In this Artist Journal solo episode of She's All Over the Place, host Katie Chonacas reflects on psychological isolation—the experience of emotional and social disconnection that can exist even in the presence of others. Inspired by Brené Brown's work on belonging and disconnection, this episode explores how psychological isolation develops, why it can become long-standing, and how it quietly erodes our sense of safety, connection, and self-trust. Katie shares a personal reflection on emotional isolation, social withdrawal, and the loss of belonging, offering language and awareness for an experience many feel but rarely name. This episode is for anyone who has felt: Emotionally disconnected despite being "around people" A loss of belonging or relational safety Socially present but internally isolated Unsure how disconnection became so persistent   Stay Connected with me: https://www.chonacas.com/links/

Send us a textIn a culture obsessed with optimization, control, and staying positive at all costs, emotional numbness has quietly become a survival strategy. In this episode of Evolve Ventures Tech, we sit inside the tension most people avoid, the moments where discomfort, grief, and unprocessed emotion get pushed aside in the name of productivity, resilience, or growth.We challenge the assumption that not feeling is strength and expose the long-term cost of emotional suppression on the body, the nervous system, and the life you are building. This episode holds space for what happens when avoidance looks functional, when “doing well” becomes another way to run, and when emotional signals are ignored until they demand attention.This is not about intensity. It is about honesty, capacity, and what it actually means to stay alive to your own experience in a world that rewards disconnection.Here are the related episodes, each one builds on today's conversation:#453 | What it REALLY Feels Like with High Quality Therapy - https://apple.co/4anaO6d #457 | Polyvagal Theory: The Key to Well-Being - https://apple.co/4bjIu58 Learn more about:

SHOW NOTES: Episode OverviewThe real estate market of 2026 demands sophisticated negotiation skills as inventory rises and days on market climb. This episode explores proven strategies from "Getting to Yes" by Fisher and Ury, providing practical tools for creating win-win outcomes in every transaction.Key Market Insights30-year mortgage rates hit 6.06% on January 9th lowest in nearly 3 yearsActive listings approaching pre-pandemic levels (just under 1 million vs. 1 million in 2019)Home price appreciation slowed to 1.5% year-over-yearEconomy lost 56,000 jobs in Q4 2025, signaling market normalizationThe Trust Opportunity88% of buyers use real estate agents; 91% would recommend them85% of sellers use agents; 87% would recommend them61% of business comes from referrals and repeat clientsBUT only 18% of buyers use the same agent again revealing a massive 69-point gap between satisfaction and retentionThe Four Principles of Win-Win NegotiationSeparate People from ProblemBe hard on issues, soft on peopleExample: "We've got a challenge with inspection items. Let's figure out how to address concerns while respecting everyone's position."Focus on Interests, Not PositionsAsk WHY behind the WHATQuestions: "What's most important to you?" "Tell me more about that."Invent Options for Mutual GainBrainstorm creative solutionsExample: "What if the seller provides a credit instead of repairs?"Insist on Objective CriteriaUse market data, comps, fair standards not emotionsAvoid "in my opinion"; use "based on comparable sales, here's what the market shows"Game-Changing Language"What's most important to you?""Help me understand...""Let me see what we can do""What if we could...?""Are you open to a suggestion?""Would it be helpful if...?"Six Deadly Negotiation MistakesNot listening talking over instead of asking questionsMaking it personal getting defensive or attackingFocusing only on your client's positionAssuming you know what they wantNegotiating while emotionalNegotiating via text/email (the biggest mistake)The Phone Call Advantage50% of email negotiations end in impasseFace-to-face communication is 34x more effective than email93% of communication is non-verbal (tone, expressions, body language)Only 6% of agents choose phone calls, yet they're the most powerful toolThe Volume AdvantageAverage agents: 5 transactions/year = negotiation practice every 2-3 monthsHigh-volume agents: 37+ transactions/year = weekly practice opportunitiesSolution: Practice with AI to build competencyAI Practice StrategyUse ChatGPT or Claude to role-play scenarios:Emotionally attached sellers resisting price adjustmentsBuyers whose friends contradict your adviceRecovery from client missteps during showingsPrompt example: "You are a homeowner who believes your house is worth more than comps indicate. I am your listing agent. Engage naturally, no narration."Mindset PrinciplesSee abundance, not scarcityHold people capable, not accountablePlay the long game create raving fans, not just closed transactionsAction StepsPick ONE principle to implement this weekPractice phone calls instead of texts for negotiationsUse AI to practice challenging scenariosFocus on relationship-building over single transactionsResourcesBook: "Getting to Yes" by Fisher and UryWeekly coaching: Windermere Path Calls (Thursdays, 10 AM)Podcast: "The Windermere Coaching Minute"Remember: Businesses that implement beat businesses that just understand. Your expertise creates value now is your time to demonstrate it.

The best property managers in 2026 don't look like they used to.In today's Multifamily Operator Tip of the Day, we're shifting the hiring lens. Forget the resume checklist. Instead, look for heart, not just hustle.The strongest operators today are:- Emotionally intelligent- Curious- Calm under pressure- Quick to learn from failureIn a world where AI is handling the repetitive tasks, it's the human qualities, empathy, judgment, and adaptability that set your team apart.Don't hire for what someone's done. Hire for how they think.We unpack:- Why emotional intelligence matters more than technical experience- How to interview for curiosity and critical thinking- Why job postings need to speak to the soul of a candidate, not just their skillsTomorrow's top performers aren't robots. They're the ones who lead them.Subscribe now. Tomorrow, we talk turnover—what's really behind it.Blog: https://www.multifamilycollective.comBook: https://amzn.to/3YI6BDaSupport comes from: https://www.365connect.com/?utm_campaign=mmnHosted by: https://www.multifamilymedianetwork.comJoin me at Cultivate 2026: https://naahq.org/events/cultivate/sessions

Send us a textSome relationships don't explode. They quietly wear you down. You walk away feeling tense, confused, guilty, or just exhausted, and you can't quite put your finger on why. Over time, those interactions start to chip away at your confidence, your peace, and your sense of self.In this episode, Anna shares the conversation she wishes she had heard decades ago. Drawing from her personal experience and decades of clinical work, she breaks down the patterns of people who consistently dysregulate your nervous system and erode your mental health, often without obvious cruelty or bad intent. Join Anna and Tim as they explore how compassion can turn into self-abandonment, why some dynamics feel familiar even when they hurt, and how wisdom sometimes looks like stepping back instead of leaning in. This is not about being mean. It is about being honest with yourself and protecting your mental and emotional well-being.This Episode Covers:Why feeling emotionally exhausted after certain interactions is important data.How repeated personality patterns quietly impact your nervous system.The difference between supporting someone and becoming their emotional dumping ground.Chronic victimhood and why endless empathy without action drains you.Drama as stimulation and how chaos can masquerade as connection.Boundary pushers and how they train people to self-abandon.Criticism, sarcasm, and contempt as subtle confidence killers.Hot-and-cold relationships and why inconsistency is destabilizing.Until next time, here's to deeper connections and personal growth.Mad love!The podcast is now on YouTube! If you prefer to watch, head over to https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw3CabcJueib20U_L3WeaR-lNG_B3zYquDon't forget to subscribe to the Badass Confidence Coach podcast on your favorite podcast platform!CONNECT WITH ANNA:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askannamarcolin/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/tag/askannamarcolinEmail hello@annamarcolin.comWebsite https://www.annamarcolin.com

Anyone else out there tired? Emotionally exhausted? Ready to try something new for 2026? This is the episode for you.

This episode emphasizes that kids grow emotionally strong through five key needs: healthy boredom that creates space for creativity and self-direction, agency that helps them feel capable and in control within boundaries, opportunities to experience discomfort so they learn they can handle hard feelings, fortitude built by sticking with challenges over time, and parents who trust their own instincts rather than outsourcing confidence to overwhelming outside influences. Together, these practices help children develop resilience by facing difficulties with steady support instead of avoidance or overprotection. . . . . . .  Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here! Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠ ⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠ . . . . . .  If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form. QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply. ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last. COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order.HIYA: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you become more emotionally available in dating? My podcast guest, Brooke Bralove, has the answers! She is a Psychotherapist, Certified Sex Therapist, and Master Accelerated Resolution Therapy Practitioner. She helps women and men let go of perfectionism and move toward greater authenticity, joy, pleasure, and connection. She has been in private practice in Bethesda, MD for over 20 years.In this episode:What is ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) and how does it work in relationships?What are some common emotional blocks people carry into dating, and how do they show up?How can past experiences or trauma impact someone's ability to connect emotionally with a partner?What are practical steps or exercises listeners can try to become more emotionally available?Connect With BrookeWebsite: www.brookebralove.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/brookebralovepsychotherapy/ IG, TikTok, Threads:: @brookebralovepsychotherapy   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebralovepsychotherapy/►Please subscribe/rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/lastfirstdateradio ►If you're feeling stuck in dating and relationships and would like to find your last first date, sign up for a complimentary 45-minute breakthrough session with Sandy https://lastfirstdate.com/application ►Join Your Last First Date on Facebook https://facebook.com/groups/yourlastfirstdate ►Get Sandy's books, Becoming a Woman of Value; How to Thrive in Life and Love https://bit.ly/womanofvaluebook , Choice Points in Dating https://amzn.to/3jTFQe9 and Love at Last https://amzn.to/4erpj7C ►Get FREE coaching on the podcast! https://bit.ly/LFDradiocoaching ►FREE download: “Top 10 Reasons Why Men Suddenly Pull Away” http://bit.ly/whymendisappear ►FREE download: “The Green Light Guide to Dating After 50” https://lastfirstdate.com/green-light-guide/ ►Group Coaching: https://lastfirstdate.com/the-woman-of-value-club/ ►Website → https://lastfirstdate.com/ ► Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lastfirstdate1/ ►Get Amazon Music Unlimited FREE for 30 days at https://getamazonmusic.com/lastfirstdate