Unpacking Myself: Recent Episodes
Neha Patel
Each week you will get a window into how I unpack the clutter and hard stuff in my mind. I will leave you with questions so you can do the same. The only expert on this podcast is YOU.
Find me on Instagram: @unpackingmyself or email me unpackingmyself@gmail.com. Would love to hear from you!
There is a shift happening in the world where people are moving from just relying on their 5 senses to trusting the other senses we have been given such as our intuition and gut. We hear more and more people say "I can't explain it but I just have a feeling" but it can be hard to trust our gut if those around us demand an explanation andd information. It can make us doubt our gut or dismiss it because it doesn't make sense. In this episode I dive into all of this - how to lean into your gut, trust it and gain confidence in moving through life with our gut feelings at the forefront. If we don't learn to use our intuition and gut, we are leaving a valuable tool on the table as we go through life.
Let's unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Have you ever found yourself wanting to speak up about something but you decide not to? It could be at work, with friends, with your spouse, at the store, at a restaurant. We don't want to create conflict or make it awkward. In this episode, I tap into all the reasons we often choose to stay quiet instead and why its important we don't in order for us to be our authentic self. The good hearted, compassionate, kind voices need to be louder in this world, and it starts with our own lives and interactions. I dive into how other people will try to discourage or make you doubt yourself when you speak up and how to combat this. Check it out!
Let's unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
You know what we have become really good at doing? Coming up with labels and boxes to put people in. We want to pack a punch and invoke emotion with the least words possible. What better way than to call people names that puts them into a box. Eliminates the need to even have a rational, intellectual argument. In this episode, I unpack how easily we lose sight of our humanity when we define ourselves—and others—by our roles, beliefs, or identities. From "mom" or "entrepreneur" to political or religious boxes, these labels make us forget the deeper essence of who we are at our core. When we drop the labels, even for a moment, we reconnect with that pure, loving part of us that existed long before the world told us who to be. This episode is an invitation to remember that we are all human first—and that real connection, grace, and peace come when we live from that place.
Let's unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Ever wake up and realize you’ve been living on autopilot — saying yes to things you didn’t choose and following a path someone else set for you? In this episode, I unpack a quote by Brené Brown that got me thinking about what it really means to be intentional — and why we sometimes avoid it. Let’s get honest about what (and who) we’re prioritizing, so we can either make changes or drop the guilt and own our choices. Tune in for a dose of clarity and calm confidence.
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
There are a small number of people who leave a lifelong impact on who you become. The individual I’m interviewing on this episode, Jonathan Ord, is one of those humans for me. You have to listen in order to understand why I look up to this individual for his example, principles and wisdom. He has a wonderful way of helping us come back to the core of who we are meant to be. A lot of things in the world today make us feel like humanity has drifted too far from who we are but I promise this episode will bring you back to a place of faith, hope and optimism for the world and humanity. Listen in to hear directly from one of the best humans I know!
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
It has never been more important than now to be in touch with your inner self and knowing so that your reality is an expression of you and not those around you. How do you do this when we are constantly being bombarded with opinions, reels, tiktoks, marketing to make us follow the crowd? In this episode, I dive into my observations and realizations around this topic and what happens when we follow the crowds versus our inner voice. This episode will invite you to reflect on how much of your reality is influenced by the crowd versus YOU.
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Have you ever noticed the difference between doing something because it’s necessary versus doing it because you want to be seen or because of insecurities? In this episode, I unpack the distinction between practical motive and psychological motive, and how this subtle shift can be the root of stress, disappointment, or peace in our lives. I share stories from a weekend at a Krishnamurti ashram, conversations over morning chai with my in-laws, and the insights that came from those moments. Check it out!
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Something I love doing is unpacking life with my kids too. Its a skill I want them to grow up having and using as they move through life. My eight year old daughter has been watching me for the last 5 years doing this podcast and asked if she could do an episode with me so here it is! We talk about the mind vs heart, friendship, how to release hard things and much more. Enjoy and listen with your kids!
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Opinions seem to be a dime a dozen these days. Humans probably have always had opinions but now they are thrown in our face by every Joe Shmoe through social media, news, etc. Someone in my life recently shined a light on all my opinions, especially the unnecessary ones. In this episode, I unpack this for myself and what I discovered along the way. Are they all necessary? What is the impact of constant opinions on our mental and physical health? What happens when we reduce the opinions? How do you reduce your opinions? Listen in !
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
In this episode, I unpack a lesson from my old boss who told me, “don’t get too comfortable with the status quo.” At the time, I thought everything was great so why ‘fix what ain’t broken?’ I later realized he was pointing to something deeper: when we settle into “good enough,” we often miss out on the more life has for us. I talk about how life nudges us and gives us opportunities to upgrade if we pause and notice the opportunity. These moments can feel hard, uncomfortable and confusing like a reboot, but they’re actually invitations to grow, expand, and experience life in ways we never imagined if we stayed comfortable. Check this episode out to see if you might have an upgrade opportunity right now in your life.
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
I’m making a prediction in this episode - feel free to hold me to it. I think life’s quieter truths are making a comeback. Its nothing new but when life gets easy, comfortable, we lose sight of the ideals and values and things that truly matter to us. We forget to defend it, speak up about it and prioritize it. And thank god that when we forget the important things in life, the universe nudges us and eventually smacks us in the face if we still don’t listen. There is a heaviness in the world but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Let me explain how and why. My hope is that this episode will alleviate some of the heaviness you might be carrying or feeling. Give it a listen!
Let’s unpack together! Sometimes all you need is a nudge and someone to ask the questions so you can find the answers for you. Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Isn’t it ironic that we can see everything with our eyes—except ourselves. In this episode, I reflect on why true self-connection requires us to go inward. Meditation, stillness, and closing our eyes aren’t just practices—they’re the only way to truly see who we are beyond the noise and connect with ourselves. We will travel all over to see the world but what a tragedy it would be to go our entire lives without seeing what matters most - ourselves.
Want to unpack a topic that is creating mental clutter for you? Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
A recent post by Adam Grant on one of the most underrated skills being able to receive tough love inspired this episode. A majority of people struggle to receive constructive criticism from others. In this episode I explore why that is and why we take it so personally. On the surface most people say they don’t mind the unpleasant truths but I share a way to know whether that is actually true for you or not. If you are committed to growing, improving then you can’t be surrounded by people who feed you comforting lies and your actions dictate whether people will tell you the hard truths or not.
Want to unpack a topic that is creating mental clutter for you? Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
Have you ever thought about what grounds you in life? Something constant, steady, a strong foundation that brings you back no matter what is happening around you or to you? In this episode, I talk about the many things past generations had but how we are moving away from a lot of them. Life changes with each generation but the need for something that grounds us is something we all still need. I share the deeper significance behind all this and why it matters so much. I will also leave you with a question to help you find what that could be for you.
Want to unpack a topic that is creating mental clutter for you? Send me a DM or check out my website: www.unpackingmyself.com
When things don’t go our way in life, its easy to get caught up in self-doubt and become our very own harshest critic. We wonder why we let something happen or why we keep doing this particular thing. Many times we are often saying, why were you being who you are but a friend recently said something brilliant that made me realize that what I needed to do was not be overly critical of myself but rather do a slight perspective shift. This is what I did recently and like magic, instantly, any negative self talk ceased to exist. Listen in if you get annoyed with your “faults” to see how you can see them differently and how you can realize the upside.
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This concept of you experiencing the world as you are is a hard one to grasp unless you have experimented with it. We all have different voices in our head and often times on auto-pilot we listen to the one rooted in fear without even realizing it. In this episode, I share a big realization I had around why we gravitate towards the voice rooted in fear and how to gently encourage yourself to listen to the one rooted in love and compassion instead. How you see someone or a situation can completely change depending on the lens you choose. Obviously if this were easy to do, everyone would do it. Its not easy but I was blown away by this simple method that Gary Zukav enlightened me with and guess what, it works! Check out this episode to learn what this is.
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What does “being happy” really mean? How do you answer that question? Have you ever answered that question with a “but” or hesitated before answering? You’re not alone - most people do. I realized recently that we tend to hesitate because we aren’t quite sure how to measure it. Is it the big moments like time with friends or family, playing with your kids, being on vacation? In this episode I unpack how these big moments are actually not the right way to measure whether you are happy, and how you can tap into the real answer for you. There is no wrong answer to this question because even a “no” helps us in an unexpected way which I dive into. Listen in to unpack a question that is commonly asked but explained enough. Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a DM
At some point or another, I think we all have experienced our mind going down the “what if” path - what if that didn’t happen, what if I said this instead, etc. It is normal but it doesn’t have to be something we deal with all the time. This weekend something unexpected happened that inspired a conversation with my kids about the “what if” trap our mind can sometimes get caught up in and why we should train our mind to stop it and how. It took me down memory lane when I remember getting caught up in this trap and how over the years I stopped falling for that trap. Do you every get caught up in the “what if” trap? You are definitely not alone. Tune in this week as I unpack the “what if” trap we all have experienced at one point or another.
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Consuming information is one thing but putting it to use and embodying what you learn is a whole other thing. How can you tell whether you are actually growing from the things you are experiencing or learning? I stumbled across something recently that helped me see I had reached a certain level of growth that I hadn’t before. It had to do with how I reacted when I knew I was being misunderstood by a group of people. Listen in as I share my experience and how I used my reaction as a litmus test of whether I was growing in the right direction or not.
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Do you think those who judge & are negative but don’t say it out loud are better than people who keep it to themselves? I think there is a huge misconception around this that I clear up in this episode. I’m learning to appreciate the people who are real even if it comes off as rude, blunt, not polished. We often judge and dismiss because it isn’t often comfortable to be around it and quite honestly, we aren’t used to it because more people hide those parts of themselves than show them. I’m at stage in my life where I don’t want to waste time deciphering who you are. Just show me so we can both make the best decision for us and then move on. Listen in as I find a new found appreciation for people who may make us cringe but also don’t make us wonder about who they are.
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I don’t care which side of the fence you are, the truth is there is A LOT of outside noise right now. Outside noise that can provide input for our own lives is one thing but outside noise that we have no control over and can’t change, can make us feel helpless and frustrated. This episode isn’t a “let me show you how I did it” but rather a reminder for myself as I noticed myself getting “off track” by all the outside noise. Outside noise takes our focus away from the things in front of us so tune in to this episode, if you, like myself, want to snap out of it and bring your focus back to the things you can actually control and influence for the better.
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Somewhere along the way, many of us decided we had to be nice no matter what and that it comes before everything else. Being 'nice' was the badge of honor for being a good person, being liked, showing that you are evolved and awakened. And yes on the surface this all makes sense but not when we are doing it at the expense of being our authentic selves. Modern day self help and spirituality has led us astray from what the true end goal is, and we are sacrificing the real end goal just so we can be “nice and kind” to get external validation and praise. In this episode, I unpack why so many of us have it backwards and why it is important to lead with authenticity over being nice.
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Hard moments in our life can feel like a disruption to our happy, positive, upbeat lives but life was never designed for your comfort, it had a greater purpose, and if we stray away from the purpose of life, it has built in systems in place to help jolt us back onto the right path. How cool is that? But it takes some effort and practice to be able to spot these moments in our life, especially if we don’t know how to or that something like this even exists. In this episode, I share why I get goosebumps just thinking about how life has always had my back and nudged me in the right direction when I am astray. Listen in to spot these moments in your life so you can take full advantage of life’s nudges.
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The obvious answer would be, yes you have to deal with the hard, uncomfortable things that come to you in your life but what does “deal with it” mean? Many do and will avoid, deny, dismiss instead of going through it. I’ve done it many times as well. The thing we don’t realize is that there is a consequence to doing this. If true authentic, strength could be built by avoiding, denying, dismissing then no one would ever deal with hard things in any other way. Having handled hard moments both ways myself, I can tell you there is a difference and only one way creates true strength, growth and authenticity. In this episode, I talk about why and what I have noticed as I have experimented with both methods in my life.
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The irony of perfectionism is that we chase it because we want people to accept us, like us, be impressed by us BUT in reality chasing perfectionism makes people feel less connected to us. How often do we love people because of how perfect they are? Rarely - and yet, we strive to be perfect. In this episode, I dive into when perfectionism becomes an issue and how it is truly perceived by others even though it helps us feel protected. Perfectionism also robs us of the true purpose of our being here on this planet and the experiences it gives us every single day. Listen in as I dive into all things perfectionism.
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Whether we realize it or not we sometimes pick and choose the parts of our life we want to show up for and put in the hard work for. For some parts - we might be intimidated by what needs to be done, we may not know how to tackle, we might be uncomfortable with the situation, so we avoid it. Purpose isn’t about achieving money and career goals - its about tackling what life is throwing at you at any given moment because you trust that that is what you are meant to tackle in that moment. You can also avoid your purpose by you avoiding the hard and uncomfortable things in your life. People go their entire lifetimes not showing up for the hard parts of life but I learned recently that when you show up fully - for the good, the bad, the ugly - something amazing happens. In this episode I dive into why its so important to show up and put in the work in all aspects of your life, especially the ones you are avoiding and make you uncomfortable.
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I recently noticed that our idea of who we are at this very moment may not be fully based in reality. Why is this? There is who we think we are, who we are in this moment and who we want to be. All 3 of these things are not always aligned. We are often transitioning between the old us and the new us. What happens to our idea of who we are during these periods? Spiritual teachings say “know who you are” but I realized this could be misleading. In this episode, I dive into all of this and how better understanding what “know who you are” means can actually help you actually better know who you are, and ways that have helped me.
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Through my own experiences and hearing from many others recently, I realized that many people are being called to take a closer look at things they have been doing on autopilot for many years. Things that they dismissed, shoved under the rug and ignored, were now staring them in the face, forcing them to address it. People are being challenged to question their old ways of doing things. I felt this shift within me over the last few months and it has been hard and painful but the reward is moving closer to who you are, being more of your authentic self, having your outer world be more aligned with who you are. These are incredible things but can feel really hard and lonely. I share my own experience and journey around this in this episode. I hope it makes you feel understood and heard, and less alone in whatever journey you may be going through as we all kick off this new year.
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Is it possible that we might be missing the point of being human if we do not allow ourselves to feel deeply? Why do we stop ourselves or judge ourselves when we feel things deep within our being? I wonder if the message that we shouldn’t live in our feelings long enough to cause suffering somehow turned into not feeling at all, being stoic at all times, being even keel at all times. Some of the most wonderful humans I know, feel big ! Why is that? I unpack all of this and how I realized that it was never about not feeling deeply, I just needed to reframe what it meant to feel deeply.
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These days “values” has become a word like many others that we sometimes casually and carelessly throw around. I recently realized its a lot easier to recite what our values are, than to defend them, speak up for them, walk away because of them. There are people who simply talk about values and then those who integrate them into how they live their life. In this episode, I talk about this realization I had and what I started observing in my own life and around me. It’s easier to bend the rules as far as your values go then to be a stickler about them but in an experiment I did, I realized that there is a surprising outcome to sticking to your values despite the discomfort and fears. Listen in as I unpack the complexities of "values."
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It’s so easy to feel insignificant in this gigantic planet of 8 billion people but I don’t think we would if we truly understand the collective energy that is at play in the universe. It may sound overwhelming or out of reach to think of a collective energy but in this episode, I break down what that means for me and how I realized there was such a thing as collective energy that I am actively contributing to every single day of my life, making my life a significant part of the world. In this episode, I give a different perspective on what changing the world means. Listen in to see why what you do every day of your life - the choices, the actions, the focus, the words, the thoughts, matters more than you know.
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Everything our mind spews out isn’t always true. Sometimes its simply to soothe us and make us feel better. It’s goal isn’t always to feed you accurate information but to rather make you feel better. In doing so, sometimes we become judgmental and critical of others when the relationship changes or when people don’t include us. Rather than accepting that maybe the season for this relationship has ended, we feel the need to justify the why. I noticed this in myself and others recently and wanted to unpack it. I wanted to get to a place where I didn’t live in the judgment phase or even skipped it at times. Relationships ebb and flow throughout our life so learning to deal with them with grace and love is always something that will come in handy. Check this episode out where I unpack the how!
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One of the biggest challenges in relationships tends to be that they are not behaving in the way we expect. The question we fail to ask is - did their behavior change from the past or is it the same? Where did our expectations of them come from? Changing others is rarely the solution because, as we all have probably experienced, its not an easy thing to do. So what do you do in this situation? Complaining about it year after year is exhausting and, honestly, pointless. When I took a minute to change the focus from them to myself, I realized where I was going wrong in my way of thinking. And when I figured out the shift I needed to make in my mindset, the frustration and disappointment dissipated. It's that transformative and instant. Check this episode out as I share my own journey and discoveries around this topic.
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I recently did two of the most physically strenuous things I have ever done in my life and of course, I had a lot of realizations and unpacking that I wanted to share with you. From why you should do things outside of your comfort zone to the bonding that happens when you do hard things together to what true character means and so much more. You may not care about hiking for 15 hours like I did but the realizations are applicable to whatever speaks to you. It taught me and reminded me of a lot of life lessons and I am hooked on getting outside of my comfort zone more and more - you dont know what you dont know until you do it. So many parts of us want us to stay in the comfort zone but something incredible happens when you tap into a part of you, you didn’t realize was there.
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Its very easy to ignore our gut because of peer pressure, FOMO, wanting to be liked, expectations others have on us and many more reasons. When this happens we often make all our decisions just with the chatter and information in our mind but our gut, heart and body can be an incredible resource in helping us make decisions that are right for us and serve us better. The greatest benefit of learning to listen to your gut is greater peace of mind as you navigate life. Listen in as I share how I realized I was ignoring my gut and how I started tapping into it more and more.
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Out with the old, in with the new - sounds like a harsh saying especially if you are talking about relationships or people but depends on how you look at it. Many of us get attached to the things in our life - people, work, etc. and even when we have an inkling in our gut that we have outgrown these situations in our life, we don’t let it go. We get complacent, we get FOMO, we get sheepish on making bold decisions but there is a consequence that can change the trajectory of our lives. The consequence is not allowing space in our life for new things to come in, for change to happen - things that we actually wished we had. The universe will wait until you have had the courage to let go because that is when you become the person worthy of the change you want. This is what I dive deep on in this episode - check it out!
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I noticed over the past 5-10 years there was more content out there that was dark, serious, intense, and it was popular. What happens when we pause and notice how the content we are consuming, whether its movies, shows, social media or music affects our mind and overall energy. Yes, its just supposed to be entertainment but there might be a bigger influence on our overall well-being than we realize. In this episode, I dive into this and how I discovered the need to be mindful and intentional about the content we consume.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
The biggest job we have as human beings is getting as close as we can to being our authentic selves. Somehow the universe has a way of pushing us to be our authentic selves and shaking our lives up if we are straying. An important part of this is whether the people you are surrounded by are pushing to be more of your authentic self vs stray away. Do they make you feel insecure and make you feel self-doubt or do they make you embrace your authentic self. This is what I dive into this episode - why who you hang with matters beyond just subconsciously copying their good and bad, and how they can move you closer to your authentic self or away.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
I heard someone say this line recently - that seeing the world solely through our minds might be the biggest issue humanity is facing right now. This caught my attention because it feels like it is getting to the crux of the many issues we are facing in the world today. I can spot moments where I’m leaning towards the mind more so than the heart - and the correlation to suffering and challenges is quite interesting. The mind plays an important role but it is also something that feeds the ego. I dive into this in an effort to better understand myself, others and the world today. Listen in so you can be aware the next time you are living through your mind versus heart.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
There are a lot of great things and a lot of change that happens in this world because of people who are passionate. Passion is a wonderful thing but passion can breed healthy involvement and also unhealthy entanglement. Both often appear to be the same on the outside but on the inside we can tell the difference if we pause to notice. When we go from entanglement to healthy involvement, we tend to be in a better mental space and avoid making bad decisions. We also can be more effective when we are not entangled. In this episode, I share how I noticed this within me, what the difference is and how to keep your passion but without the entanglement.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
The power of female friendships is not a new concept but does everyone have that in their life? I think every woman wants it in their life but while it may be easy for some to cultivate, it isn’t always easy for everyone. Its not a matter of luck, it often has more to do with what you are bringing to the table. There are certain things that are a must in order to cultivate deep friendships. While we may be close with our spouse, parents, siblings, there truly is something that just hits differently with a good female friendship. A recent podcast I listened to with some powerful women such as Melinda French Gates, Oprah, Gayle, Michelle Obama on this topic also helped validate for me how important certain traits are in cultivating strong friendships. Listen in !
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
We all tend to play a certain role in most of our relationships or interactions - the nice one, the loud one, the understanding one, the emotional one, etc. I recently was thinking through what this was for me and realized that rather than seeing what I bring to the table as a strength, it was starting to feel like a burden. The whole “why do I always have to be the emotionally strong one?” In this episode, I unpack my journey through this so that I could express my strength from a genuine and authentic place versus resentment over always having to play that role.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
If we pause and reflect on our life, we all will notice something that has been the biggest blessing in our life. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise of what we don’t have or wished we had but knowing what the biggest blessing in your life is, not only brings more of it into your life but also serves as something to give you faith and hope when life isn’t going your way. When I realized what this blessing was for me, I was moved to tears and continue to be when I allow myself to feel gratitude for it. This episode will encourage you to scan your life and find that blessing in your life that makes you think ‘how could I have gotten so lucky?’
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: www.unpackingmyself.com
There are a lot of humans in this world that we come across and that means we may not always like everyone we come across, and because of that is born this idea of being two-faced where we say one thing behind people’s back and another in front of them. Not everything requires confrontation but what do you do when someone is blatant in their two-facedness and you find out? Do you confront it, do you cut them off, do you ignore it? Do we act from a place of ego or consciousness? In this episode I talk about all of this and how to avoid getting caught up in the negative energy they have created. How we react or think about situations like this can either feed their two-facedness or it can make it irrelevant. Listen in !
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Almost everyone says they hate small talk but what they don’t realize is that they are an active participant in creating “small talk.” I’m not going to undermine your intelligence and give you specific questions to ask, to avoid small talk but I will tell you why we end up doing so much small talk and how we contribute. While a lot of people complain about small talk, I noticed that somehow I was managing to have meaningful conversations with people I had just met or people I was only talking to for 15 minutes. So I had to reflect and figure out how and why this was happening. In this episode, I share what has worked for me many, many times and encourage you to reflect on how you approach conversations and how you could make a few tweaks to have more meaningful conversations. The exciting part is that it is in your control!
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Karma is a very complex topic and you can find a lot of in depth knowledge on this but on this episode I want to share how this past week, I used the principles of Karma to positively influence a difficult relationship in my life. After all, these principles are best when applicable to real life situations. I break down how to simplify and apply the concept of Karma so it can bring more peace into your life. I also talk about the 2 main reasons why understanding Karma can help us and also the 1 out of 3 types of Karma that you can actually influence and change. Some of this episode may feel out of your comfort zone, as it has for me in the past, but take what works for you or file it away for when you are ready. It ended up being a bit longer than I was expecting too! So much to cover under this topic.
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If you start watching self-help videos, the number of trends and things people say you should do is insane. Ayahuasca, intermittent fasting, infrared therapy, cold plunge, sunlight, saunas, waking up at 5am, meditating, journaling, walking 10,000 steps. It is impossible to do it all. A lot of the times the people who boast 3 hour morning routines are men or women who don’t have kids or have grown kids. Watching all this can sometimes make us feel like we are less than or missing out on growth because we aren’t doing it but its not a one size fits all type thing. You don’t have to do all those trends in order to grow to your full potential. There is literally something we all have that we simply can tap into to grow - life. This episode is about not feeling guilty or pressure to do all the self-help trends.
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This episode isn’t about taking a nap in the middle of the day, but I'm a huge fan of that, if you need it :) Somewhere along the way, resting has gotten a negative connotation because of the fast paced, go-go-go world we live in but when we go through hard moments in our life like a divorce, health issues, failure, sometimes the rest is what helps get us back on our feet. The alternative of not stopping and just going, can actually hurt us more than help. I talk about why this is so important and how we need to take the negative connotation away from “resting” periods in our life because we all will need them at some point, and its ok.
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No matter how old we get, there is always a part of us that wants to feel the way a baby feels in a mothers arms - I’m safe, I’m protected, I’m loved. Basically that feeling of someone genuinely going “I got you, no matter what.” Many people still get that from a parent but if not, along the way in our life we come across people who make us feel this, who make us believe in ourselves more than we knew we could just by how they believe in us. We forget about this feeling especially if too much time has passed since being around them or maybe because of distance or maybe because they are no longer here on earth but I recently realized that the impact these people have on us leaves a permanent imprint on our being, and we can tap into it whenever we want. It’s always there. Give this episode a listen to see how I unpack this and did this.
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What do you do when you just can’t stop replaying an interaction with someone in your head because you wish you would’ve said or done something differently? So many times I have heard people say this is one of the things that keeps them up at night. I remember doing this in my 20’s but this week I reflected back on what I started doing differently so that I don’t get stuck in unproductive, replay mode. We put so much emphasis on this one moment especially as we focus more and more energy on it but in reality, is it really that significant? Does it really change people’s opinion of you if it was a fluke moment? This episode will give you insights into what I do now to stop going down this rabbit hole and turning that negative clutter in my mind into more calm and peace.
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They tell you to “be patient” and “trust the universe” but what if you feel like you have been doing that and still nothing is happening, nothing is going your way. Its easier said than done to “be patient and trust the universe” but when you are in it, it is so easy to become discouraged and to feel like you are the only one where things just aren’t going the way you want or moving fast enough. Recently a friend shared a perspective shift on this that helped me see these moments with excitement instead of dread. In this episode, I share how I now make this mindset shift when I might be feeling discouraged and how you can too. Give it a listen and let me know what you think !
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We live in a world of book summaries, 5 second tik toks, one word text messages but none of this can replace taking the time to understand someone on a deeper level or diving into a 700 page book. There is something incredibly meaningful and beautiful in the things that require us to go beyond the surface no matter what it is. Everyone has a deeper story and reason as to why they are the way they are and when you take the time to understand this, you develop compassion for them but does this mean you allow negative behavior? I dive into all of this in this week's episode. Check it out!
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How do we figure out someone's real deal amidst all the smoke and mirrors? From dating to friendships to business partnerships, in this episode I explore the cracks that show up when things get tough or when we're hit with some uncomfortable truths. How someone handles the rough patches says a lot about who they truly really are. Tune in for some insights on reading between the lines and uncovering true character in someone. This episode will give you some things to keep in the back of your mind, the next time you are trying to assess who someone truly is.
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I recently had an ah-ha moment where I realized that it isn’t one thing such as religion, politics, race, socio-economic status that divides humanity, its something deeper within us. As crazy as it may sound, there is a “feel good” feeling we get from the division but what if I told you of another “feel good” feeling that you really should be striving for instead - the cherry on top is that it creates less division. We are drawn to people who are confident and determined in their beliefs but I think the secret to more non-judgment and acceptance lies somewhere in the middle. Listen in for a unique perspective on why it seems we are so divided and what we should be gravitating towards individually to make actual change.
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Feeling bad for others on the surface may seem like a natural, human emotion. We usually associate it with something you feel when you love and care about someone but when we love someone what we really want is the best for them, and “feeling bad” alone actually may not be what is best for them. You might be thinking “say what?!” but there is a subtle difference that is so important to be aware of if we want to truly help those that we feel bad for. In this episode, I unpack this topic and how “feeling bad” can actually do more harm to someone if we don’t move past that feeling to something that is more positive and uplifting for the other person. It’s simple and something you can implement into your life right away.
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In this episode, I dive into the often overlooked but game-changing factor in leadership and success: character. Drawing on something Adam Grant mentioned in a talk, I explore why, despite a flood of books on corporate culture, we still struggle to find great leaders. The key takeaway? Character matters more than we think. I talk about athletes who were underestimated but propelled to greatness because of, yep, their character. My hope is that this episode makes us pause and notice our obsession with external skills, when character really is the underlying X factor that matters most. How do we change our focus on the flashy, measurable things to include heart - character.
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Let’s be honest, it's annoying when people misinterpret your intentions and don’t understand you on a deeper level. We all have those people in our life who just don't get you. I share my recent experience of someone turning my words into a misunderstanding that left me scratching my head. Being misunderstood is an energy drain and getting caught up in trying to prove yourself is frustrating. So what do you do? How do you protect your sense of self and your energy? Listen in as I share what has worked for me.
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In this episode, I reflect on the misconceptions surrounding the Westernized, highly marketed idea of "meaning and purpose," drawing insights from a thought-provoking interview with Sadhguru. He challenges the modern narrative that suggests a lifelong purpose and encourages us to embrace the simplicity of living life as is. Exploring the pitfalls of glamorizing purpose and the danger of losing meaning in daily routines, I share a profound realization about finding fulfillment in the ordinary. Sadhguru's wisdom prompts us to reconsider whether the issue lies in lacking meaning or in losing the ability to see the profound meaning in our everyday lives.
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In this episode, I explore the dynamics of engaging in debates and arguments, particularly the fine line between expressing intellectual perspectives and fueling our egos. I discuss the tendency to withhold opinions to avoid confrontation and the gendered aspect of sensitivity in discussions. Sharing personal experiences, I emphasize the importance of remaining mindful of emotional shifts during a debate and recognizing when it becomes more about defending one's ego than exchanging ideas. Additionally, I uncover the unexpected impact of speaking up, shedding light on the power of influencing perspectives and inspiring others to find their voices in discussions.
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In this episode, I talk about challenging family relationships and the pressure we often feel to achieve the ideal. I share my personal realization that not every family bond fits the conventional mold, and that's perfectly okay. Instead of measuring success by a picture-perfect relationship, I explore a more personalized definition of success that is realistic. It's about how much power we allow others to have over our self-worth and the importance of setting realistic goals, even if it means simply reaching a point where they no longer negatively impact us. Join me in navigating the complexities of family dynamics and redefining our notions of success in these relationships.
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In this episode, I delve into how we judge people when we first meet them. We all have our criteria, whether we're aware of it or not. Do we like them because of how they make us feel in the moment, or can we see their true character beyond our own feelings? I discuss the pros and cons of both approaches, and how our perception of people often depends on the emotional lens we view them through. One approach causes more turbulence and instability whereas the other ensures a stronger foundation in your relationships. Join me as we explore the dynamics of human judgment, the quest for authenticity in our relationships, and the importance of seeing people for who they truly are.
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In this episode, I dive into the complex realm of human relationships, those unspoken truths and feelings that often lurk beneath the surface. We've all been there – feeling a pang of insecurity when someone close to us appears to be connecting with others in a way that triggers jealousy. It's relatable, whether it's your child's friendships, your partner's closeness with their family, or even within your own circle of friends. The key is to recognize these insecurities, look within ourselves, and focus on building deeper connections and genuine joy for others. I share insights on managing these emotions and achieving contentment in our relationships, highlighting the importance of frequency, shared experiences, and vulnerability in nurturing strong connections.
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In this episode, I delve into the subtle yet crucial difference between positively influencing people's behavior and resorting to manipulation. Manipulation often stems from fear and ego. However, when we positively shape others' actions without resorting to manipulative tactics, we achieve a desired, long-term result that leaves everyone feeling better about themselves. I discuss how to distinguish behavior driven by manipulation from a genuine desire to positively influence someone or a situation. I also share a personal lifelong learning moment where someone chose positive influence over ego and manipulation. Learn to discern the difference so you can positively influence others as well!
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In this episode, I talk about the intricate layers of our identity as individuals. I start with the concept of our "true self," free from ego and insecurities, and how it connects us to a shared humanity, and then go into the authentic personality we all possess versus the image we sometimes feel pressured to project. I share some personal experiences as I uncover the blurred lines between our authentic selves and the personas we adopt due to external pressures or expectations. I share red flags I noticed in myself for when there is a misalignment between our actual authentic selves and external expectations being masked as authenticity.
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In this episode, I delve into the concept of transcending our ego, dismantling our walls, and letting go of competitiveness in our daily lives to view life through a collective lens. I share stories of individuals who have exemplified the power of unity over individuality in my own life. It's easy to overlook the beauty of connecting deeply with others, especially when our fears or innate instincts take the lead. This episode serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative impact that embracing a collective mindset can have on our lives. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion that could reshape your approach to life.
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In this episode, I dive into a struggle we can all relate to - maintaining faith in life, even when its track record shows that things usually work out. I delve into the statistics, sharing personal stories and insights on why we tend to doubt, fear, and lose faith when life takes an uncertain turn. Listen in, it might be just the reminder you need! It sure was for me! We forget the beauty in life's unpredictability but this episode will help rekindle your faith in the midst of challenges.
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In this episode, I dive into a thought-provoking debate I had with a friend about the blurred lines between self-care choices like dying your hair and more invasive procedures like Botox or plastic surgery. I question whether our actions always align with our beliefs, highlighting the often subconscious hypocrisy that shows up in all aspects of life. From beauty standards to politics and celebrity actions, I explore the intricacies of our complex, sometimes contradictory, human nature, and urge listeners to reflect on their own areas of potential hypocrisy while fostering understanding and empathy for others when their actions may not line up with their words.
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I recently attended an Indian Broadway show where I noticed the audience's enthusiastic reaction to cheesy romantic lines, which contrasts with traditional stereotypes about Indian men. This observation prompted me to ponder the disconnect between appreciating something publicly and embodying those qualities personally. I explore how people often consume content, like spiritual teachings, without living according to those principles. The episode highlights the gap between intellectual understanding and practical application, suggesting it reflects a disconnection from one's true self. Perhaps we should be more introspective about why certain things resonate strongly with us. Check out this episode as I explore the importance of paying attention to these moments of connection in a world filled with distractions.
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Over the years, I’ve noticed a dynamic that seems to exist for many of us - those closest to us and who love us, sometimes annoy us the most. In this episode I unpack why this seems to be a thing for so many of us, these individuals’ purpose in our life and how we can transform the annoyance they cause within us to something more positive. I know, it can be annoying when people talk about gratitude and those who annoy us but hear me out on this one. I’m not just preaching but have experimented with challenging individuals in my life. I unpack the idea that these individuals, who can irritate and test our patience, actually help us learn and grow, just like the many other things that come into our life for this same purpose. If you've ever felt the tension of loving someone while wrestling with differences, or struggled to find the silver lining in those who push your buttons, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how to cultivate understanding, gratitude, and personal evolution.
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Making us feel validated through shared experiences is a great way to catch our attention but true change in our life happens when we focus on the issues that are most impactful to us in our life in this moment. Even if a psychologist were given all the data about you and your childhood, they couldn’t predict which things would impact you in a negative way. It’s easy to get emotionally attached to our childhood experiences and the outcomes that people say are probable. Yes, it helps us feel validated but if we don’t focus on the solution, this information isn’t helpful and can actually make us even more anxious. The best way to unpack ourselves is by focusing on the “thing” that is causing the most challenges and negativity in our minds and lives, not focusing on the experiences we had as a child. Making us feel validated through shared experiences is a great way to catch our attention but that doesn’t help us solve the issues in our life. Check out this episode on what has helped me unpack without increasing anxiety and making sure there is a direct impact on the quality of my life and peace of mind.
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We are encouraged to go outside of our comfort zone in many areas of our life. In this episode, I’m encouraging you to go outside your comfort zone when it comes to your relationships. The truth is most people avoid conflict and confrontation, often out of fear or a desire to maintain peace. I share reasons behind this avoidance and hesitation that so many have. Living an authentic life requires stepping beyond comfort, as it is often through challenging moments that true growth and understanding are found. By initiating honest and open conversations, I encourage you to explore the beauty that can emerge on the other side, fostering deeper connections with others and yourself, and ultimately freeing your minds from the burdens of negative clutter that often accompany unresolved conflicts.
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In this podcast episode, I share the single most important principle for building strong relationships: seeing others for their true potential beyond their current behavior. The principle, that was repeated by a friend and mentor over 15 years, emphasizes the need to look past momentary actions and understand someone's inherent qualities. This principle can help improve relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and anyone we interact with. Through my own experience, I have seen the impact that applying this principle can have on others and myself. Listen in - you don't want to miss this one. It will transform how you approach your relationships.
In this episode, I delve into the transformative impact of consistently building others up and how it can prevent problems before they even surface. Instead of attempting to solve problems from the outside in—a lengthy and complex process—I explore the concept of strengthening the foundation. By ensuring a solid and secure base, we discover that the challenges we face in friendships and relationships become easier to tackle. Moreover, imagine having someone constantly nurturing and filling your self-worth cup, alleviating doubts about who you truly are. Through real-life experiences and powerful strategies, I unveil the remarkable potential of this approach and how it empowers us to preemptively address issues. Tune in to unlock the secrets of empowering relationships, boosting self-worth, and proactively preventing conflicts.
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True wisdom comes through in our day to day lives and experiences. It’s easy to get caught up in the consumption of information but it isn’t wisdom until we truly metabolize the information. Once we process it, digest it and implement it in our life then we truly get the benefits of obtaining that wisdom. In this episode, I talk about what wisdom truly is and how to progress beyond simply obtaining information. I also talk about how to gauge what stage you are in and whether it is truly benefiting you. It’s easy to get attached to our practices or the act of doing something but true wisdom is deeper than that. Listen in as I unpack this topic.
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We live in a society that is flashy. We are attracted to and impressed by fame, recognition, attention and it is easy to get caught up in chasing that or comparing ourselves to that but the true value of our life is measured by the impact we have in this world and on those around us. It’s easy to dismiss our impact when it doesn’t seem as flashy or as grand or large scale as those around us but when we pause and ask “what impact am I having” or “what impact do I want to have” then we can live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. True fulfillment comes from genuine impact in even just one life, not the flashy things like followers or awards. Listen in to gain a new perspective on the impact you are having already in your life and how to shift your perspective on success and accomplishments.
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I got fired up about a post I say that said never say these things in an email at work. I dive into why saying things a certain way is not the answer and how that can make us lose credibility instead of earn respect. Being a “boss babe” or “boss lady” has nothing to do with confidence by avoiding certain phrases. It is deeper than that so we need to go deeper than the external presentation. People are drawn to authenticity, not manipulating words to make ourselves seem favorable. Can’t wait to hear what you think about this one! Share your thoughts.
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Manipulation can feel hurtful, disrespectful and deceiving but why do people do it in the first place? On the receiving end it can be confusing because manipulation isn’t a blatant and direct act. It is meant to confuse us - we are being told one thing but you feel that the intentions are not in line. This week I unpack what helps me get clarity in these moments of confusion, what motivates people to manipulate and how you can deal with it without creating clutter in your mind.
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Life is anything but predictable yet we continue to be shocked and surprised when things don’t go as planned or go our way. It’s hard to see it in the moment but the hard moments often make the best stories of how we grew or learned. The goal was never to not feel emotions but rather how quickly we can get ourselves out of negative emotions or mindsets. In this episode, I unpack how finding the humor in life and hard moments can actually help us bounce back from hard emotions and moments.
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I realized that at times, my need for clarity and transparency gave me the illusion that I knew exactly what was going on within someone else. This was delusional, this was my ego. How could we act like we know what it is to be someone else even when we “put ourselves in their shoes.” The last thing we are as a species, is simple. We are complex, people are complex so how can we even think for a moment that we know what is going on within someone else. In this episode, I unpack how I remind myself that I do not have all the facts about someone else, and how this can help us judge others less.
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During a recent chat, a friend and I noticed similarities in our marriages because of how our spouses were. When someone is whole themselves, without us, they create a stability and ease in their relationships that benefits those around them. When we are not whole and seeking other things or others to complete us, our relationships become shaky and tumultuous. When we are whole, change or growth or success or failure in other people’s lives doesn’t affect us, even if its our spouse. I unpack why this elevates and becomes key in all our relationships.
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I recently noticed something my mind was doing. It did it back to back which allowed me to realize there was something to unpack. We are designed to protect ourselves from being hurt, not just physically but emotionally as well. If we don’t take time to pause and unpack, we don’t even realize the ways our mind tries to protect us. It creates false narratives, goes into judgment mode, makes things more complicated than they need to be. Listen in on how I unpacked my judgment of others and what helped me stop.
Most people are really uncomfortable with uncertainty, whether its in business or personal lives or career. Uncertainty brings up fear, stress, insecurities for us. We feel like we should know - what college we are going to, what career path we want, when we are going to get married, etc. And so to avoid the discomfort we try to plan everything and be ahead of it. We then impose our fear of uncertainty on our kids. Why do we do this? And what are we missing out on by avoiding uncertainty in our life?
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People always talk about how communication is key for any good relationship. Yes it is but what happens when people are honest in their communication, what happens when there are deeper issues they are dealing with? Communication doesn’t necessarily help. The older generation and an eagle couple (yes you read that right) helped me unpack what might be the actual key to a good relationship. I unpack this and why we might get entangled in relationships that are up and down.
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I recently heard some wisdom and thoughts on a podcast that inspired me to do this episode :) They talked about what our true purpose really is and that life is meant to be good, filled with joy and love. But why does it feel impossible to get there at times? Why do bad things happen if the purpose is happiness? At first I felt that this idea was too simplistic and unrealistic but as I unpacked it, I found the beauty in the simplicity. I found a different way to get to what we all are hoping to get out of life.
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Sponsored by Hatch Brighter - helping kids build Inner Strength. www.hatchbrighter.com
Most people just want to be seen, heard and understood. We have this innate need to be validated, we want to feel like we matter and are valued. And without even knowing it, we give away our power and put this validation in the hands of those close to us - a parent, sibling, boss, child. This then becomes a lifelong chase that impacts all our relationships. Why do we do this? I unpack this topic and why we should stop outsourcing our self-worth.
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Gonna give it to you straight right now - I see women holding back their opinions, their disagreements, their desires over and over again. I see it in the workplace, in their marriages, with in laws, with family, with friends. Why do we do this? Why does it feel safer to do this than to just say what we are thinking or say what we rather do instead? What are we missing out on by holding back who we are? I unpack all of this in this week’s episode.
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The concept of Love Languages was developed for couples but I think we need to talk about this across all of our close relationships. Doing something kind is meant to make the other person feel special but what if we are just doing what is in line with our love language versus theirs? If we do something nice, we want to make sure the ROI (return on investment) on our time and energy and money is worthwhile but we can’t do that if we don’t know what truly makes the other person feel loved. But is it ungrateful to not simply appreciate any kind gesture from others? I unpack all of this on this week’s episode.
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Michelle Obama recently said it loud and proud “I did not like my husband for 10 years of our marriage”.... and guess what? It was while their kids were young. Bravo to her for admitting something that most people either didn’t even realize was happening or were ashamed to admit. As I’ve gone through raising young kids myself and seen those around me do the same, I have noticed that more people feel this way at some point in their marriage than not. And more importantly, I couldn’t help but wonder if people knew to expect this and that it wasn’t permanent, how many marriages would have potentially turned out differently? Or how many people would feel hopeful as they are going through this now.
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It’s easy to think it’s okay to hide our crappy moods, temper and mess behind closed doors in our home where others except our own family can’t see it but our home is a small representation of who we are and our life on a larger scale. I never really understood how this could matter or impact our life until some recent realizations. We can dismiss it or use it as a small stepping stone to make the changes we want to see in our life. The outside world will draw us “out” with the attention, compliments but how we are in our own home has a ripple effect on our entire life. Listen to this week’s episode as I unpack all this!
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Had this debate with some people recently. Is it better to start people at a 0 and let them prove themselves to you or do you just assume the best and good in all initially? Often times the latter can be misconstrued as being naive but is it? Can’t you start people at a 10 and then still be smart about it when they do something hurtful or something you don’t like? It’s easy to write people off or make them “prove” themselves to you but do we miss out on meaningful relationships when we do this? Do we miss out on deeper connections with people potentially? How can you give people grace and the benefit of the doubt but not be naive? I dive into all this in this weeks episode.
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Had a major epiphany while doing this episode - it’s easy to be intentional with our days than our months & year. I don’t know about you but I’m kinda getting tired of seeing the years just passing me by. Yes they are filled with love and joyful moments BUT am I making progress and moving forward in the way I want to? Are my years as planned or am I just high-fiving myself for getting things done in my day. So many moments lead me to realize the things I need to do this year so it doesn’t feel like I’m just riding the wave of life. Excited to share what I learned and how I’m going into 2023 in this week’s episode.
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I lived in India for 8 years of my life. I visited even after moving away but something about this recent trip just hit differently. Was it the place or was it my heart and mind’s ability to receive this time around. Amazing how different and profound an experience can be when you are open and allow it. This isn’t a sequel to Eat Pray Love…ha! It’s me unpacking and finding lessons in the simple things and the experiences. How did I even know there was anything there to unpack? Well it was just a feeling….the way people and things made me feel. It just hit differently, deeply. You know when things touch you deeply and have an impact on you. I hope these insights and realizations resonate with you just as much as they did with me.
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There is “who we are” when things are good - people are kind, loving, respectful to us and then who we choose to be when people aren’t kind, loving and respectful. It’s hard to stay true to who we are and stick to our values when people push us in a negative way. We will feel the urge to do “tit for tat” but staying true when others are not good to us is when the true test of our character. More than that, it allows other people to get a glimpse into “another way” and you never know when that glimpse will eventually be how they choose to behave and be. It can literally change their life. Staying true to who we are regardless of what is happening on the outside is one of life’s biggest challenges for us. In this episode, I share my experience with doing this with others and how others showing me a different way helped me be a better version of myself.
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There are stats, research, studies, experts that tell us when the odds are against us but this information can also create worry and block us from having the outcome we desire. It’s easy to let our past and things that happen to us to define who we are today but it doesn’t have to be that way. I share my story of how I shouldn’t be who I am today considering the things that have happened in my past. But I believe we all can push through the things that happen to us and not let it define and dictate our future. Listen in!
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As kids, we see the world with so much curiosity and get engrossed in whatever is in front of us. Then at some point in our life, we find ourselves standing to the side, being more of a bystander than a participant, being more in our head than engrossed in what is in front of us. This is something I noticed about myself and I’m learning to lean in more, allow myself to be engrossed and enthusiastic about what is in front of me and save the analyzing and thinking for later. Listen is as I unpack this topic and why I am pushing myself to be “engrossed” more in the things I do.
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As the end of the year approaches, I noticed in myself and others how easy it is to jump from one exciting holiday to another, and life in the future rather than enjoying the simple, quiet, day to day moments in life as well. There is a balance between enjoying holidays and special events versus using these big events to make your life exciting. They can either add more joy or be the main source of joy in your life. When it is the main source of joy then it becomes more like an addiction and “regular” life isn’t as fun or exciting. Which is it for you? This week I unpack this topic as I reflected back on a few busy weeks I had and how it affected me and my mindset.
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Part of the human experience is lots of interactions with others, and lots of interactions with others means there will be conflict, hurt feelings, disappointment, frustrations. I would love to be the bigger person in all situations but sometimes it is hard for me to do. I got curious about when I was able to be the bigger person and let it go and when I wasn’t able to as easily. As I started unpacking why this was, I discovered some interesting things. In this episode I share one of the major roadblocks to letting go of grudges and what I learned I can do more of to let go of grudges in the future.
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Part of the human experience is lots of interactions with others, and lots of interactions with others means there will be conflict, hurt feelings, disappointment, frustrations. I would love to be the bigger person in all situations but sometimes it is hard for me to do. I got curious about when I was able to be the bigger person and let it go and when I wasn’t able to as easily. As I started unpacking why this was, I discovered some interesting things. In this episode I share one of the major roadblocks to letting go of grudges and what I learned I can do more of to let go of grudges in the future.
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Observing myself and others I’ve noticed that most of us have an ongoing, recurring “theme.” A certain emotion, thought or experience that seems to happen throughout our lives whether it be at work, at home, with friends, in our marriage, with our kids. There are things that keep coming up for us regardless of the external scenario. In this episode, I share the deeper purpose and reason for this recurring “theme” that seems to follow us around in life. I also share the theme I noticed in my own life and how knowing what it was helped me free myself from repetitive patterns and experiences in my life so I can experience more love, joy, peace and change for the better.
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Observing myself and others I’ve noticed that most of us have an ongoing, recurring “theme.” A certain emotion, thought or experience that seems to happen throughout our lives whether it be at work, at home, with friends, in our marriage, with our kids. There are things that keep coming up for us regardless of the external scenario. In this episode, I share the deeper purpose and reason for this recurring “theme” that seems to follow us around in life. I also share the theme I noticed in my own life and how knowing what it was helped me free myself from repetitive patterns and experiences in my life so I can experience more love, joy, peace and change for the better.
Want to unpack a topic or something you are going through with me? Send me a message: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
I was feeling nostalgic about the time I lived in India recently and as I sat with those feelings, paying attention to how I felt and why, I realized that what was making me feel nostalgic was very specific. For many of us we feel nostalgic about certain places, things we used to do, certain people, even certain smells. I think nostalgia is more than just a fond memory of the past. I think there is a reason why we feel certain memories so deeply within us…kind of like a longing within us. Listen in as I share how nostalgia can help you find the things you should create more of in your life.
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I was feeling nostalgic about the time I lived in India recently and as I sat with those feelings, paying attention to how I felt and why, I realized that what was making me feel nostalgic was very specific. For many of us we feel nostalgic about certain places, things we used to do, certain people, even certain smells. I think nostalgia is more than just a fond memory of the past. I think there is a reason why we feel certain memories so deeply within us…kind of like a longing within us. Listen in as I share how nostalgia can help you find the things you should create more of in your life.
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The very definition of Intuition implies that it doesn’t come from conscious reasoning but we sometimes feel pressure to justify and explain our decisions, and if we can’t then we start doubting ourselves. In this episode I talk through the realization I had around the discomfort we need to embrace as we listen to our intuition and let it guide us. Just because we can’t intellectually explain something, doesn’t mean we are making a wrong decision. This episode will encourage you to find confidence in trusting your intuition and letting go of the need to explain decisions based on that feeling deep within you, no matter how uneasy that may make others.
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The very definition of Intuition implies that it doesn’t come from conscious reasoning but we sometimes feel pressure to justify and explain our decisions, and if we can’t then we start doubting ourselves. In this episode I talk through the realization I had around the discomfort we need to embrace as we listen to our intuition and let it guide us. Just because we can’t intellectually explain something, doesn’t mean we are making a wrong decision. This episode will encourage you to find confidence in trusting your intuition and letting go of the need to explain decisions based on that feeling deep within you, no matter how uneasy that may make others.
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So many people are interested in learning about themselves today - why they behave a certain way, where the behaviors came from. People are learning from therapy, books, courses, podcasts or even talking to friends, and this is definitely a step forward from past generations but we need to remember that the end goal is to learn AND implement, not just know. It feels good to find an explanation for our behavior for many reasons and that can give us the illusion that we made it to the finish line but true learning shows in our actions and behaviors.
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A lot of our challenges in life stem from what other people do or don’t do, say or don’t say. How often is the pain or suffering in your life because of other people? I realized that I often set expectations of others that they have never fulfilled or have not been willing to fulfill so why am I being stubborn about my expectations? If the other person isn’t capable of doing something at this point in their life, then why not just shift your expectations of them so it doesn’t lead to constant disappointment. Seems simple enough - why don’t we do it, how do you do it? Listen in as I unpack this topic this week.
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From the outside procrastination may look like laziness but its more than that. There is a lot going on in the mind when we avoid certain tasks. In this episode I share what I noticed in others and myself when we procrastinate. Why do we do it? What happens inside to us when we do it and how do you stop doing it? I share my thoughts on all of this as I unpacked my own procrastination. Listen in!
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I’ve heard one too many women mention that they struggle with being too controlling. I find it hard to believe that 90% of women out there are controlling. Where is this coming from? Why do we feel this way? Is it an unhealthy need for control or a necessity for the things we are responsible for? Do we have a heightened sense of self-doubt around this? Listen to this episode where I share a new perspective on feeling like you are too controlling and how to unpack it for yourself..
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Our mind should get an Oscar for the stories it can come up with. Sometimes those stories are excuses so that we can “excuse” ourselves from any responsibility or accountability for what is happening in our lives and the choices we are making in our life. It’s easier when we don’t have to feel the weight of the consequences especially when they are uncomfortable or undesirable. In this episode, I unpack why we do this, where this comes from and the downside of making excuses and putting blinders on with the choices we make. LIsten in!
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My birthday yesterday got me thinking and I want to share some of the realizations I had with you. I’ve always been intrigued by the varying range of reactions and emotions people feel during their birthday - some are happy and excited, some are depressed and sad, some hide under a pillow. Why is this? Why do we feel so many emotions around birthdays? I then asked myself a question that completely changed how I saw the last 41 years of my life and how I felt about where I am in my life today. Listen in as I share this one question that I think every person should reflect on during their birthday. It’s a good one!
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I tried out the Oculus goggles in the Metaverse this week. I was amazed at how immersed you can feel in this pretend, digital world but then you take the goggles off and boom, back to reality. What if we had the ability to do this with our lives. The moments where we are deep into the dramas of life, the pain of life, the emotions of life - what if we had the ability to just “take the goggles off.” Is this even possible? Is it a thing? Leave it to me to turn the “metaverse” into a deeper, spiritual realization about life ;)
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We have all done it at some point - talked about other people to someone else. Sometimes it impacts us and we need advice or feedback, and sometimes it has zero impact on us and we still do it. What makes us want to talk about other people? Where does the desire stem from? Why do some people do it more than others? How can we be more aware and conscious even if we do it sometimes? I unpack all of this on this week’s episode.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Most of us have compared ourselves to others. It could be looks or money or lifestyle. Often times what follows is envy which can be a toxic and negative feeling if we allow it to. In this episode, I unpack why we even compare in the first place. Where did we learn this? And when we do and feel envious, how do we get past the negativity that emotion brings so that we can have a positive outcome and actually have envy work for us! Sounds crazy but in this episode, I share how I learned to not see envy as an evil trait so that it could simply help me be better.
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Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
The word “self-care” has become more popular in the last 2 years than ever before. Why? What was the true intention of this term and encouraging people to do #selfcare? Have we strayed from the true meaning of self-care? Have marketing companies made us stray away from real self-care? In this episode I unpack all these questions that popped into my head last week. Self-care is needed and so good for us… if we know what true self-care really is. Check it out as I unpack this topic. Let me know what you think!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Feeling conflicted about decisions is something most of us experience on a daily basis. Should I do this or not? Do I clear my schedule for this? Do I prioritize this? Do I say this or not? Our mind sometimes hurts from the back and forth. Oftentimes we look at the facts, the logistics or go with our gut but erring on the side of love is a great way to help ease the mind in making some of these decisions. This week I share a personal story of how a little foster puppy reminded me of how this can help us make decisions throughout our lives.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Feeling conflicted about decisions is something most of us experience on a daily basis. Should I do this or not? Do I clear my schedule for this? Do I prioritize this? Do I say this or not? Our mind sometimes hurts from the back and forth. Oftentimes we look at the facts, the logistics or go with our gut but erring on the side of love is a great way to help ease the mind in making some of these decisions. This week I share a personal story of how a little foster puppy reminded me of how this can help us make decisions throughout our lives.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
It can be hard to admit that you were wrong or that you don’t know something. All our insecurities and feelings of not being good enough seem to come knocking as soon as you say these statements but that couldn’t be furthest from reality. In this episode, I share an incident with my daughters on how this can manifest in day to day life and why it’s so important to say these statements more.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
We all have our ways of protecting ourselves from pain inside - not in a physical sense but rather psychological and emotional pain. Our defense mechanisms can often be traced back to our life experiences, and our mind tells us that it’s just trying to help us but what if the downside of this protection was less love flowing through our hearts and souls. Defense mechanisms are often rooted in a fear and when fear is the source then there is something amiss. In this episode, I share my own defense mechanism, where they stemmed from and how it was holding me back. Listen in!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
It’s so easy to get impatient with our lives especially when we face rejection, failure and feel defeated. Our goals and aspirations can feel so distant and unachievable. In this episode, I reminisce about a time in my life where I had just graduated and couldn’t find a job - I felt defeated and rejected but things ended up working out in my favor and more beautifully than I could have ever imagined. Reflecting on these moments in our life can provide us with comfort, optimism and hope throughout our lives when we start feeling impatient again. This can apply to so many aspects of our life - whether its new graduates looking for a job, someone looking for a partner or an entrepreneur looking to build a successful business. Check it out!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
It can be extremely damaging when we become too rigid in our beliefs and thoughts. Many people go through life tying their beliefs to their identity and so any change or threat to their beliefs becomes a threat to their identity. This is dangerous because it prevents us from evolving and learning and being better versions of ourselves. This week, I talk about how some current events highlighted the rigidity in certain people’s beliefs and how that is hurting so many people.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
The goal is definitely no judgment but let's be honest, that is hard. Our mind takes on a life of its own when we are around people we don’t know…making up stories, making assumptions. It’s easy to let our mind take charge and influence our future interactions with this person but in this episode I talk through why I think we shouldn’t give our mind this power. It’s like the mind doesn’t even know it but when we push through, we remove clutter in our mind…unnecessary, made-up clutter.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter - teaching kids to focus on the human soul and experiences to feel calm and joy (www.hatchbrighter.com)
There are often times in our life where we are going through something or someone else is that breaks our heart but there isn’t anything we can do to make it all go away. We start to feel helpless and lose faith. Those are hard feelings to deal with because at least taking action can make you feel as though you are working to change the situation. What do you do when you feel like there is nothing you can do? This week I dive into ancient wisdom and ways but with a modern day twist so that we can still benefit from it too regardless of our beliefs.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
This week I share a practice that I started 3 years ago to help me notice things I was avoiding because of fear and to help me push through them. It’s a simple yet powerful practice that we all should do throughout our lives to remind ourselves of fears we have tackled and keep us accountable for fears that we have yet to conquer. Check it out!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
When we think of culture, we often think about the fun, flashy things - food, outfits, festivities but are we overlooking the more subtle parts of our culture? They way certain cultures behave, approach life, make others feel. There are parts of my Indian culture that fill my heart and soul up with love but it has nothing to do with the food or outfits or festivals. Lots of people want to keep their culture alive but in this episode, I encourage people to think about parts of their culture that are subtle but more meaningful. How can we live more of our culture on a daily basis and not just on holidays. Listen in for this and what inspired me to talk about this topic this week.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
I often hear people wanting to say no more to lighten their schedules and make room to breathe yet they hesitate to do so. Who and what do you say no to? FOMO, obligations, hurt feelings… so many things cross our mind even at the thought of saying no. So what do we do - we just go with it? What if “saying no” was normalized and not a sign of disrespect but rather just a healthy way of living? In this episode, I dive into all this and why I think we should say “no” more and be okay with receiving “no” without feeling bad.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Ever had a time where one moment, interaction, incident consumed all your thoughts and energy? You just can’t shake it. This is what happens when we are too zoomed in and attached to a specific moment. We get consumed, attached and lose sight of everything else around us. In this episode I talk about how I learned to zoom out in life to feel more calm by gaining a greater perspective of life. Listen in!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
There has been a lot written about the ego - how to tame it, embrace it, notice it, etc. but James Redfield introduced a perspective in his book The Celestine Prophecy that blew me away. He takes the ambiguity away from tying our actions to our ego so that we can be more aware. Pleasing my ego sounds a lot less alarming to me than “stealing other people’s energy,” and that is what caught my attention with his insights. In this episode, I share his perspective and how it helped me be more aware when my ego is trying to be front and center.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
At a young age we are correct for any behavior that may seem “inconsiderate” or “look bad.” Unconsciously parents teach their kids to ignore their gut and heart and focus on the external cues and signs. So then we go into adulthood doing the same. We settle in one aspect of our life and then another. But our gut and heart are not to be ignored. They are guiding us to where we should be. In this episode I talk about how we are not meant to settle in this life and why we should become aware of areas of our life where we are.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Have you ever interacted with someone who loves their job? How do they make you feel? How do you feel about going back to that store or place of business? What about the person who hates their job? What influence does that person have on the entire environment, their interactions and the energy. This week I dive into a few experiences I have had as well as a personal story on what happens when we change our perspective or situation so we can bring passion, energy, presence to what we do.
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
How often have you ignored something that keeps coming up in your life - same frustrations, same negative feelings, same blockers, same disappointments, same doubts. Is that just a coincidence or is life (the universe) trying to tell us something, show us something? Why are we so tempted to ignore or dismiss these messages? What are we scared of and why do we ignore our gut so often? Listen in as I dive into all of this in this week’s episode.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
There’s no denying that we have made progress over the years with equal rights for women - the seat at the table, equal pay but there is something we are still completely missing as society that is obvious if you look closely. In this episode, I applaud the external progression we have made but highlight why it’s important to notice and demand change with the invisible expectations, demands, stereotypes that many still have for women. I get really passionate in this one :) Give it a listen!
Contact: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Sponsored by: Hatch Brighter (www.hatchbrighter.com)
Insecurities are universal. It would be hard to find someone without any insecurities. They may not know what they are but I’m sure they have them. They all look different in each of us but really it’s just a way to help us see a part of ourselves that we need to work on. We try to compensate for them rather than tackle them head on. In this episode, I encourage you to get curious about your insecurities. unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Most of us have that person or people in our lives where we feel like we have to walk on eggshells. We don’t want them to get upset or be mad at us… and we do what we think we need to do to prevent that from happening. After all, we are the ones with self-control and not them right? That’s the story I told myself too until I unpacked what was really happening. I saw these moments and my behavior for what it truly was - based on fear, avoidance, playing the same role I’ve always played. This topic is applicable to so many because relationships are one of our greatest teachers.
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
You can be married, have a house full of kids, be surrounded by friends and still feel lonely… all the time or just in certain moments. How does this happen? In this episode, I share what I have seen contribute to the feeling of “loneliness.” Some of it is our mindset and expectations and some of it is because Today’s world and our lifestyle can give us the illusion that we are connected and not lonely but how do you truly assess? I dive into all of this in this episode.
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
I’m convinced the things you can’t measure or see is where the magic and secret to life lies. Not everyone has the patience or interest to attain it which is why it’s not something everyone is lining up to do or benefits from. I wish that weren’t the reality. Listen in as I share my journey with meditation and a few ways I got over the “intimidation” of it. Perfection isn’t the goal but getting a taste of the benefits will definitely hook you for life!
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
I don’t want to debate whether social media is good or bad but I do think it is important for everyone to pause and notice how it affects YOUR day, mindset, reality, mental health. In this episode, I unpack “Social Media” with my good friend and fellow nerd who loves unpacking just as much as I do - Amna Mazin. We talk about her journey evaluating her own relationship with Social Media and what she discovered along the way. Definitely don’t want to miss this one! Find Amna and her insightful blogs at: amnamazin.com
Do you consider yourself a good communicator but find that some personalities or relationships are hard to have a conversation with? They either stonewall or avoid the conversation or they blow up? What do you do in that situation - do you just ignore the issue too and move on? That’s what I have done many times until I realized that there was a better option and after trying it a few times, I realized that me becoming like them is not the answer. I share 2 things you can do! unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
It’s a product development reference that comes up often in the startup world - is your product a painkiller or a vitamin? Today I take this reference and apply to how we each choose to live our lives. Are we forward-thinking, intentional and patient with doing the things that are meaningful like a vitamin? Or are we going from one fire to another, being pushed through life until we are forced to take the painkiller for the things that we weren’t making time for or were choosing to ignore?
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
A blindspot by definition is something you can’t see… you don’t realize its there. Most of us have them and those who say they don’t, just haven’t found it yet :) In this episode, I walk through where these blindspots come from, how I discovered mine and how you can find yours too. Finding the blindspot can help us get different, more positive outcomes than ones we may be used to.
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It is so liberating and freeing when you are okay with others not liking you. Not when you are being a jerk but in moments where you know you didn’t do anything wrong and yet they don’t like you. If people don’t like you when you are well-intentioned and being yourself then you have to detach from making them like you. Learn how you can remove so much clutter and confusion from your mind when you aren’t driven by what others think of you.
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
It’s easy to forget that the lense through which we experience life is our own personal lense. It’s a customized lense influenced by our past, our pain, our experiences, our narrative, our judgments, our likes & dislikes, our triggers. And that’s ok, we all have it but what happens when we don’t even realize the lense is there? Can we ever break out of the negative patterns that occur in our life if we refuse to see life outside of our lense? I dive into all of this in this week’s episode.
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
I always had a feeling that when I was saying “I was too busy,” I wasn’t being completely honest with myself. Did I not have time or was I choosing not to prioritize other things in that moment? Seems like the same thing but the latter made me feel like I was in control of what my day or week was filled with. In this episode, I talk about why this subtle difference matters and why down-time is so important for our overall well-being.
unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
When I would hear people say “Find your purpose,” I would always get so overwhelmed and feel like it was out of reach. What does that mean? How do I find it? Do I have to become the next Oprah? In this episode, I unpack this big, scary thing - “purpose” into something that makes sense and is achievable. I had to this for myself and it has become more and more clear over the years. It’s not as complicated as people make it seem to be. Listen in!
Unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @UnpackingMyself
I’ve spent most of my life thinking “being understanding” meant sacrificing my own desires, ignoring my own feelings and just being silent. I saw others do this when I was younger and didn’t even realize I was doing the same thing until recently. I’m realizing that “being understanding” is about being loving and kind BUT also honest and vocal. It does not mean shoving our own wants or needs deep down. Listen in as I unpack this one.
A recent experience made me realize how much we bury negative self-talk in our minds. Sometimes we don’t even know its there. All we experience is the negative emotions but most of the time there is “not very nice” self-talk going on in our minds that it is stemming from. If we don’t take a minute to pause, we will never be able to get to the root cause, which is the constant chatter programmed into our minds based on past experiences. I dive into why we need to figure out what this talk sounds like.
Have you ever had something happen that you weren’t expecting, that threw you off, made you feel defeated? You feel like you just want to curl into bed and rebel against all the action you were supposed to take? Well I had this happen to me this week and I share what happened as I battled action versus inaction in my head. Every part of me wanted to go towards inaction to soothe myself but what happened reminded me of the power in taking action especially in those moments. Listen in as I share my experience with taking action when all I wanted to do was anything but that.
A lot of women today cringe when women are objectified but I couldn’t help but notice how often women on social media are asked where their dress or shoes or earrings are from when they are posting inspirational, informative content. I couldn’t help but go “wait, what is our roll here and are we a part of the problem?” Yes of course we will compliment other women and that is being supportive but what happens when we lead with that all the time? I dive into this in this week’s episode.
Have you ever felt like you had to allow someone’s bad behavior because you know why they are that way? Recently I resisted unpacking others in my life because I didn’t want to excuse the behavior. This led me down the path of realizing that it wasn’t an all or nothing type of thing and why I can and should do both. Ignoring bad behavior can give us a false sense of being compassionate and a peaceful relationship but in reality there is something greater on the other side if we are willing to have the hard conversation.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
As young kids we are taught that there are consequences when we break the rules. Rules created by society, teachers, parents… so many rules. So then, as adults, we are programmed to just blindly follow the rules. Yes some rules are for our own safety but I’m talking about the little things where we are scared to go off the path or push the limits in fear of being reprimanded. We are programmed to feel shame and guilt when we break the rules but what if we approached it differently?
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
There is so much out there about empowering women and making sure our daughters know they can do whatever they want. Being a woman and a mom of two girls, I’m all for this and love the motivation and encouragement this provides but we also need to make sure we don’t get caught up in spending a lifetime proving that we can do it all. It should always come back to what WE want to do and not proving ourselves to others or meeting external images of the modern day woman.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
We have all felt like the victim before - someone takes advantage of us, makes us feel bad, is rude to us or we lose that promotion. Life can feel unfair at times and make us feel like it is all just happening to us. And when we play the victim then at least it’s not our fault. In this episode, I talk about how it's normal and ok to feel like the victim but how, in these moments, I teach myself to regain power and control over my life.
Instant gratification is no longer a luxury, it has just become a part of how we live. It’s become an expectation whether we are aware of it or not. But most things that are really good for us aren’t instant, they take time. So in today’s world how do we not lose sight of the long term plays, the long term decisions, the long term successes. It’s not easy but still very necessary. We can’t avoid all instant gratification but in this episode I share why it’s important to at least give the long term plays a fighting chance and to make sure we don’t just default to short term plays & instant gratification.
Do you ever feel like some things or friendships come easy in your life and some feel like soooo much work? I recently unpacked this to try and figure out when I should be working hard to make something work and when I should let it go. Sometimes we put all the burden on ourselves to make that job, friendship, business work rather than have faith that it will work out if it is meant to be. In this week’s episode I share how I figure out when to continue putting in the work versus letting it go.
Some friends of ours did a simple exercise during a road trip that inspired me to talk about this week’s episode. We all know we project our stuff onto our kids but did you know we do that with our “dreams” too? This brilliant exercise helps you unpack what you still are wanting for yourself. I talk about why it’s important to make your dreams your own again versus pawning them off on your kids. It is never too late - no matter what.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
Others are going to affect us - we are human & relationships are a big part of our day to day but what happens when our emotions and mental state goes up and down a lot with all or certain relationships? This can cause us to feel like we are not in control of our emotional and mental state - we just go for the ride that others are going to take us on. I dive into my experience with this and everything I have learned as I unpacked this topic.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
We have so many mechanisms to protect ourselves - physically, emotionally & mentally. Some are useful and truly help and some give us a false sense of protection. Our desire to dismiss or ignore negative things in our life is a way to protect ourselves but often times it also gives that “thing” power over us. The goal is to take the learning and growth from that negative experience or emotion and have power over it! I dive into all of this in this week’s episode. Check it out!
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
Why would anyone ever choose to worry? Why would they choose to worry when they don’t have to. In this episode, I talk about how our brains are wired to “worry” so it can help us take action when we are in danger but this same wiring can cause us to make worrying a habit. We use it as a crutch like our phones to distract us from matters or take away from a calm and quiet headspace. You may not even know you are doing it. Give it a listen.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
The one thing that is constant is that things are always changing. Change can be scary - it’s so easy to get comfortable in our routine or what we know. Recently, I had to take a moment to step back from the things changing in my life to notice the positive emotions change was triggering within me as well. Beyond the unknown and nervousness, there was excitement, a feeling of being alert & alive. I dive into all this in this episode!
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
What do you think of when someone asks “who are you?” How many labels pop into your mind - mom, wife, husband, entrepreneur, vegan, feminist. A lot of times these labels are just reflections of the choices we are making in our life but it’s very easy to let our emotions and ego get attached to these labels. In this episode, I talk about how to notice when this happens and how to see yourself beyond these labels.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
Have you ever stopped to notice how content you are with the friendships in your life? Do you feel deeply connected with at least some of your friends? In this episode, I share the factors that come into play in cultivating deep friendships. It takes intention, effort but also a level of surrender. We all crave that deep connection and I share 3 things that help deepen connections with friends when there is a mutual interest in doing so.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
I’ve always been able to pick up on other people’s energy and feelings. It’s something I have been able to do for as long as I can remember. It’s helped me connect and understand people better but it’s also easy to let it influence your own energy & behavior. A recent incident made me realize the power in maintaining my energy so I influence a situation or person for the better rather than going up and down with the energy around me. In this episode, I talk about the benefits of doing this and how it can help us and others.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
I’ve really learned to embrace the "joy of missing out" the last few years. JOMO isn’t about being isolated and not being a part of social events but instead feeling 100% in control how we choose to spend our time and who we choose to spend it with. It’s easy to forget that we only are in charge of our time. Things should only be on our social calendar if we want it to be. I also dive into transforming FOMO into a positive thought & feeling.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
Our default is often to try to fix the external thing or person first, and yes often that does need to happen but I’ve learned that changing our expectations can also be a powerful tool to help bring us more happiness and peace. It’s easy to hold on to our expectations of another or a situation even though it continues to disappoint us. In this episode I talk about how shifting our expectations can be powerful and bring us more peace.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com / Insta: @unpackingmyself
Have you ever shied away from something at work or outside of work - volunteering for something, going to a party where you don’t know anyone, getting on that call with someone you are intimidated by. It’s so tempting to just opt out of doing it, cancel or make excuses but only you know if you are doing that because you are giving into your fears or because it truly is the right thing for you. When we bow out because of fear it does something to our confidence and how we see ourselves. I dive into all this in this episode.
A recent trip to Yosemite while I was going through some work stress made me realize that nature magically made my stress & worries feel smaller and reassured me that it was all going to be ok. How the heck does it do that? When you watch others watch nature, you realize everyone feels something in nature. It touches a deeper part of them and I just don’t think it’s because it's “pretty.” In this week’s episode, I dive into what the deeper purpose of nature is and why it’s important we keep getting out there.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
There is a lot of buzz around being authentic and being who you are. Does that mean I say everything I think out loud? Do I act upon all the emotions I feel? How do I know when to do that and when not to? Over and over I’ve read, experienced and seen that when our thoughts, actions and words don’t match, there is more disturbance within us. In this episode, I dive into how disparity between our thoughts, words & actions creates mind clutter.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
Seems way to simple to be able to categorize every human emotion into Fear or Love, right? I felt the same way until I started experimenting with it. I learned that I just never sat with the negative emotion long enough to unpack the layers to get to the actual Fear. It’s so easy to just get stuck at the negative emotion of anger, resentment, etc. In this episode I talk this as well as how I use this principle to recalibrate my mind and actions to come from a place of love rather than fear.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
I always associated prayer with religion so I never truly understood it. I dismissed it. “Who would I pray to? How do I pray? It doesn’t work most of the time anyway.” So many reasons to make me shy away from it until recently. In this episode I talk through how and why I embraced prayer in a non-religious way. Prayer isn’t about God or religion, it’s about a mindset and certain life principles. I share how it taught me powerful life lessons and gave me a tool when feeling helpless for myself or others.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Adversity can mean many things to people. We may think some hard moments are not as great as others but we all go through hard times & pain in our own way. Why don’t we expect hard moments as a part of life versus resisting it or avoiding it? Spiritual leaders often talk about how joy and suffering go hand and hand. Why doesn’t everyone embrace adversity as a part of life and as a friend, not an enemy. Sounds crazy? Give this episode a listen.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or Insta: @unpackingmyself
You know those people who go out of their way, put other people’s needs before theirs and they do this for every single person they encounter? The people who take kindness to the next level. A lot of us are kind with those around us, people we have a relationship with, people who are going through a tough time but I couldn’t help but think about those who do this no matter what, when, where, who. What stops us from doing this? Is there a fear of something? I dive into all of this in this week’s episode.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Self-pity doesn’t always have to be an ongoing personality trait. What about the random days when we feel bad for ourselves because of a rough day with the kids or a rough day at work? It can sneak up on us when we aren’t expecting it and before we know it, our nights or days are consumed by things to help us feel better about ourselves. I found myself in this place recently and dive into this all in this week’s episode.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Have you ever noticed how much of the noise in our mind is tied to judgement? The answer is a lot. Aside from judgement of others, we have a tendency to judge most, if not all, of the events in our life. Do we like this or do we not like this? What do we wish had happened? Is there value in letting our mind go down this route or are we just creating unnecessary anxiety? I dive into all of this along with some relatable examples of how two people can approach the same event differently in their minds - with judgment & without.
Have you ever felt an urge to tell others how they should do something or make sure they know when they make a mistake? It’s easy to tell ourselves “I’m just helping them” but when I unpacked this one, I realized that deep down it was another mind trick that was self-serving. We all hate micromanagers, yet they continue to exist everywhere. Why can’t we resist that urge to “butt in?” Why do people not realize it’s not helpful for others? I dive into all of this in this week’s episode.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Who am I to question Carl Jung… but then I just couldn’t help myself. A quote of his led me down a path of reflecting and hoping for something different than my experience, for future generations. In this one, I question whether we really do have to wait until 40 to reflect, examine & get philosophical. But it’s hard to deny that around 40 most of us that may have been on autopilot most of our life start reflecting on our life. Why can’t we create a world where the research and examination of our life happens simultaneously throughout our life.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Another one of those topics where I am baffled I wasn’t exposed to or taught earlier in my life. Jealousy, competition, stealing, manipulating all stem from a feeling of “there isn’t enough in the world for everyone.” There is always one or more area of our life where we let this scarcity mindset creep in and we get caught up in a vicious cycle. However, when we feel there is enough for everyone, we attract abundance. In this episode, I talk about why having an abundance mindset over scarcity is critical to happiness, success and a peaceful mind.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or on Insta: @unpackingmyself
When I stopped drinking for a couple of years, I learned a lot about myself and the world around me. One of the biggest challenges was explaining to people why I stopped drinking even though I didn’t have a major issue with alcohol and wasn’t dealing with addiction. It wasn’t until recently through someone else’s words that I realized what I was trying to learn through this experience. In this episode, I share my journey, my why, what I learned and what changed around me.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
If the choice is between being the jerk who challenges someone’s opinion to their face or being the person who stays quiet but passes judgment later, who would you choose? Most people feel more comfortable staying quiet but is there really not a better in between option? Does disagreeing or debating with someone have to turn ugly & awkward? In this episode, I dive into why I don’t think so. I share the approach that I have seen be successful when debating someone on an issue and why I think it works so well.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Isn’t it funny that we always tell our kids “have fun” but they are the ones that need to be reminded the least? I think we adults are the ones that need the reminder, not them. Why is it so hard for adults to have fun like kids? In this episode I dive into the answers I unpacked for myself and what reminder now helps me enjoy the little moments more. I also talk through why many spiritual leaders and successful people believe having fun is one of the keys to success.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
How often do we spend time with just our thoughts - no distractions. We use tools to measure our physical health but what do to measure our mental health? Our comfort or discomfort with being alone with our thoughts can be very telling about the quality of our life. This week I talk through this invisible yet powerful measure of our overall well-being and my journey of going from being uncomfortable to comfortable with solitude.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Maybe someone pops into your head or maybe you know someone going through a really hard moment - what makes us hesitate to reach out. Often we think we are being considerate of them. In this episode, I share the thoughts that would go through my head in these moments and how I realized I was approaching it all wrong. I was unnecessarily filling my head with clutter & I was missing out on an opportunity to show someone that I cared about them. Listen in on how I remind myself to not go down that path.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Ever feel angered by something so much that you feel the heat rising through your body, steam coming out of your ears and the story replays over & over again in your head? Most of us have been there - either monthly, weekly or even dailly. This week, I dive into what actually happens in our body in these moments & why it’s important for all of us to have a “go to” technique to help us observe the anger instead of letting it take over us. I also talk about how I’ve learned to use emotions as a way to identify opportunities for growth.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
From the moment we are born, we are boxed into so many roles. These roles can dictate how we behave or think for our entire lifetime. The tricky part is it’s hard to differentiate the true motive behind our actions - am I acting from a place deep within me that is authentic OR am I acting from a place of expectations placed on me by the external world? The other side of the coin is - our expectations around roles we expect others to play and the negative emotions that come up when they don’t. Listen in as I dive into this one and share my personal experiences.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
Have you ever thought or felt “Once I achieve this goal, I will be happy and content?” I have. But then I started noticing a common theme in what successful people were saying when asked what they would tell their younger self. In this episode, I’ll share what they all said and what happens when we are constantly living in the future. If you’ve ever felt anxious about not reaching your goals fast enough, give this one a listen to get a glimpse into how I shifted that feeling to a more positive one.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
It’s easy to get caught up in the race of life where no one really knows where they are going, but we keep running because everyone else around us is. I personally don’t want to have regrets when I’m older. I want to know where I’m headed and why. I talk about how being intentional in what we want out of our lives allows us to be in control. I also share how people who got clear on what success looks like for them, did it.
Contact me: unpackingmyself@gmail.com or find me on Insta: @unpackingmyself
In this episode, I talk with the person who taught me what “Accountability” truly means - it’s an underrated principle. Linda speaks, writes and consults internationally, teaching personal accountability to organizations & leaders, but the principles apply to all aspects of life. How often do we make excuses or shy away from our role in the outcomes in front of us? How do we treat accountability as lessons learned and exercise it more often? How does accountability change the workplace? Linda diives into all of this in this episode. It’s a game changer!
Madonna was on to something (never thought I would say these words), when she said “I’m a material girl, living in a material world.” There really is no escaping it. We are surrounded by it. There shouldn’t be guilt around buying nice things but what happens when we let the “thing” control us and feed our confidence. In this episode I share moments when this has happened to me and how I have learned to become more aware of these moments. I talk through how this awareness can help strengthen our self worth & confidence.
I had the realization that if I wait for everything externally to be just right before I start doing the things I want to do this year, I may end up watching another year pass me by. In this episode, I unpack why & how I was able to make a mindset shift and truly reset even with some of the same hurdles in place from last year. Not everyone has to be making the same progress this early in the year but it is important for everyone to know that they have the power to take charge when they are ready to.
Some of the most successful people in the world have this trait in common - the desire to constantly do better. But negative emotions can pop up when we reflect on how we can improve, causing us to often avoid it entirely. If others aren’t honest in their feedback & we aren’t being honest with ourselves either, then who the heck is going to help us improve? In this episode, I talk through where these emotions come from & why it’s important to unpack it so we can simply focus on how to be better.
Have you ever taken someone else’s actions or something they said personally? Made assumptions about their intentions? We often think things are about us when sometimes they are not. In this episode, I dive into why we do this and examples that we can all relate to. This is another thing that creates unnecessary clutter in our mind and while we may not be able to control the initial thought, we can control how long we let it stay. I share how I shift my thoughts to remove this clutter from my mind.
A lot of people are excited about 2020 being over but what is really going to change at midnight? In this week’s episode, I share how I’m using this New Year’s as a checkpoint for 3 things to help me go into 2021 pumped and with a recharged mindset. We can’t make life go back to how it was before the pandemic but we can still create change for ourselves in this upcoming year. Listen in as I unpack how to make sure 2021 doesn’t become a repeat of or a dragged out 2020 for all of us. The only thing that changes at midnight is our mindset.
Do you ever feel like some of the Self Love stuff on Social Media is too cheesy or fluff or annoying? Ha - I have! In this episode, I cut through (not “the”) cheese to get to what truly matters and how a lot of things in our life revolve around this topic. It’s easy to ignore, dismiss or go on auto-pilot with this topic but being aware and intentional about self love can help create positivity in so many areas of our life. I talk through the real-life application of loving yourself & how it can manifest in our life.
We have all had minor interactions with people that make us ask “why did I do that?” or “why did I say it that way?” Maybe you said or did something without really thinking it through. We all do that. Have you ever replayed the tape of you doing that “thing” to the other person 10, 20, 30 times in head? Beating yourself up everytime? Yes, yes and yes! In this episode I talk about why it doesn’t need to be this way and how we can remove this negativity that takes up space in our mind quickly.
This year I have witnessed one too many people I love deal with really hard hard things. Years ago I had explored the question we all have asked at some point - “why do bad things happen to good people” but lately I have been feeling my faith get shaky. I knew I needed to remind myself of the beliefs I have held around this question for many years. In this episode, I revisit my beliefs & how we shift from the “WHY did this happen” to “how do I want to choose to respond & react in this moment.”
On the surface deflecting compliments may not seem like a big deal. Many say it’s just about a way to show humility. That’s what I thought for years until I sat down and unpacked this. This becomes an important topic when you realize that how you respond may actually reflect what YOU think of yourself. I talk through why it’s important to receive compliments with open arms and how this can be a tool to help us see parts of ourselves that we haven’t embraced yet.
In this episode, I talk with my former CEO who took his start up from a garage to being worth a little under $1B by always keeping people & positivity at the forefront. We talk about conscious leadership where uplifting others and seeing them on a “soul” level yields much more long term success than focusing on profits. We talk about the current consciousness level in the business world. We touch on how meetings, reacting to mistakes & motivation can look a lot different when leading with love.
You may be confident in all aspects of your life but somehow parenting can manage to bring out self doubt. Have you ever wondered why that is? In this week’s episode I talk about why this happens to us. It is normal and we all feel it as parents. I share what I have done to help shake the insecurities & temptation to compare because I don’t want to spend 20 years of my life in a place of fear. I’m sure most parents would agree!
If believing in ourselves starts with others believing in us, does that become unreliable? I don’t think so. In this episode, I share how others believing in us can help us find more confidence in who we are. We all need this external support to clearly see who we truly are & I will help you reflect on how impactful this has probably been for you in your own life. I also talk about what happens when we do this for others & how we should never underestimate the power of our compliments or encouragement.
Isn’t it funny that every single person makes mistakes yet we are so hard on ourselves as if we are the only ones making them? Mistakes are a part of our lives - at work, at home, with our friends, with our kids. Our mind makes us think we should keep our mistakes safe with us but in this episode I talk about all the reasons why taking responsibility for our mistakes & fessing up is the better route. Our mistakes don’t define us but how we respond can.
There are a lot of opposing views right now. Sometimes you feel like screaming at people who don’t understand your perspective - it feels emotional and personal at times. But when I unpacked this, I realized that reacting may feel good in the moment but it doesn’t get us anywhere. The cancel culture is powerful but can be dangerous if we are not responsible with it. How do we provide criticism that is productive & has a goal of getting to a place beyond the disagreement? That’s what we need right about now.
This year has really highlighted how polarized people are on issues such as the pandemic, Black Lives Matter, climate change, politics... the list goes on. I started wondering why we are so polarized. Do we actually consume and process information or just gravitate towards the information that aligns with our existing beliefs? If so, aren’t we giving our power to think away? I dive into all of this in this episode.
It took me a minute to embrace my feminine traits & learn how to use that as a superpower versus adapt to men dominated environments. I'll talk about how I did this & why I was even caught up in this confusion in the first place. I also dive into what we women need to do to really lean in when it comes to supporting & helping other women. There are some under the radar things we do to each other that hurt women as a whole and until we change these things, we can’t expect the world to treat us differently.
We often squirm and get really uncomfortable around this topic that, ironically, is the one sure thing in life. Can you relate? I got to the point where avoiding it and not forming my beliefs around this topic made me more uncomfortable than actually diving into it. In the process of unpacking, I also found a way to see life through the perspective of death so I could make better decisions and make sure I don't have regrets at the end of my life.
I get up close and personal on this one! I talk about how my relationship with my sister-in-law went from not speaking to a genuine, loving relationship. It’s so easy to get trapped into a mindset where you think your relationship with someone in your family will never improve or get better but sometimes the mindset is the barrier. I share what worked for us and how we got on the other side of this challenging time.
Has the way our parents learned life principles through religion become outdated based on how we like to learn and how our kids will learn? These days a lot of people want logic, the science and to understand the why. I dive into whether the “HOW” we learn these life principles truly matters or not. When we choose not to learn through religion the way some of our parents did, are we making sure we have some other way to learn the principles of compassion, charity, giving, love, hope, trust in life.
Have you ever noticed how some people make you feel uplifted, loved and happy after you interact with them? Have you ever wondered why they make you feel this way? In this episode, I unpack what people who make me feel this way are doing and how. I reflect on ways I can make others feel this way too. Wouldn't you want people feeling like a million bucks after they talk to you, no matter how small the interaction?
Everyone has a great story...period. This week I talk through why it is so easy to downplay our life story and why so many of us do this. I’ll share my personal experiences around this, what inspired me to unpack this and how I began to see the greatness in my experiences simply by changing my perspective. I guarantee you can do the same!
I know, it sounds like a narcissistic thing to say that you have a problem with experts. The challenge is the undesired impact that the word “expert” can have on us. I talk through many examples of successful people saying to defy the experts. How many times do we ignore our inner voice & knowing, just to listen to some dude (or gal) who knows nothing about us and our journey. I talk about why it’s so important that you don’t put your ideas & thoughts secondary to others...no matter what their credentials.
A recent knowledge bomb from a friend’s wife made me question my resistance and issues with accepting help. I realized I was looking at it completely wrong and in a selfish way. Her wisdom “When I let others help, it blesses them” made me realize it wasn’t about me. I share why this is such an important one for us to embrace to strengthen our relationships & for others. The revelations in this episode will make you stop the next time you say “no, I'm good” when someone is offering to help.
It is natural to want to share the proud moments in our lives on social media & with friends… but why aren’t we proud of our failures? In this episode, I reflect back on my life and unpack why I felt pressure to maintain my status of “being the best” most of my life. I share how I unpacked one of my recent failures so I could move past the surface level of disappointment and embarrassment, and instead wear it proudly like a badge of honor!
The problem with fairy tales, books and movies portrayal of marriage (or romantic relationships) goes much much deeper than just the grand romantic gestures. I dive into what this is exactly and how it is creating unfair and unrealistic expectations of our relationships which then leads to pressure to maintain a certain image. I also share why normalizing hard topics like this one is critical for the “women supporting women” movement!
I’m going heavy right off the bat people! This is a tough topic to talk about especially since it’s not admitted out loud that often. I went through my emotions of shame around this feeling until I had an experience that forced me to look it straight in the eye and unpack it. I’ll share my experience with a close friend, how I unpacked it and which questions I now use to help shift my energy from jealousy to positivity!
In this introduction episode, I (Neha) share my life story so you can get to know me. I talk about why and when "unpacking" came into my life and what inspired me to share my personal stories & formula.