Follow The Gap Podcast: Recent Episodes
Grace Ding
Hi! I'm Grace. I'm 21, living in NYC, and just trying to navigate all the excitements and woes of growing into adulthood. You are welcome to follow along as I struggle and thrive, one existential crisis at a time. IG: @followthegap_podcast
Today is my 23rd birthday! Since the start of this year brought a huge unexpected change to my work, I reflect on my feelings about being 23, and things I've been struggling with lately.
As this year comes to a close, I share some of my top 2023 highlights and reflections! Thank you all for listening and being with me this year. Happy holidays and see you in 2024 :)
I moved!! In this episode, I talk about some feelings that are sparked by moving to a new home, including the weight of adulthood responsibility. I also reflect on my experience with my job so far and the current state of my academic/career goals.
I've been in Boston for 5 months now! I've gotten kinda used to living in the routine of a peaceful and "boring" life, and this past week I've fallen into a bit of an unmotivated slump. I finally get myself to record an episode, so I examine some of my feelings around this transition to a mundane life (e.g. changes in how I see my identity now that I'm significantly less social and my life is more insular).
Recorded in Boston, I talk about moving, leaving my old job and finding a new job, and settling into my new life! In the slower pace of a peaceful suburban neighborhood, I muse about my deeper level interests, goals, and purpose. I seek to understand my own identity through different threads of what I find fulfilling, as well as what I've been interested in and influenced by throughout my life so far.
In my first episode of 2023, I share some life updates for the new year, including moving out of New York! I wrap up some reflections about 2022, which was an overwhelmingly eventful year. I also look forward to finding more peace and fulfillment in the new year, especially as I finally start to work towards my true goal of becoming a clinical psychologist!
I share my belated Thanksgiving gratitudes, as well as a little bit about my new relationship! I also ramble about some current musings on love, like the difference between "creating a love" vs "falling in love," and my process of shedding overly idealistic expectations I used to place on love as this all-powerful positive force. I talk about reclaiming ownership over my emotions, my sense of self, and my ability to create a healthy and supportive love :)
The end of my 3-week terrible illness means I can finally speak about my heartbreak healing journey's final stages. I talk about what it means to me to "move on"/move forward from a relationship that I thought was my entire future, and my experience finding peace (and even joy) in accepting that while this person I loved so much is no longer physically in my life, he will always be an important part of myself, and I can use and cherish that influence for good :)
My first guest ever on the podcast!! Justine is one of my best friends who just moved to NYC <3 We talk about recent changes, settling into work and life, navigating new dimensions of stress/uncertainty in adulthood, and finding stability through our parents.
Recorded in Switzerland, I talk about enjoying the slower pace of my summer so far and making time for intentional thinking and resting. I also talk about what true love means, using insights from Bell Hooks' book "All About Love" and adding my own questions and reflections.
My first recording after NINE WHOLE MONTHS! A lot has happened and I talk a bit about everything here. Also, I forgot to mention in the episode but I also turned 21 a month ago. Ahhhhh adulting... so much to learn, so much to experience, so much to appreciate.
I'm back from my travels and am (kinda) ready to start my new job tomorrow! I reflect on the reasons I enjoy traveling, in particular my love for seeing other people's lives and indulging in alternate realities and future possibilities. I discuss finding closure in the end of college, deeply appreciating my friendships, and reassuring myself from my fears about the future.
This episode is recorded as I'm back in NYC, taking a short break in between my domestic travels. I discuss new realizations I've come to recently, particularly around how my mind experiences and processes thoughts and emotions. My constant search for deeper self-awareness has forced me to consider the ways in which I may be emotionally detached, and I try to explore what that means.
After a 2-month hiatus from the podcast, I finally reflect on recent life changes, such as finishing college and getting a job. I attempt to rationalize why I ditched my gap year dreams. I also identify some ways I've grown this summer, including confronting and challenging my self-perceptions.
In this episode, I talk about growing up as an only child, how my relationships with family have evolved, and how moving around and switching schools shaped the ways I approach friendship. An uncut ramble of my experiences with loneliness and how I gradually built my independence and sense of self to where I am today.
In this episode, I talk about my experiences with mental health, why I recently returned to therapy, and my current existential concerns. Basically my uncut rambles/thoughts about finding meaning and fulfillment, conceptualizing my dream life, balancing competing desires, and feeling pressed about the future.
Originally recorded in April, I introduce myself and this podcast! Also featuring late night musings about friendships, life transitions, and reflections on how I think about the past, present, and future. Welcome and I'd love for you to follow along my journey as I begin my twenties and continue to figure out my life :)