Why Nothing You Do Ever Feels Like Enough & How to Rewire Your Thoughts
Do you feel like you're behind in life? Struggling to hit milestones by a certain age? You're not alone. In this episode of Always Anxious, I break down the unrealistic expectations placed on women — and why so many of us feel like we're running out of time.From being “too young to take seriously” to suddenly “too old to matter,” women are constantly navigating a cultural timeline that never feels like the right fit. Whether you're 25 and panicking or 30 and questioning everything, this episode dives deep into the pressure to have it all figured out — career, relationships, identity — by an arbitrary deadline.We’ll cover:Why women feel behind in their 20s and 30sThe myth of the perfect life timelineAge anxiety, comparison culture, and burnoutWhy society punishes women for being “too much”How these pressures hit women of color even harderPop culture’s role in shaping these expectationsHow to stop measuring your life by someone else’s standardsIf you’ve ever thought “I should be further along by now,” this episode will help you reframe the narrative and reclaim your pace.🎧 Share this episode with someone needs a reminder that they’re right on time.Let's connect:Follow me on Instagram: @AllieMarieEvansRead my essays on SubstackFollow me on YouTube for future video episodesFor podcast updates follow @Always Anxious Submit to Anxious Anonymous to be featured on future episodes of Always Anxious.
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43:52
Too Young, Too Old, Too Much: The Impossible Timing of Womanhood
What happens when girlhood ends before you're ready — and womanhood begins on someone else’s terms?In this deeply personal episode of Always Anxious, I unpack the invisible pressures women face to grow up at the “right” time, in the “right” way, with the “right” outcome — and how almost none of us ever do.While writing my essay The Quiet Collapse of Girlhood, I sat down with two of my close friends — Tallulah Willis and Sara Coates — for honest conversations about growing up, body image, public scrutiny, identity, and the quiet grief that often comes with leaving girlhood behind. From generational trauma to societal timelines to the aching nostalgia of innocence lost, this episode dives deep into the pain, the power, and the personal reclamation of becoming a woman on your own terms.This one is tender, emotional, and full of moments I hope remind you that you're not alone.💌 Let’s stay connected:→ Follow me on Instagram→ Read the full essay on Substack→ Submit your letter to Anxious AnonymousI’d love to hear your thoughts after listening. What part resonated most? What is your internal age? Drop a comment, DM me, or share your favorite quote — your input means more than you know.If this episode speaks to you, please consider following the show, sharing it, or leaving a quick review. We grow better when we grow together.
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32:35
Breaking the Spell of a Toxic Relationship
What happens when your journal knows the truth before you do?In this unfiltered debrief of my first personal essay, “The Unreliable Narrator: How Lying to My Journal Saved My Life and Ended My Relationship,” I open up about what it really means to be in a toxic relationship — and how to get out of one. I’m sharing the red flags I missed, the mental gymnastics I performed to justify bad behavior, and the clarity that came from rewriting my own story.Whether you're in the thick of it, still healing, or just need a gut check, this episode is your permission slip to trust your instincts, take your power back, and redefine love on your terms. Inside this episode:How to recognize the signs of emotional manipulation and abusive toxicityWhat finally pushed me to walk away — and what life looks like on the other sidePractical healing tools and reflective exercises that helped me rebuild my lifeHonest, heartfelt advice for your stories, submitted through Anxious AnonymousThis week’s journal prompt to help you tap into your own creative truth telling🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts — and don’t forget, all video episodes will now exclusively be on Substack. If you want to watch more videos like this and see the conversation unfold, subscribe and join the community. I want to hear your voice, too:Submit to Anxious Anonymous to be featured in the next episodeFollow me on Substack for video versions, behind-the-scenes notes & moreShare your journal prompt response with me there, or DM me on socials @alliemarieevans
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42:43
HOW LYING SAVED MY LIFE & ENDED MY RELATIONSHIP
I titled this article Becoming the Unreliable Narrator: How Lying to My Journal Saved My Life and Ended My Relationship because both are true. Finding the clarity and courage to leave a toxic relationship gave me a second chance at life. Who I was born to be, who I know myself to be, and who I have yet to become all hung in the balance of the decision to walk away and never look back. Read the full article and view the referenced images on Substack
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14:08
ALWAYS ANXIOUS WITH ALLIE EVANS TRAILER
Welcome to the Always anxious podcast with Allie Evans! Always Anxious was a state of being I use to operate from. It was me, it controlled me until — through a lot of therapy and self development, I discovered that anxiety was actually a gift that could be channeled and used as lighting in a bottle for my most creative endeavors. When you come face to face with anxiety you are typically struggling with the unseen, the hidden, the invisible, the make believe. You have the gift of a truly robust imagination that has turned the unknown into fear. When we are given the tools to move through the fear we are able to bear witness to the magic that comes along with anxiety and the things we can create because of it.I want to get cozy at this virtual slumber party with you and talk about Messy love, big feelings, and figuring it all out (or at least trying to). Step into my mind through personal essays, deep dives and debriefs, interviews, advice - through the "Anxious Anonymous" episodes, and enjoy the kind of stories that stick with you. Think self-discovery with a side of creative chaos. More than anything I want to use this space as an opportunity to connect with YOU! To share my stories and learn yours because we all deserve to feel like the main character. Subscribe for episodes that feel like a late-night talk with your most unhinged, brutally honest friend!! Follow @AllieMarrieEvans & @AlwaysAnxious on socials. Check out more articles, essays, and interviews on Substack
The ALWAYS ANXIOUS podcast explores messy love, big feelings, and figuring it all out (or at least trying to). A collection of weekly(ish) personal essays, deep dives, interviews, and advice (Anxious Anonymous) from the mind of Allie Evans. Think self-discovery with a side of creative chaos. Together we will unpack how to break free from the limitations and boundaries anxiety places on us —so we can move through the world as our boldest, most authentic selves. Subscribe for words that that feel like a late-night talk with your most unhinged, brutally honest friend.
New Zealand