Feelings...and Other Inconveniences

It's that time of year when everyone starts acting like January is a reset button and a goal will save their life. In this episode, Sarah and Stefanie talk about goals without the usual hype. The kind that actually fit your values versus the ones you absorb from culture and then punish yourself for not wanting. They get into why goal language can feel weirdly controlling, why outcome-based goals can ramp up pressure fast, and what changes when you shift toward intention, presence, and process instead of chasing a finish line. If goal season makes you feel motivated and vaguely annoyed (or just tired), this conversation will make you feel less alone — and probably a little clearer about what you actually want going into 2026. Tune in to hear about...   Why "goal season" can feel motivating and weirdly pressurizing The difference between borrowed goals (culture-approved) and goals that actually fit you Goals vs. intentions: why intention can feel more flexible and human Process goals vs. outcome goals (and why process can be less mentally suffocating) What it looks like to release outcome-control without giving up on growth How "productivity culture" sneaks into personal development language Why certain goals (especially body/weight-related ones) are more loaded Redefining success around presence, alignment, and capacity Knowing when stepping back is growth (not "falling behind") The push-pull of action vs. receptivity (masculine/feminine energy) Picking a "word for the year" as a softer entry point into change Love the episode? Leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more than you'd think (and yes, we actually read them). Not sure what to write? You can literally just copy and paste this: BEST PODCAST EVER — A UNIQUE REVIEW We won't argue with you. More About Stefanie Michele: Instagram Substack Website Full But Not Finished on YouTube More About Sarah Dosanjh: YouTube Instagram Website Book: I Can't Stop Eating

In this episode of Feelings… and Other Inconveniences, we dive into the invisible weight of mental load – the constant thinking, tracking and planning that never seems to switch off, even when we are "off duty."  Are we confusing mental load with caring? What happens in our bodies when we are carrying too much? And what do we believe will fall apart if we stop managing everything? We talk about:   💫 How to tell the difference between stress and anxiety in real life, not just in theory 💫 Caring for ageing parents, parenting, work and that feeling of always having "one more thing" to do 💫 The idea of open loops and why unfinished tasks drain so much energy 💫 When mental load becomes part of our identity and why letting go can feel selfish 💫 Control, non-attachment and those fleeting moments of "I actually don't mind what happens" 💫 Guilt, people pleasing and why even help from others can trigger discomfort If your brain feels like it is running a full-time job no one is paying you for, this one is for you.    Love the episode? Leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more than you'd think (and yes, we actually read them). Not sure what to write? You can literally just copy and paste this: BEST PODCAST EVER — A UNIQUE REVIEW We won't argue with you. More About Stefanie Michele: Instagram Substack Website Full But Not Finished on YouTube More About Sarah Dosanjh: YouTube Instagram Website Book: I Can't Stop Eating

In this episode, hosts Sarah Dosanjh, psychotherapist and author, and Stefanie Michele, certified coach and somatic practitioner, dive into the complex psychology of external validation—why we crave approval, how it shapes our sense of worth, and what it means to find confidence that isn't dependent on others. They explore how early attachment experiences and mirroring affect our lifelong need for recognition, why creative or purpose-driven work can heighten validation sensitivity, and how to tell the difference between healthy acknowledgment vs dependency. Stefanie reflects on her own relationship with feedback as both a mirror and a trap, while Sarah discusses how surrender, faith, and trust in a larger process help ground her self-worth beyond productivity or external praise. The conversation also looks at how social media and online culture amplify our validation loops, creating a false sense of connection while eroding genuine self-trust. Together, they unpack the nervous system's role in these patterns—how seeking approval often mirrors our search for safety—and offer insights for cultivating inner steadiness through awareness, connection, and compassion. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of: Why we're wired to seek validation and how it ties to belonging The role of early attachment in adult self-worth How to discern acknowledgment from dependency Why social media intensifies validation needs Somatic and psychological tools for grounding self-esteem Love the episode? Leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more than you'd think (and yes, we actually read them). Not sure what to write? You can literally just copy and paste this: BEST PODCAST EVER — A UNIQUE REVIEW We won't argue with you. More About Stefanie Michele: Instagram Substack Website More About Sarah Dosanjh: YouTube Instagram Website Book: I Can't Stop Eating  

Most of us know the voice: the one that points out what we should have done differently, or insists we're falling short. In this episode, Stefanie Michele (coach and somatic practitioner) and Sarah (psychotherapist and author) unpack the inner critic—where it begins, how it shows up, and how to shift it from a harsh opponent into something more useful. They explore how the critic is shaped by cultural pressures, authority figures, and even the small conclusions we draw ourselves, like comparing our bodies to others as kids. They distinguish between the "interjector" critic (the voices we internalize) and the "concluder" critic (the judgments we create), showing how both can take root and influence our sense of self. This conversation also looks at: How to recognize the difference between criticism and healthy self-reflection Why the tone of inner dialogue matters as much as the content The role of validation in softening self-judgment and creating room for growth How "fierce self-compassion" can turn frustration with cultural expectations into a source of strength The possibility that the critic is sometimes protective, trying to keep us safe by holding us in familiar territory Rather than trying to silence the critic altogether, Stefanie and Sarah consider what happens when we meet it with curiosity, compassion, and a little reframing—so that voice becomes less of a tormentor and more of a reluctant ally. Love the episode? Leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more than you'd think (and yes, we actually read them). Not sure what to write? You can literally just copy and paste this: BEST PODCAST EVER — A UNIQUE REVIEW We won't argue with you. More About Stefanie Michele: Instagram Substack Website More About Sarah Dosanjh: YouTube Instagram Website Book: I Can't Stop Eating  

At what point does sharing turn into oversharing? Is it when you tell a near-stranger about your mother's complicated relationship with salad? When you explain your latest existential crisis to the Uber driver who only asked if you wanted the radio on? Or when you admit to a friend that you sometimes rehearse conversations in your head before you have them (I mean that sounds right?) — but how do you know the difference? In this episode, Stefanie Michele (coach + somatic practitioner) and Sarah Dosanjh (psychotherapist + author) explore what makes a disclosure feel like "too much." They start by asking who actually gets to decide what's too much, and why the line between connection and cringe depends so much on context. They reflect on their own histories: Sarah admits she's often baffled when people keep things close to the vest, while Stefanie shares how growing up with a nondisclosing mother sometimes felt like rejection. Together, they unpack how family patterns, shame, and the infamous "mother wound" influence what we reveal, what we guard, and what we might later regret saying. The conversation winds through: The nervous energy that leads to blurting things out (and the 3 a.m. spiral that follows) The difference between authentic vulnerability and using personal stories like conversational grenades The awkwardness of being on the receiving end of a stranger's unfiltered life story while trapped in a checkout line The protective function of privacy, and why some people's "TMI" is another person's baseline intimacy The fine line between gossip and sharing — and why intent matters more than the headline Some oversharing is about organizing thoughts out loud, some of it is about wanting to be seen, and some of it is just a nervous system looking for a release valve. The trick, as they argue, is knowing when sharing builds connection — and when it makes both sides wish for an eject button. If you've ever wondered why you said that thing, to that person, at that time (and why you can't stop replaying it), this episode offers perspective, a little humor, and maybe some solidarity in the mess of being human. Love the episode? Leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more than you'd think (and yes, we actually read them). Not sure what to write? You can literally just copy and paste this: BEST PODCAST EVER — A UNIQUE REVIEW We won't argue with you. More About Stefanie Michele: Instagram Substack Website: Work With Me Wednesday Emails More About Sarah Dosanjh: YouTube Instagram Website Book: I Can't Stop Eating