The calendar fills. Group chats buzz. The season starts to feel like a performance instead of a celebration. In this episode, we pause to name what drains our joy this time of year: Obligation.

We explore how obligation shows up as invisible labor, full of emotional management, and conditioned yes responses. A tight chest. Shallow breath. Subtle self abandonment. We talk about how resentment builds and how to notice the signs early.

We speak honestly about conditioning, especially for women taught to nurture first. Beneath the doing often sits a simple desire for connection, recognition, or belonging. When those needs get chased through overspending or over functioning, disappointment follows. We reframe responsibility with small children as a values based choice rather than a life ruled by musts. We also name the line between loving care and scorekeeping. Using Byron Katie’s question, Is it true?, we separate facts from stories so decisions stop running on guilt and habit.

Then we move into the body. A true yes feels open and breathable. A no feels compressed or heavy. We share fast somatic resets like a short walk, a stretch, or a song that brings you back into your hips so clarity returns quickly. We offer scripts to enroll help without control. Appreciate the effort. Name the help you want. Repeat. Done and not done by me becomes the seasonal mantra.

We close with a reimagining of tradition. Fewer tasks. More presence. Boundaries that stay clear and kind.

Episode Highlights

• naming obligation energy and self abandonment
• separating facts from stories using Byron Katie’s question
• recognizing body cues for yes and no
• unpacking conditioning and invisible labor
• reframing responsibility with small children
• enrolling help through clear requests and repetition
• simplifying gifts and traditions for connection
• somatic resets to stop pushing through
• practical checkpoints before saying yes
• setting boundaries without guilt

Share this episode with someone who needs permission to say a clean no. You can find our handles in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you.

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Click the links below to inquire about 1:1 support.

Book with Brenda

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Email Us:
desireasmedicine@gmail.com
goddessbrenda24@gmail.com
catherine@catherinenavarro.com

Connect on Instagram:
@desireasmedicinepodcast
@Brenda_Fredericks
@CoachCatherineN

What if rest wasn’t a prize you earn after burning out, but the source of your creativity, clarity and kindness? We pull apart the tangled beliefs that keep us sprinting from the fear of losing momentum, the scarcity around time, and the nagging worry that energy might never return and offer a grounded way to choose rest before the crash.

Together, we map the difference between sick rest and restorative rest, and why both matter. You’ll hear candid stories about pushing past limits, learning to read the body’s early signals, and the surprising relief that comes from canceling plans without guilt. We get practical: simple rituals for low-input restoration, a candle-and-oil wind-down that nourishes the senses, and a quiet-leaning approach for those who crave silence. We also share a quick energy audit to build evidence that rest “works,” helping you trust your body over the loud "shoulds".

Rest isn’t always stillness. Sometimes movement is the medicine. From an unhurried walk, to free dancing (with or without music), to gentle somatic practice that helps emotions metabolize. We offer a litmus test to decide: Is your body truly tired, or are you tired of feeling emotions/feelings? That distinction unlocks momentum without self-abandonment. We also look at how boredom primes the mind for creativity, why sustainable pacing changes with age, and how honoring your cycles protects your relationships, your work, and your health.

We explore rest for rest’s sake... We invite you to do the same.

Here are some episode highlights:
• difference between sick rest and restorative rest
• age, energy capacity and letting go of the push
• daily rest rituals and low‑input options
• human design nuances and pacing styles
• emotional fatigue versus physical fatigue
• evidence‑based energy audits to test what works
• boredom as a doorway to creativity
• when rest invites big feelings and what to do
• choosing between rest or movement each day
• protecting relationships by resourcing early

an added note: When using grounding as a rest method, a minimum of 15 minutes is required to impact the viscosity of our blood. So for example, that means we need a minimum of 15 minutes of barefoot/palm contact when on grass/sand, in water, or when touching a tree.

Support the show

Please rate, share, review, and follow for more. Thanks in advance. These actions help more people find the show and it's such a generous way to support our work.

Click the links below to inquire about 1:1 support.

Book with Brenda

Book with Catherine

Email Us:
desireasmedicine@gmail.com
goddessbrenda24@gmail.com
catherine@catherinenavarro.com

Connect on Instagram:
@desireasmedicinepodcast
@Brenda_Fredericks
@CoachCatherineN

What if you stopped waiting for an invitation and started treating life like it matters today? Catherine and Brenda explore the power of ritual, the medicine of desire, and the steady courage it takes to create meaning in your own life. From the circle of the Grand Ole Opry to a candlelit bill paying session at a kitchen table, they look at how a small shift in attention changes everything.

They explore the trap of waiting for the perfect moment and offer a grounded reframe. Work with what is here right now. Brenda shares simple practices that steady her each day and shift her energy and her relationships in real time. Catherine explores the pressure to say yes in communities where sacrifice is praised and how clear boundaries become a form of self-respect.

Perception becomes a practical tool. They look at how algorithms shape mood and how choosing beauty and kindness can expand possibility. They offer simple ways to bring ceremony to chores. Music, soft lighting, a favorite glass, or a comfortable robe. The task stays the same but the experience shifts, along with the willingness to keep showing up. The idea of every day as a holiday becomes a map. It's up to us to you make our own life feel meaningful.

They explore how ritual and perception shape ordinary moments and why waiting for an invitation keeps people outside the lives they want. They share daily practices, boundary setting, and practical ways to make hard tasks pleasurable.

Episode Highlights

• ceremony and ritual as daily tools for meaning
• creating your own drum roll
• moving from future wish to present action
• speaking your true yes and a true no with courage
• simple morning rituals that fuel joy and change perspective
• perception as practice and curating your algorithm
• turning chores into pleasure with design and attention
• honoring impermanence and celebrating small wins

Like, share, comment, or leave a review. It's the best way to supports this work! Please know this type of support is so deeply appreciated.

Support the show

Please rate, share, review, and follow for more. Thanks in advance. These actions help more people find the show and it's such a generous way to support our work.

Click the links below to inquire about 1:1 support.

Book with Brenda

Book with Catherine

Email Us:
desireasmedicine@gmail.com
goddessbrenda24@gmail.com
catherine@catherinenavarro.com

Connect on Instagram:
@desireasmedicinepodcast
@Brenda_Fredericks
@CoachCatherineN