Boundaries and Bridges

Setting boundaries sounds simple. Actually learning to live by them? Not so much.

In this episode, I talk about my own experience of going from having almost no boundaries, to swinging too far in the other direction, and what I’ve learned about finding the space somewhere in between.

Because maybe healthy boundaries aren’t about building walls at all. Maybe they’re about building bridges — ones that allow the right things in without losing ourselves along the way.

Reflection questions:

What boundary would you set if you stopped worrying about whether everyone else understood it?

Where are you keeping the peace at the expense of your own?

I also share a free resource I created for you — The Journey Within, a 7-day guided meditation series with a guidebook.

Start The Journey Within: https://fireandfairydust.com/the-journey-within

Content note: This episode includes conversations about suicide, suicidal thoughts, depression, and mental health crises. Please take care of yourself and decide whether this is an episode that feels right for you to listen to today.

This is one of the most personal episodes I have shared.

I'm talking about a period of my life that I haven't spoken publicly about before. I'm sharing what was happening behind the scenes, how much I was struggling, and why I believe conversations like this matter.

There is fear and shame attached to talking openly about suicide and mental health crises. But silence doesn't help the people who are struggling.

So, as scary as it is to share this part of my story, I'm sharing it in the hope that it reaches someone who needs to hear it. And I share it from the perspective of a person who has reached the other side of this struggle.

Crisis support:
In Canada and the United States, call or text 988.

For free, confidential crisis support in other countries, visit FindAHelpline.com.

If you are in immediate crisis, please contact your local emergency services.

Growth sounds great until it starts changing your relationships, your boundaries, your expectations—and the spaces where you still fit.

In this episode, I share five things I've learned about growth, including some of the less comfortable parts we don't always talk about. The parts that require accountability, restraint, and sometimes accepting that nothing has to be wrong for something to no longer be right for you.

Because growth isn't about becoming perfect. It's about becoming more intentional about who you are, how you show up, and what you're no longer willing to compromise to belong.

In this episode, Cheryl gets honest about how hard surrender actually is, the lesson that revealed she hadn't truly let go of anything, and why her instinct to control every outcome makes sense but isn’t helpful. It’s a real, unpolished look at what surrender demands when you actually try to live it, not just say it.

Connect with Cheryl on Instagram @eppelcheryl, and follow the show for weekly episodes on the authentic, and often imperfect journey back to you.

In episode 9, Cheryl opens up about a comment on her weight that unraveled a lifetime of hiding, and what it's meant to finally stop waiting for permission to live.

In this episode, Cheryl talks openly about:

• The moment a business conversation turned into a comment about her body, and the response she gave that surprised even herself.
• Why the hurt lingered for months, and what writing helped her uncover
• The realization of what nine years of hiding really cost her, and why she’s done hiding

Connect with Cheryl on Instagram @eppelcheryl, and follow the show for weekly episodes on the authentic, and often imperfect journey back to you.

In episode 8, Cheryl gets honest about the messy middle of healing, why there's no quick fix, and why acknowledging your progress matters just as much as the growth itself.

In This Episode:

• Why healing isn't the constant "love and light" experience it's often made out to be
• Why there's no quick fix to healing
• Why celebrating progress matters as much as the growth itself

Connect with Cheryl on Instagram @eppelcheryl, and follow the show for weekly episodes on the authentic, and often imperfect journey back to you.

In episode 7, Cheryl continues the conversation about fear by exploring what often drives many of our behaviors and how we can reclaim this part of ourselves.

In This Episode:

• Why admitting she was scared became the turning point in Cheryl's healing
• How fear often disguises itself as other emotions
• The surprising role fear plays in everyday behaviour
• Why we can't heal what we're unwilling to feel
• How fear has impacted the world throughout history
• A powerful reflection to uncover the fear that's quietly shaping your life

Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and if this one resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

In episode 6, Cheryl unpacks the topic that kept her stuck even after years of inner work. Cheryl speaks about the power of fear and the impact it can have if we allow it to do so.

In This Episode:

• Why Cheryl felt guilty for having big dreams, and what shifted that
• Growing up with money scarcity, and how this has shown up in adult life
• Why achieving the "successful" career didn't bring the fulfillment she expected
• Why our brain encourages us to remain in situations that are not always best for us.
• The realization about the misalignment between what the world has led us to believe and what is actually true
• A reflection question on what your most fulfilled life would look like, without limits

This is part 1 of a two-part episode. Part 2 continues in episode 7.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and if this one resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.