What happens when you achieve something you’ve worked really hard for, only to immediately start thinking about the next goal?

In this episode of Grow As I Go, I’m reflecting on ambition, achievement and the pressure to constantly improve - and why I’m learning that slowing down doesn’t mean standing still.

Key points

• The pressure of always chasing the next goal
• Why we can struggle to celebrate our own achievements
• The link between self-worth, productivity and achievement
• Learning to rest without feeling like we’re falling behind
• Why growth doesn’t always mean moving forward

• Sometimes the biggest growth is learning to stop, look around and appreciate how far you’ve already come.

Timestamps

• 00:01 - Why am I always chasing the next goal?
• 05:58 - When achievement still doesn’t feel like enough
• 10:15 - Does our worth become tied to achievement?
• 18:28 - The river analogy: learning to pause
• 21:51 - Growth isn’t always forward movement

#GrowAsIGo #PersonalGrowth #SelfGrowth #GoalSetting #Achievement #Mindset #SelfWorth #Ambition #WorkLifeBalance #PersonalDevelopment

In this episode of Grow As I Go, Amy explores the often overlooked impact of betrayal: losing trust not only in someone else, but in yourself, your judgment and your ability to read people.

Amy shares her personal experience with infidelity and the journey of rebuilding self-trust, while unpacking why betrayal can lead to self-doubt, overthinking and hypervigilance, even when a new relationship is healthy and safe.

In this episode:

• Why betrayal can damage self-trust and confidence
• The link between betrayal, hypervigilance and overthinking
• Why you don’t need to blame yourself for someone else’s deception
• How to rebuild trust in yourself through small moments of evidence
• Why healthy trust is built through consistency, actions and accountability

Timestamps:

• 00:01 Why betrayal can make you stop trusting yourself
• 08:34 When past betrayal follows you into a healthy relationship
• 16:20 Why overthinking can become a trap after betrayal
• 18:25 How to rebuild self-trust
• 20:25 The “marble jar” approach to rebuilding trust

A reminder for anyone rebuilding trust: You don’t need a guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong. You need to trust that if something does go wrong, you’ll be able to handle it.

Follow Grow As I Go on Instagram @growasigopodcast

Have you ever reacted in the heat of the moment and wished you had handled things differently? In this episode of Grow As I Go, Amy explores emotional intelligence, emotional regulation and why understanding our emotions is one of the most important skills we can develop for better relationships, leadership and personal growth.

Amy unpacks why emotions are not something to suppress or avoid, but valuable information that helps us understand ourselves and others. Drawing on insights from Dr Marc Brackett, neuroscience and psychology, this episode explores self-awareness, emotional regulation, managing triggers and the power of pausing before responding.

You’ll learn:

• Why emotional intelligence matters more than IQ
• How to recognise and name your emotions
• Why unprocessed emotions eventually catch up with us
• How to build stronger relationships through empathy and self-awareness

Timestamps

00:00 – What emotional intelligence really means (and why it matters)

03:26 – Why EQ can matter more than IQ in life and leadership

05:12 – “Emotions are debts”: why ignoring emotions catches up with us

13:18 – The neuroscience behind naming your emotions

15:01 – The power of the pause: responding instead of reacting.

Follow Grow As I Go on Spotify and Apple, and on Instagram @growasigopodcast

What happens when you become the person who holds everything together?

In this episode of Grow As I Go, Amy is joined by author, speaker and mental health advocate Sarah Rosse to unpack the invisible mental load carried by so many mothers, caregivers and people supporting loved ones through difficult seasons.

Sarah shares her deeply personal journey supporting her son through mental illness, ADHD and a suicide attempt, and the emotional weight of trying to keep life functioning while quietly falling apart inside.

Together, Amy and Sarah explore the pressure to “keep it together”, why asking for help can feel so difficult, the importance of sharing your story, and how journaling can help process emotions and make sense of overwhelming experiences.

In this episode:

• Understanding the invisible mental load and why it can be so exhausting.
• Why caregivers often prioritise everyone else’s emotions before their own.
• The link between mental health, caregiving and emotional burnout.
• How journaling can help organise thoughts, process feelings and reduce overwhelm.
• Why you don’t have to wait until you’re completely broken before asking for support.

Timestamps

00:42 - What is the invisible mental load and why so many people silently carry it.

04:47 - Sarah’s experience of hypervigilance, emotional exhaustion and never being able to switch off.

14:42 - How journaling became a tool to process emotions and make sense of overwhelming experiences.

27:23 - Sarah’s message to anyone carrying too much: “You don’t have to carry it alone.”

Follow Grow As I Go on Instagram @growasigopodcast

Kindness isn’t just about random acts - it’s about how people feel after they’ve spent time with you.

In this episode, Amy explores why empathy, patience and making people feel like they belong may be some of the most important things we can offer another person. Through personal stories, practical reflections and research, she shares why kindness isn’t a grand gesture and why it’s a way of seeing people.

In this episode:

• Why almost everyone is carrying an invisible struggle.
• The link between kindness, empathy and patience.
• How to make people feel seen, accepted and like they belong.
• Why the smallest interactions can become someone else’s lifelong memory.
• A simple challenge to help you become a kinder person this week

Timestamps

01:18 - Why kindness matters more than ever in today’s busy world.

10:02 -The quiet definition of kindness: making people feel seen, safe and like they belong.

19:14 -The science behind kindness and why it benefits your own wellbeing.

21:56 -This week’s challenge: one simple question that could change someone’s day.

Connect with Grow As I Go @growasigopodcast

What if personal growth isn’t about becoming more, but carrying less?

In this solo episode of Grow As I Go, Amy reflects on the mindset shifts helping her let go of unrealistic expectations, people-pleasing, overthinking and the pressure to stay the same.

From learning that people can only meet you as deeply as they’ve met themselves, to embracing change, being more present and trusting that “no” is a complete sentence, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from putting things down instead of picking more up.

If you’re working on healthier boundaries, emotional growth, mindfulness or simply feeling lighter, this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Why not everyone has the capacity to understand your perspective.

• Changing your mind is a sign of growth, not inconsistency.

• The present moment isn’t a stepping stone; it’s your life happening now.

• Boundaries don’t need lengthy explanations to be valid.

• Growth often begins with letting go.

Timestamps

• 01:05 Growth is sometimes about carrying less

• 01:45 “People can only meet you as deeply as they’ve met themselves”

• 03:30 Why changing your mind is a strength

• 05:25 Learning to be more present

• 07:30 People-pleasing, boundaries & why “no” is enough

• 09:05 Final reflections & this week’s song recommendation

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear what you’re choosing to carry less of. Connect with me on Instagram, and don’t forget to follow, rate and review Grow As I Go on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Is infidelity really about sex - or is it a symptom of something much deeper?

When we hear the word infidelity, most of us immediately think betrayal, broken trust, and relationship-ending behaviour. But what if the affair wasn’t actually the beginning of the story? What if it was the final expression of patterns that had been quietly forming long before anyone crossed the line?

In this thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with Psychotherapist and Author Chad Taylor to explore the psychology behind infidelity through a completely different lens. Together, we unpack why cheating is often less about the other person and more about our relationship with ourselves.

This episode is not about excusing infidelity or minimising the pain it causes. Accountability always maters. Instead, its about understanding the unconscious patterns, unmet needs and emotional disconnection that can drive behaviours we later regret - and why genuine healing requires far more than simply changing partners.

Whether you’ve experienced betrayal, are rebuilding trust, or simply want to better understand human behaviour and relationships, this conversation offers powerful insights into self-awareness, emotional responsibility and lasting personal growth.

Key takeaways

• Why infidelity is often a symptom of deeper emotional disconnection rather than simply a moral failure

• How unconscious patterns, unmet emotional needs and validation seeking share our relationships
• The subtle forms of infidelity that often begin long before a physical affair
• Why self-awareness, accountability and emotional responsibility are essential for breaking unhealthy relationship patterns
• What it actually takes for a relationship to recover after betrayal
• Practical ways to strengthen connection and prevent emotional distance from growing over time

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Why we need to look beyond behaviour or infidelity

• 05:20 - The psychology of disconnection, unmet needs and unconscious patterns

• 13:10 - Emotional affairs, micro-infidelities and the behaviours we often overlook

• 23:05 - Accountability vs avoidance: Can people really change after betrayal?

• 30:00 - Can relationships recover after infidelity? What rebuilding trust actually requires

• 38:20 - Chad’s approach to developing self-awareness through ongoing personal growth

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love it if you shared it with someone who might need to hear it. And don’t forget to follow Grow As I Go on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Chad Taylor

If you’d like to learn more about Chad’s work, you can find his newly released book ‘It’s You. Oh F*ck. It’s Me’ on Amazon.

Chad also hosts his own podcast, where he explores relationships, self-awareness and the unconscious patterns that shape our lies and runs a weekly online therapy group designed to help people develop greater self-awareness in a safe supportive environment. @chadtaylor.itsyou

In this episode, we explore the idea of emotional walls - the invisible coping mechanisms we build after difficult experiences, and how they can quietly shape our relationships, reactions and sense of self long after the original pain has passed.

You might feel 'fine' about something, until suddenly you're not. You might overreact, shut down, become overly busy, over controlling, or withdraw completely - without really understanding why.

This episode unpacks the psychology behind those responses and brings awareness to the patterns we often mistake for personality traits, when in reality they are learned emotional protection strategies.

If you've ever wondered;

- Why do I shut down in conflict?

- Why do I get so defensive or overwhelmed so quickly?

- Why do I avoid difficult conversations or emotions?

- Why do I overthink, people-please, or stay constantly busy?

This conversation will help you start to understand the why behind the behaviour.

Key Takeaways

• Emotional reactions are often rooted in past experiences, not present situations
• Emotional walls are protective coping mechanisms, not personality flaws
• Unprocessed emotions don't disappear - they show up as behaviours
• Common behaviours like busyness or control, or ''I'm fine'' are emotional strategies
• You can not selectively numb emotion
• Self-awareness is the key to emotional growth and change
• Awareness creates choice - not pressure to immediately change

Timestamps

• 00:43 - Introduction - Why we're talking about emotional walls
• 01:13 - What emotional walls actually are
• 02:24 - How emotional walls are formed (childhood, trauma and lived experience)
• 07:08 - Common emotional wall behaviours we don't recognise
• 12:30 - The hidden cost of emotional suppression and avoidance
• 17:31 - Self-awareness, emotional triggers and accountability
• 20:17 - The mirror exercise: understanding emotional patterns
• 22:14 - Closing message: You are not your coping mechanisms

Brenee Brown TED Talk

https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o?si=pq3toXzZYzMbfrlH

Connect with Grow As I Go

Follow the show on Instagram @growasigopodcast and wherever you listen to your podcasts.