Do you ever feel like life is just happening to you — like you're a passenger in your own story instead of the one driving? In this episode, we're getting real about personal agency: what it actually means to stop feeling like a perpetual victim of circumstances and start feeling like you're in the driver's seat of your own life.

We talk about where that "things just happen to me" mindset comes from, the specific moments we each finally took the wheel back, and the small (sometimes tiny, sometimes boring) decisions that actually build a sense of control. We also share practical tools you can use this week, plus journaling prompts to help you figure out where you've been waiting for permission — and from whom.

This isn't about toxic positivity or pretending hard things aren't hard. It's about remembering that even in difficult seasons, you still get a vote in your own life.

In this episode:

• The difference between real hardship and the story we build on top of it
• Where a victim mindset actually comes from
• The moment each of us started acting instead of reacting
• Practical tools for taking back small, daily decisions
• Journaling prompts to help you find where you're outsourcing your choices

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

Summer planning episode - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gkk1WmosKjaDMJNS63ufu?si=0r3u4RFKQgavcZRiCIHw0A

Life Designer Journal - https://www.intelligentchange.com/collections/journals/products/life-designer-journal

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What is wellness, actually? This week we try to answer that — the difference between real wellness and the fads dressed up as it, the trends that have taken over everyone's feed, and (honestly) the things about this industry that drive us a little mad.

Then, the good stuff: the products, practices, and routines we are genuinely loving right now, no marketing spin required. And to close things out, a quick bit of advice from skincare legend Caroline Hirons - simple, no-nonsense, and exactly what you need if you're trying to cut through the noise.

In this episode:

• What is "real" wellness, and what's just a fad?
• The wellness trends everyone's talking about right now
• What actually annoys us about the wellness industry
• Our current favourite products & practices
• A quick word from Caroline Hirons on keeping skincare simple

Vik's faves:

• Yuka app
• Inde Wild hair oil
• Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial Cream
• Brick device

Alexa's faves:

• Five Minute Journal
• Naturium body lotion
• Cold brew tea from Rare Bird Blend

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Let's talk about money — the good, the stressful, and the stuff we don't usually say out loud. This week on Matcha Morning Club, we're getting into what money actually looks like in your 20s and 30s: corporate jobs vs irregular income, how social media quietly shapes what we think we should have, and why a friend's new house or wedding can hit harder than anything we see online.

We also get into the more anxious side of it — the moments control slips, whether you're a checker or an avoider, and what it actually feels like in your body to feel financially calm (spoiler: it's not about the number).

OUR FINANCE TIPS:
✓ Check your bank accounts regularly and actually know where your money goes
✓ Audit your subscriptions
✓ Print your statements and circle what you'd call waste
✓ Try a budgeting app to keep yourself accountable
✓ Meal plan — good for your body, good for your wallet
✓ Bookmark things you want to buy instead of impulse-buying; revisit before you decide
✓ Get rid of Klarna
✓ If you can't trust yourself with one, don't get a credit card
✓ If you're truly struggling, talk to a financial adviser

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
📖 You're Not Broke You're Pre-Rich by Emilie Bellet

FOLLOW MIA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miarose_mcgrath/
Website: https://www.miamcgrath.co.uk/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@miarosemcgrath

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We're getting honest about self care this week — what it actually means, why it's become so loaded, and how to build routines that genuinely work for your life. Real morning habits, evening wind-downs, doomscrolling confessions, and the underrated power of protecting your alone time.

Less aesthetic. More actual care.

Keywords: self care habits, morning routine, evening routine, self care for women, burnout recovery, saying no, alone time, self care tips 2026

MENTIONED EPISODES
Morning routine: https://open.spotify.com/episode/51XrStdEomIMCwgk1IzewS?si=7e108e73cc4d4c51
Evening routine: https://open.spotify.com/episode/067aipqzEJrgYdV09u13Tf?si=a100e7eb06264e0d

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@matchamorningclub

Fear of failure. Fear of success. What if you're dealing with both at the same time?

In this episode, we're diving into two of the most quietly damaging fears out there — and why they're more connected than you think. We talk procrastination, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and self-sabotage: the ways these fears show up in real life, not just in theory. Plus, we get into the stuff that actually helps — reframing failure, separating your worth from your outcomes, and the surprising power of just naming it out loud.

Whether you're someone who never starts or someone who stops right before the finish line — this episode is going to feel very familiar.

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Body image but make it honest! This week, we skip the toxic positivity and have the real conversation: beauty standards that are designed to keep moving, the comparison spiral social media creates, Viktoriia's school bullying experience, and why "I'll be happy when I lose weight" keeps you stuck.

Plus: practical tips that actually make sense - from auditing your feed to asking yourself whether you actually want the lifestyle behind the body goal!

Grab your favourite drink and let's figure this out 🍵

Podcast Alex mentioned:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MkYmS4UPhw0ysOtxtmmN1?si=QHH9uxGBTLS0DHjpBMeDYw

Our favourite no-bullshit fitness/health creator/PT out there:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelulloapt

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One of us wants children. The other is intentionally childfree. Today we're finally having the conversation properly - no judgment, just honesty.

We get into the financial reality of raising kids in the UK, what it really means to pause a career, the pressure (spoken and unspoken) that women still face around this question, and what a full life looks like on both sides of the decision.

Whatever you choose, or whatever chooses you - we just want women to feel like it's actually a choice.

DM us on Instagram and tell us where you stand. 💚

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What does manifestation actually mean — and does it really work? In this episode, we get honest about the thing everyone's talking about but nobody fully explains. We dig into Viktoriia's vision board practice, the book that reframed how she thinks about manifestation, and why the missing piece for most people isn't strategy — it's whether they genuinely believe they deserve what they're asking for.

We cover:
• Why manifestation isn't about wishing — it's about clarity, alignment, and action
• What vision boards actually do (and why the ritual matters)
• The gap between intention and doing the work
• Manifestation vs. goal setting — is there even a real difference?
• What to do when the things you wanted just… don't happen

Whether you're a sceptic, a true believer, or somewhere in between, this is the honest conversation about manifestation, the law of attraction, and mindset that we wish someone had with us sooner.

📖 Book mentioned: Make It Happen — Manifest the Life of Your Dreams

Alexa's gratitude journal: https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-five-minute-journal-ditsy-rose

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