A deeply personal exploration of eldest daughter syndrome—the invisible load that comes with being the responsible one, the second mom, the example. If you're an eldest daughter who learned that being helpful mattered more than being carefree, this episode is for you. We explore how love and responsibility got tangled up early on, the connection to anxiety and depression, and the path toward healing while honoring both the gifts and the weight of this role.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why eldest daughters are more likely to struggle with anxiety and high-functioning perfectionism
• The research behind birth order, gender, and anxiety rates
• The "wolf pack metaphor" and why eldest daughters often walk in front, taking the hits
• How nervous system regulation creates space to hold both/and truths about your childhood
• Practical steps for healing over-responsibility and self-abandonment patterns

3 Takeaways:

1. The Eldest Daughter to High-Functioning Anxiety Pipeline is Real: Research shows firstborns with siblings are 48% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety.
2. You Can Love Your Role AND Grieve the Cost: It's not either/or—you can have had good parents AND experienced unintentional hurt. You can cherish being the big sister AND be healing from the weight of it. When your nervous system settles, you gain the capacity to hold both truths without one invalidating the other.
3. Healing Requires Reclaiming Play and Rest: Far too early, many eldest daughters stopped playing and started managing. Healing means experimenting with "good enough," letting things go undone, and proving to your nervous system that rest and play are survivable—not frivolous.

Practical Steps for Healing:

1. Name the pattern out loud: "I learned to be hyper-responsible and that my worth comes from what I do"
2. Practice both/and thinking rather than either/or
3. Learn to regulate your nervous system to access nuance and self-compassion
4. Experiment with asking for help in low-stakes situations // Ask yourself: "What would 'good enough' look like today?"
5. Play 1% more, rest 1% more
6. If you have kids, model that responsibility doesn't mean carrying everything alone

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

In the final episode, Amanda tackles the most empowering part of the equation: the “Underestimation of Ability.” Discover the science behind why we forget our own capacity and resources in the exact moments we need it most and learn how to actively reconnect with your deep well of resilience.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why anxiety makes you shrink and feel like a younger, less powerful version of yourself.
• That stress hormones can temporarily block your access to memories of past successes
• How to recognize your everyday actions as powerful evidence of your capability.
• The game-changing mindset shift from asking "What if?" to knowing "Even if..."

Tools to Reconnect With Your Ability:

1. Evidence Gathering: Make a list of hard things you’ve already survived. Your track record is proof of your strength.
2. The Resource Reality Check: Actively list your resources—skills, knowledge, and especially the people you can turn to for co-regulation and support.
3. The "Good Enough" Reminder: Ask, "What would handling this 'good enough' look like?" This frees you from the paralysis of perfectionism.

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Welcome to part two of our series! Today, Amanda’s diving into the first half of the anxiety equation: the “Overestimation of Threat.” Learn why your brain is wired to assume the worst-case scenario and discover three practical tools to help your nervous system calibrate to the actual level of danger, not just the perceived one.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why your brain’s “negativity bias” is a survival skill that’s poorly adapted for modern life
• How childhood experiences can turn your internal alarm system up to the highest setting
• The connection between your nervous system state and the stories you tell yourself about what’s happening

Tools to "Right-Size" the Threat:

1. The Reality Check Question: "What do I actually know to be true right now?"
2. The Percentage Game: "If I had to bet money, what's the real percentage chance of the worst-case scenario happening?"
3. The Friend Filter: "What would I tell my best friend if they came to me with this exact situation?"

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise