Why is it that the moment the world gets quiet, your mind gets loud?

Why do the hardest thoughts, the old memories, the fears, and the “what ifs” all seem to wait until you finally lie down to rest?

If you’ve ever felt exhausted but somehow still wide awake — this episode is going to feel like someone finally turned the lights on inside your experience.

In this deeply personal and eye-opening conversation, Jesse shares his own journey with sleepless nights — the racing thoughts, the tension that wouldn’t loosen, the nights where lying in bed felt anything but safe. He’s then joined by psychologist Dr. Liz Ross, Ph.D., owner of The Coping Resource Center in Houston, Texas, who breaks down what’s really happening behind the scenes when sleep stops working.

Together, they explore:

✨ Why the body can be tired but the brain refuses to turn off
✨ How anxiety, trauma, and hypervigilance show up at night
✨ Why nighttime becomes emotionally “loud” for so many people
✨ The real reason scrolling, numbing, or staying up late feel easier than trying to rest
✨ How your upbringing, identity, and nervous system shape your relationship with sleep
✨ What your restless nights might actually be trying to communicate
✨ Compassionate, realistic tools — not perfection, not aesthetics — that help the body feel safe enough to rest

This episode goes far beyond sleep hygiene.
It speaks to the person lying in bed with a tight chest.
The person who feels wired at midnight.
The person who dreads the quiet.
The person who thinks something is “wrong” with them.

It’s validation.
It’s clarity.
It’s a new understanding of your body’s attempts to protect you — even when those attempts keep you awake.

If you’ve been carrying a lot, if you’ve been pushing through your days and unraveling at night, if sleep has become confusing, unpredictable, or emotional… this conversation may be the reframe you’ve needed.

Real rest begins with understanding — and that’s exactly what this episode offers.

If you’ve ever kept yourself busy to avoid slowing down…

If stillness makes you anxious instead of calm…

If you’ve relied on work, scrolling, productivity, or even substances to take the edge off…

This episode is going to resonate deeply.

In this conversation with Paige Abbott, a Registered Psychologist and practice owner of Sana Psychological, we explore why many high-performing individuals struggle to acknowledge their emotions — and why slowing down can feel unsafe, overwhelming, or uncomfortable.

We talk about:

• Emotional numbness and why it shows up

• Busy schedules as a coping strategy

• How addiction often grows from avoidance, not “weakness”

• What happens when the body protects us by shutting down feelings

• Why stillness can activate the nervous system

• Boundaries that support emotional regulation

• How to begin reconnecting with yourself in small, doable ways

Paige brings nearly two decades of experience working with addiction, avoidance, and emotional processing — and her insights will help you see your coping patterns with more compassion and clarity.

If you’ve been moving fast for too long…

If you feel disconnected from yourself…

Or if you’re tired of holding everything together…

This episode is your invitation to pause, breathe, and feel again. 🤍

This episode is for the helpers — the teachers, caregivers, therapists, support staff, medical workers, social workers, and all of us who hold space for others every single day.

We talk a lot about caring for people… but we don’t often talk about the weight that comes with caring.

The emotional labor.

The quiet exhaustion.

The pressure to stay “strong,” steady, and supportive — even when we’re struggling ourselves.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Morgan, Special Education teacher, ABA graduate student, and founder of She Shapes Behavior, to explore what it really means to care deeply while still protecting your own energy.

We discuss:

• Compassion fatigue and the emotional toll of helping

• Why “being the strong one” feels so heavy

• The guilt that can show up when we try to set boundaries

• How to support others without disappearing in the process

• What sustainable, grounded care looks and feels like

If you’ve ever felt tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix — this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

You are not alone. And your care matters — including the care you give to yourself.

We’ve all heard the voice that whispers:

“Who am I to be doing this?”

“What if I’m not good enough?”

“What if I mess up?”

In today’s episode, we’re talking honestly about perfectionism and imposter syndrome — the pressure to perform, to sound confident, to always have it together… even when we don’t.

I’ll share my own story of navigating these feelings while building The Sync’d Self, and how I learned to keep showing up — not because I had everything figured out, but because I didn’t.

We’ll unpack:

• Why your brain creates self-doubt (yes, there’s real psychology behind it 🌱)

• How “perfect” becomes the enemy of progress

• The micro-shifts that help you show up even when you’re unsure

• And how to start relating to yourself with more compassion

This one is for anyone who’s ever held themselves back because they didn’t feel ready, prepared, or “qualified enough.”

You don’t need to be perfect to make an impact.

You just need to show up — as you are — today.

Tune in, sync up, and thrive. ✨

Big dreams don’t start with giant leaps — they start with small, intentional steps.

In this milestone 10th episode of The Sync’d Self, host Jesse Quijada explores how micro-goals can help you beat procrastination, rewire your brain for progress, and turn small actions into unstoppable momentum.

Drawing on research from Harvard, Stanford, and leading psychologists, Jesse breaks down why our brains resist big goals, how dopamine drives motivation, and why celebrating small wins builds lasting confidence.

Whether you’re tackling burnout, rebuilding a habit, or just trying to move forward, this episode will remind you:

🌱 Progress isn’t about perfection — it’s about rhythm, repetition, and reward.

🎙 Tune in, sync up, and take your first small step toward big momentum.

#TheSyncdSelf #MomentumMindset #MicroGoals #WellnessJourney #MindBodyHustle

Our world is louder than ever — buzzing phones, glowing screens, endless notifications. We tell ourselves we’re staying connected, but deep down, many of us feel more distracted, drained, and distant than before.

In this episode of The Sync’d Self, Jesse dives into the unseen impact of our “always on” culture — from decision fatigue and dopamine loops to how blue light and constant scrolling quietly steal our rest and attention. But this isn’t about going off the grid — it’s about finding rhythm again.

Through practical, science-backed micro-habits, Jesse shares how to reclaim your energy, focus, and sense of calm — without giving up your digital life. Because balance isn’t found by unplugging from the world, it’s seen by syncing back with yourself.

🌿 Tune in. Sync up. Thrive.

Ever catch yourself saying “yes” when every part of you wanted to say “no”? 😬
You’re not alone — and it’s time to change that.

In this episode, we’re redefining what boundaries really are — not walls that shut people out, but breathing spaces that help you protect your energy and live with more calm, clarity, and confidence.

💭 Backed by science and grounded in real-life experience, Jesse breaks down how flexible, compassionate boundaries can boost focus, reduce burnout, and actually rewire your brain for peace of mind.

✨ You’ll learn:
• Why guilt isn’t a bad sign — it’s proof you’re growing 🌱
• The neuroscience of self-regulation (and how it shapes your calm) 🧠
• 3 micro-habits to protect your energy without apology
• How to stop over-committing and start honoring your limits — with kindness

It’s not about saying “no” to others — it’s about saying “yes” to yourself.
Take a deep breath, tune in, and let’s learn how to set boundaries that breathe. 💛

🔥Exhausted but can’t seem to recover? You’re not just tired — you might be burned out.

In this powerful episode of The Sync’d Self, I sit down with Dr. Angelova, a Consult-Liaison Psychiatrist who specializes in physician wellness, trauma, and the connection between medical and mental health. Together, we unpack what burnout really is, how it sneaks up on you, and why sleep or vacation days often aren’t enough to fix it.

I also share my own story of hitting burnout during the pandemic — and how a climb up a volcano in Guatemala taught me the truth about recovery: it’s not about quick fixes, it’s about rhythm, awareness, and step-by-step progress.

💡 In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The difference between being tired and being truly burned out

• Why burnout disrupts your natural energy cycles

• Hidden ways burnout affects your health, focus, and relationships

• Small, realistic steps to break the cycle and start recharging today

👉 Burnout isn’t the end — it’s a signal. Tune in to learn how to listen to it, reset, and take back your energy.