You were taught to compete before you could spell your own name.
Graded. Ranked. Measured.
And now? You’re chasing gold stars in a race no one actually wins.

This episode pulls apart the lie that being “the best” will make you happy—and shows you why real confidence isn’t built on domination. It’s built on self-trust.
You don’t need to be better than her.
You need to be on your own damn side.

In this episode:

• Why comparison is a thief that wears ambition's clothes

• What Olympic medalists can teach us about joy

• The brain science behind real confidence

• How to opt out of the race and own your path

• You're not behind.
You're not broken.
You're just done playing someone else’s game.

Listen now.

Episode references:

• Bronze medalists display more happiness than silver due to counterfactual thinking. (University of Iowa, summarized in Time & Scientific American)

You’re not exhausted because you’re weak.
You’re exhausted because you’re trying to do it all alone.
This episode calls out the toxic myth of rugged individualism—and shows you how connection isn’t just emotional support. It’s survival.

We’ve glorified independence and turned burnout into a badge of honor. But the truth?
Even the strongest among us need backup.

In this episode:


• Why “doing it all” is a trap, not a flex


• The loneliness epidemic—and how it’s killing us


• How to ask for help without guilt or awkwardness


• What real community looks like (and how to build it)

Stop pretending strength means isolation.
You’re not a machine—you’re a human being.
And you were never meant to do life alone.

Listen now.

Episode references:

• Strong social relationships increase odds of survival by ~50%, similar to quitting smoking (PLOS Medicine)

• The 85-year Harvard Study of Adult Development found close relationships are the #1 predictor of happiness. (Harvard Gazette)

• Approximately 50% of U.S. adults report measurable loneliness, with young adults most affected. (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on Social Connection, 2023)

• We evolved in bands of ~100–150 people. (National Geographic)

• Simon Sinek & Trevor Noah on Friendship, Loneliness, Vulnerability, and More: https://youtu.be/CNBxIhxHHxM

You’re not wired to hate this many people.
You’re just stuck in a culture that profits when you do.
This episode is about breaking the cycle of outrage—online, at work, in your relationships—and choosing curiosity instead of judgment.

In this episode:


• Why your brain shuts down empathy under threat

• What judgment is really protecting you from
• How curiosity can calm your nervous system
• What real connection sounds like in everyday life

You don’t have to agree with everyone.
But you do have to stop treating everyone you don’t understand like the enemy.

Listen now.

Episode references:

• Judgment shuts down empathy. (UCLA study)

• The 85-year Harvard Study of Adult Development found close relationships are the #1 predictor of happiness. (Harvard Gazette)