Today's pep talk is for the Chick who's been feeling a little unsupported lately… and might be making it harder for people to actually show up for her.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Weekly Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you show up with more courage, clarity, and connection in all areas of your life.

Here's what I see all the time with strong, capable women...You're not asking for too much. You're barely asking at all.

• You tell people you're "fine."
• You keep it vague.
• You give the watered-down version of what you're carrying.
• And then you feel hurt when no one shows up the way you hoped.

But people can't support what they can't see. And most people would rather do nothing than guess wrong. On the surface, vagueness feels mature. Underneath, it's a sneaky way of staying alone in it.

So, here's the one move you can do today to get more support: Stop hinting. Start naming.

A hint is: "I'm stressed." Naming it looks like: "Can you check in with me tomorrow afternoon? I could use a steady voice."

A hint is: "We should get together sometime." Naming it looks like: "Can we lock in a coffee this week? I miss you."

A hint is: "This is a lot." Naming it looks like: "Can I talk for five minutes? I don't need advice, I just need you to listen."

Question to ponder: Where have you been vague about what you need… and then quietly disappointed when people didn't magically know?

Tiny action: Pick one person you trust. Send one clear sentence today:

• "Do you have ten minutes? I need to say something out loud."

• "Can you check in with me on Friday? I could use a steady voice."

• "Can I borrow your brain on this decision? I'm stuck."

• "I don't need a solution — I just need you close."

Remember: You're not being "too much." You're being clear. And clarity is kindness to the people who want to show up for you.

Want more short pep talks like this delivered every Monday? Sign up for the Weekly Pep Talk Series at https://ericacastner.com/peptalk, and if you ever decide it's not for you, you can unsubscribe anytime.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who keeps telling herself "maybe next time" about the things she actually wants.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

You see something and your whole body lights up for a second:

• A workshop.
• A networking event.
• A program.
• A trip.
• A conversation you've been wanting to have.

For a moment, you think, "This is it. This is exactly what I need." Then your brain kicks in and says things like:

• "This month is too busy."
• "Money is tight."
• "I wouldn't be able to show up the way I should."
• "I'll catch it next time… when things calm down."

On the surface, it sounds responsible. Underneath, it's a very sneaky way of keeping yourself in the same place.

"Maybe next time" feels gentle. But stack enough "next times" together and what you really have is: "Not this year." "Not for me." "Not now… again."

Here's the truth: The things you say "maybe next time" to are often the very things that would help you become the woman you keep saying you want to be.

You are not flaky. You are not incapable. You're just used to giving firm yeses to everyone else's needs… and soft maybes to your own.

Question to ponder: What is one thing you've been saying "maybe next time" to that you would genuinely regret not doing a year from now?

Tiny action: Name that thing. Then, today...not next week, take one concrete step toward it:

Pay the deposit. RSVP yes. Send the message. Block the time on your calendar. Fill out the form.

Don't overhaul your life. Just move it out of "maybe someday" and into "I've already started."

Take this a step further: If one of the things you've been quietly putting in the "maybe next time" pile is getting clear on what you want your next year to look like, that's exactly what we're doing inside HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll map out a simple, honest plan for your next 12 months so it's easier to give yourself a real yes instead of another "later."

Head on over to ericacastner.com/hypeyear for more details. You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who's mad at others, at herself, or just at how things have gone...and doesn't know what to do with it.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

Anger is not a character flaw; it is information. And, it is your body's way of saying, "Something here does not line up with my values, my needs, or what I was promised."

The problem is not that you feel anger. The problem is what you do when you either stuff it down or let it explode. Both of those leave you feeling out of control.

What if anger were simply a spotlight, showing you where a boundary, a change, or a conversation is needed?

Question to ponder: If your anger could talk calmly, what boundary would it ask you to create or protect right now?

Tiny action: Write one sentence that starts with, "My anger is trying to protect me from…" and finish the sentence honestly. You do not have to send it to anyone. Just get it out of your head and onto paper.

If you're tired of swallowing your anger or exploding with it, and you want to turn it into clear boundaries instead, join us for HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll use simple reflection questions to turn that anger into decisions about what changes next year.

Check out the link in the show notes or head on over to ericacastner.com/hypeyear for more details. You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who keeps waiting to "feel confident" before she moves.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

You do not actually have a "confidence problem." You have a "receipts problem." Confidence is not a personality trait you either have or do not. It is built by taking actions, collecting evidence, and realizing, "Oh. I can do this."

Right now, you may be looking at every place you fell short and treating it as proof that you are not ready. But for every moment you doubted yourself, there is also a moment you showed up, figured it out, or tried again.

Question to ponder: If you only judged yourself by the times you got back up, what would you see in yourself?

Tiny action: Make a short list of three moments you did something hard or uncomfortable and got through it. Keep that list in your phone. That is your confidence evidence file. Look at it before you take your next brave step.

Take this a step further: If you're done waiting to "feel confident" before you move, come join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll break your goals into small, brave steps so you can start collecting real evidence that you can do hard things.

Join us by registering here!

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who's exhausted from carrying everyone else's problems like they're her own.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

Here is a hard truth: Not everything people hand you belongs to you. Sometimes their criticism is about their fears. Their lack of support is about their own limitations. Their drama is about their unhealed stuff, not your worth.

When someone projects their insecurity onto you, it can feel tempting to fix, smooth, explain, or carry it. But you are allowed to mentally say, "This is not mine," and put it down.

Question to ponder: Whose story have you been carrying as if it were your own truth?

Tiny action: Visualize writing that person's name and "their issue" on a sticky note and placing it outside of your front door. You are not responsible for solving it. Notice how your body feels when you imagine stepping back inside without it.

Take this a step further: If your goal is to let go of other people's problems and projections, join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll map out the environments and relationships that fuel you and identify the ones you need more distance from in the year ahead.

Join us by registering here!

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who edits herself in real time based on what she imagines other people might think.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

If you have ever edited yourself in real time because you imagined what someone might think, you are not alone. Caring what others think is human. You are wired for connection and belonging. The goal is not to stop caring altogether; the goal is to stop letting imagined opinions pilot your life.

Someone will always have an opinion. About your clothes. Your business. Your relationship. Your ambitions. But at the end of the day, the only person who has to live with the consequences of your choices is you. Their opinions are commentary. Your decisions are your legacy.

Question to ponder: If you trusted your own opinion of yourself more than anyone else's, what would you do differently in the next 30 days?

Tiny action: Choose one small thing today that feels authentic to you, even if you imagine someone may raise an eyebrow. Wear the outfit, share the post, ask the question, pitch the idea. Then notice: did the world actually end, or did you get a little freer?

Take this a step further: If you're tired of letting other people's opinions drive your decisions, join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. You'll get space to define what you want your year to be about, so you're not building your life around their commentary.

Join us by registering here!

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who says yes before she even has time to think.

Welcome back to Being Relatable. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

You have built a life on being dependable. You say yes because you care. You say yes because you can. You say yes because you do not want to disappoint anyone.

But every time you say yes to something that is not aligned, you automatically say no to something that is. Your time, your energy, your attention...sadly, they are not unlimited. And, a powerful life is not built on perfect yeses! It is built on honest ones.

Question to ponder before you say "yes" to someone else: If your yes really meant something sacred this year, what would you need to start saying no to?

One tiny action step to take: Practice one simple sentence this week: "I need to think about that, and I will get back to you." Give yourself at least a few hours before committing. Even that tiny pause is you reclaiming your power to choose.

Take this a step further: If you want your yes to actually mean something and not come from guilt or pressure, join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll create a "no more" list together so your calendar reflects what really matters to you.

Join us by registering here!

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who feels wiped out after every interaction with certain people.

Welcome back to the Being Relatable Podcast. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

Some people walk into a room and dim the lights. Their words, their mood, their constant complaining, and it all feels heavy.

You may have been trained to absorb that negativity, to be the buffer, the fixer, the one who keeps the peace. But you are allowed to protect your energy without having to tolerate other people's negativity. You can be kind and still have limits. And, you absolutely can be compassionate and still choose distance.

Question to ponder to protect your energy from other people's negativity: Which relationships or environments consistently leave you feeling drained instead of energized?

One tiny action step to take: Create one small boundary with negativity this week. It might sound like, "I care about you, but I cannot talk about this in this way right now," or it might look like leaving a conversation earlier, or taking longer to respond to a chronic complainer.

Take this a step further: If your goal is to protect your energy from other people's constant negativity, join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll map out the environments and relationships that fuel you and identify the ones you need more distance from in the year ahead.

Join us by registering here!

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

Today's pep talk is for the Chick who is tired of making everyone else's emergencies her own.

Welcome back to the Being Relatable Podcast. This is part of my Hype Yourself Up Pep Talk Series, where I'm helping you let go of what you are not taking into 2026 and step into a HYPE worthy year.

If you are the person who always jumps when someone texts "call me," this one is for you.

You have a big heart. You care deeply. You are often the first person people run to when something blows up in their world. And somewhere along the line, you started believing that if you were not available 24/7, you were a bad friend, bad partner, bad human.

But here's the truth: You are not everyone's emergency response team. You are a human being with limits, dreams, and a nervous system that deserves relief. Their urgency does not automatically equal your obligation. You can support someone without sacrificing yourself. You can care without carrying other people's BS.

Question to ponder to stop making everyone else's emergencies your own: If you believed that your peace mattered just as much as their problem, what would you handle differently this week?

One tiny action step to take right now: Today, choose one incoming request to pause before responding. Take three deep breaths, check your calendar, check in with your energy, and then decide: yes, no, or "I can help, but here's when."

Take this a step further: If your goal is to stop making everyone else's emergencies your own and you want more courage to hold that line, join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp. We'll walk through a simple exercise to decide what truly gets your energy next year and what doesn't. Join us by registering here >> ericacastner.com/hypeyear

You owe it to yourself to have a life, career, and relationships that hype you up, and I'm here to cheer you on every step of the way. Join us for the HYPE Worthy Year Bootcamp.

You've probably been told that if you want to grow professionally, you have to "get out there"—attend big networking events, pass out business cards, and work the room like it's your full-time job.

But what if that advice is working against your natural strengths?

If large crowds drain you, small talk bores you, and the idea of "selling yourself" makes you cringe… this episode is going to change the game. In this episode of Being Relatable, we're flipping the script on traditional networking and showing you why your one-on-one communication style isn't a liability, it's a superpower.

Whether you identify as introverted, thoughtful, or just someone who prefers real conversations over surface-level chatter, this one's for you.

• Why introversion is often misunderstood—and how that misunderstanding holds smart women back

• How one-on-one conversations build deeper trust than working a room ever could

• The real difference between being shy and being intentional

• How to turn your natural curiosity into a visibility advantage

• Simple shifts to make every interaction more meaningful (and more memorable)

Pick one upcoming opportunity—coffee chat, Zoom call, or even a DM—and ask yourself:

• Am I showing up in a way that feels aligned with my strengths?

• What kind of connection would feel genuine here, not just strategic?

• How can I leave this person feeling seen, valued, and curious to keep the conversation going?

"Introversion doesn't mean you're shy—it means you recharge differently. That's a strength." "People don't remember how many people you met—they remember how you made them feel." "Everything you want is on the other side of a conversation."

LINKS & RESOURCES → Follow the Being Relatable Podcast – Apple Podcasts | Spotify → Know someone who's great one-on-one but hates traditional networking? Send this episode their way. → Want more support showing up your way, not the loud way? Start by taking the Authentic Visibility Style Quiz

RATE + REVIEW If this episode gave you a new perspective, leave a review wherever you listen to Being Relatable. It helps the show reach more women who want to build influence without pretending to be extroverted.

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