happy 2026 lovelies! 💕 this week, we're gonna talk about adult friendships and how sometimes, the real test of friendships lies in the way we deal with different seasons of life.

Substack article mentioned:

On Adult Friendships and Diverging Timelines

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Mia's Substacks @unloadingthoughts

Between the Covers is back on another friday, this time in video!! (hands still sweating at the thought of this 🥹). how often do we actually take time to be curious about our loved ones? in this episode, we're dissecting the lost art of conversation (i.e., asking questions), curiosity as the deepest form of intimacy, and how to become a better villager.

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Resources mentioned:

• why boredom might be the most underrated skills
• we're not bored anymore and we should be
• interview with relationship expert Jillian Tuckery
• interview with Simon Sinek
• the archaeology of intimacy

Chapters

00:00 intro + yap

03:15 the lost art of conversations

05:25 we're curious about strangers more than our loved ones

06:40 to be interesting, you have to be interested

09:00 we're not bored anymore, and that's on the internet

13:03 boredom is the basis of creativity

14:50 curiosity is an underrated intimacy skill

18:00 each conversation has a 'main recipient'

19:12 stress makes you a bad listener

22:18 the comfort of silence in relationships

25:00 the sign to let go is when they no longer want to understand

26:18 how to become a better villager

27:23 let's bring back inconvenience in friendship

30:33 outro

Perhaps, the true currency of a personal brand is authenticity. A label might get you impressions and trust initially, but it’s ultimately verifiable. Authenticity holds real value. It’s what keeps people relevant long after the trend has faded.

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Resources mentioned:

authenticity is too expensive

the lost art of authenticity

Have A Sip: Cuộc Sống Là Một Chuỗi Những Bài Kiểm Tra | Dương Ngọc Trinh

How To Build A Personal Brand Before It's Too Late ft Chris Do

Chapters:

00:00 intro + episode premise

02:25 recent online discourse around influencers in Vietnam

05:26 wtf is authenticity?

07:53 to be authentic is to look shame dead in the eye

11:00 building a personal brand means coming back to the source

13:45 internet persona + social media niches

15:25 the downside of being a lifestyle influencer

17:25 does being authentic mean oversharing?

20:10 the real currency of a personal brand

Fear is the antithesis to curiousity. Sometimes, to grow is to decide to 'just ship it', and to become something is to act like we are that thing.

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Resources mentioned:

• What Is Imposter Syndrome
• Imposter Syndrome As Defined By Dr Gabor Maté
• Where Does Imposter Syndrome Come From & Why It Matters
• Imposter Syndrome Is The Price of Showing Up
• David Larbi, Mindful Moments Podcast Episode 58
• James Clear, Atomic Habits
• Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way Of Being

Bravata, D.M., Watts, S.A., Keefer, A.L. et al. Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review. J GEN INTERN MED 35, 1252–1275 (2020).

Thomas M, Bigatti S. Perfectionism, impostor phenomenon, and mental health in medicine: a literature review. Int J Med Educ. 2020 Sep 28;11:201-213.

Chapters:

00:00 intro + episode premise

03:50 what is imposter syndrome, actually?

07:33 causes & influnces

08:55 does imposter syndrome come from parenting styles?

10:45 imposter syndrome in my childhood

14:04 the fear of rejection cause you to reject yourself

16:35 'just ship' mantra

17:30 let your ideas come into contact with reality

20:55 create while feeling self-conscious

22:23 the process of becoming

#impostersyndrome #selfexpression #creativity

with the rise of anti hopeless romantics, pathologizing and misdiagnosing relationship behaviors, and the endless choices of love prospects, how and is it even possible to be a hopeful romantic?

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Chapters:

00:00 intro + episode's premise

00:55 my (not so convincing) attempt at film review

03:07 are we a geneneration of cynical romantics?

04:40 the trajectory of hopeless romantics

07:20 pathologizing relationship behaviors

10:20 why are we all looking for love?

12:50 a very tmi invitation into my intrusive thoughts

15:23 if love is so temporary, then what' the point?

19:16 what does 'hopeful romantic' even mean?

References:

Watch This If You're Ready to Rethink Romantic Relationships

Deciphering my extremely honest and blunt notes on love and heartbreak 🖤

Love Without Evidence

Love Is Not Enough

Hopeful Romantics

maybe creativity is not about being seen, but about seeing yourself better.

episode's inspo & references:

how to fall down a rabbit hole & reconnect to creativitiy

research as a leisure activity

a space within me that longs to be met where I am

in defense of pretension

on attention capitalism

tags: #research #creativity #burnout #productivity #digitalage #attentioncapitalism #internetpersonality

Sometimes loneliness can signal a disconnection from oneself. Inspired by ‘Bất Hạnh là Một Tài Sản: Một Mình ở Châu Âu’, I wanted to talk about (female) loneliness, the paradox of solitude and connection, and how solitude can be romanticized and embraced.

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🔗 Notes on Coming Back to Your Self

Chapters

00:00 introduction + catchup

06:05 i was an only child for 10 years

08:00 finding comfort in solo time

11:07 the nature of loneliness

12:30 loneliness in the digital age

14:30 the paradox of solitude and connection

16:00 women feel less lonely than men

21:35 is there any antidote for loneliness?

26:00 finding connection within

27:00 takeaways + conclusion

keywords

loneliness, solitude, self-connection, emotional health, societal perceptions, gender differences, coping strategies, self-love, personal experiences, mental health

part two of essays in love is out! in this episode, we discussed intuition vs. anxiety, how much is too much expectation in the relationship, attachment styles and how the truth we hear all the time is often the truth we learn the hard way.

• 6 core human needs: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/blog/do-you-need-to-feel-significant?srsltid=AfmBOoqlHhZe2Itx0jxpDUykdTxgJuFCl7DFTBOmc4VzkccJthq18xqJ
• 5 love language quiz: https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language

follow Between The Covers on Spotify, Apple Podcast and on Instagram at @louvre.sentiment to get notified on new episodes!

happy valentine's day :)

on the first part of this conversation, we discuss love in all of its nuances childhood crushes, unrequited love, the role of self-esteem in the area of romance, toxic situationships, artificial intimacy.

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to follow Between The Covers on Spotify, Apple Podcast and Instagram at @louvre.sentiment to catch future episodes!

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(00:00) intro + catch up

(02:00) confession booth

(04:44) special announcement

(05:50) title explained

(07:33) rejection in love

(10:07) the role of self-esteem in dating

(13:10) our parents are our first teachers of love

(15:20) from friends to lovers

(17:01) romance can ruin your relationship

(19:38) the peer pressure of dating

(22:00) relationships are mirrors to the self

(23:05) boundaries means self-respect

(25:40) essays in love

(29:00) narcissistic people

(32:56) closing

HAPPY 2025!! 🥳

We’re back for the new year after a smol hiatus during the festive season 👉🏻👈🏻 This episode is not inspired by any covers besides the life lessons and hard truths that have taken us here. 2025 might *not* be our year but at least we’ve got the wisdom that will equip us through life’s twists and turns for years to come.

What are the life lessons you are taking into the new year? 👇🏻

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to give us a big rating ⭐️ and follow Between The Covers on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Instagram at @louvre.sentiment to catch future episodes!

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chapters:

(00:00) preview

(00:46) intro + catch up

(07:50) #1 befriend uncertainty

(13:30) #2 master the self before anything else

(21:07) #3 mistakes are windows to growth

(23:17) #4 deep rest doesn’t make you slow

(27:00) #5 make yourself significant