Let’s be honest — most of us want to be liked. But when does wanting connection turn into bending, shrinking, and abandoning yourself?

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re talking about the deep-rooted need to be liked, where it comes from, and how it quietly shapes the way we show up in relationships, work, and everyday life.

We unpack how the desire for approval often gets mistaken for being “easygoing” or “low maintenance,” when in reality it can look like overexplaining, people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, and saying yes when you mean no.

We also share our own experiences with needing to be liked, how we’ve started challenging it, and what it looks like to choose authenticity over approval — even when it’s uncomfortable.

💬 In this episode:

• Why so many of us crave external validation
• How needing to be liked shows up day to day
• The connection between approval-seeking and self-abandonment
• How fear of being disliked keeps you stuck
• Ways to build self-trust and tolerate disapproval

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to stop performing for acceptance
• A clearer understanding of your approval-seeking patterns
• Tools to prioritize authenticity over likability
• A reminder that being yourself is more important than being liked

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us: where are you done trying to be liked?

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this episode, we’re sharing our opinions about overexplaining—why so many of us do it, where it comes from, and how it often shows up without us even realizing it.

We talk about how overexplaining can be rooted in people-pleasing, fear of being misunderstood, or feeling responsible for how others perceive us. We also explore how overexplaining shows up differently in friendships, family dynamics, work, and online spaces—and why it can be so hard to stop once it becomes a habit.

This conversation isn’t about shaming the instinct to explain yourself. It’s about understanding it, questioning when it’s actually necessary, and noticing how much energy it can take to constantly justify our choices, feelings, or boundaries.

As always, these are just our opinions—meant to open up reflection, not offer rigid rules.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What overexplaining actually looks like in everyday life
• Why so many of us feel the urge to justify ourselves
• The link between overexplaining, people-pleasing, and anxiety
• When explanation is helpful vs. when it’s unnecessary
• How overexplaining can drain energy and blur boundaries
• What it might look like to pause, say less, and trust yourself more

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation wishing you’d said less—or wondered why you felt the need to defend a perfectly reasonable choice—this episode will feel very familiar.

In this episode, we’re sharing our opinions about therapy—why we love it, how our perspectives on it have evolved over time, and why finding the right therapist can make all the difference.

We talk honestly about how therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, and how what you need from therapy can change across different seasons of life. From early expectations to deeper, more nuanced understanding, we reflect on how our relationship with therapy has grown and shifted over the years.

We also get into the process of finding your best-fit therapist—why it can take longer than you’d like, why that doesn’t mean therapy “isn’t working,” and why it’s worth staying open rather than giving up after one or two mismatches.

This conversation is encouraging, realistic, and grounded in respect for both the process and the people involved.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why we genuinely love therapy and believe in its value
• How our views on therapy have changed over time
• Common misconceptions about what therapy should look like
• Why finding the right therapist matters so much
• Why it’s okay (and normal) if the process takes longer than expected

Whether you’re therapy-curious, currently in therapy, or feeling discouraged by the process, this episode is a reminder that therapy is a relationship—and like any relationship, it takes time to find the right fit.

In this episode, we’re diving into our thoughts on pop culture—and how dramatically it’s changed from when we were growing up to now.

With constant access to information through social media, smartphones, and 24/7 commentary, pop culture feels closer, louder, and more personal than ever. We talk about how this level of access can blur boundaries, create a false sense of intimacy with celebrities, and shape the way we consume and react to public figures.

We also get into cancel culture—what we understand about it, where we think accountability matters, and why we struggle with the extremes of how it shows up today. This isn’t about defending harmful behavior, but about questioning whether the current culture of instant judgment leaves room for nuance, growth, or humanity.

This episode is opinion-based, reflective, and open-ended—meant to spark thought rather than provide definitive answers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How pop culture feels different now compared to when we were younger
• The impact of social media and constant access to information
• Why we feel “closer” to celebrities than ever before
• The psychology behind parasocial relationships
• Our mixed feelings about cancel culture and its extremes
• Where accountability, growth, and nuance get lost

As always, these are just our opinions—and we’re curious how others are thinking about these shifts too. Pop culture isn’t just entertainment anymore; it shapes how we relate, judge, and understand the world around us.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re talking about something that affects so many women — yet is still wildly misunderstood, minimized, or brushed off: perimenopause and women’s health.

We dive into how often perimenopause is dismissed as “just stress,” “just anxiety,” or “just getting older,” and how frustrating (and exhausting) it can be to advocate for yourself in a healthcare system that doesn’t always listen to women. We talk openly about the gaps in education, the lack of clear guidance, and how hard it can be to find providers who truly understand women’s hormonal health.

We also break down common signs, symptoms, and impacts of perimenopause — from mood changes and anxiety to sleep disruption, brain fog, energy shifts, and changes in the body — and why knowing what’s happening can be incredibly empowering.

This episode is about awareness, advocacy, and reminding women that what they’re experiencing is real, valid, and worthy of care.

💬 In this episode:

• Why perimenopause is so often minimized or misdiagnosed
• The emotional and physical toll of not being believed
• Common signs and symptoms of perimenopause
• How hormonal changes impact mood, energy, sleep, and mental health
• The challenges of navigating women’s healthcare
• Why education and self-advocacy matter

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Validation if you’ve been told “everything looks normal” but don’t feel okay
• Language to advocate for yourself in medical settings
• A clearer understanding of perimenopause and its impact
• Encouragement to trust your body and ask better questions
• A reminder that women’s health deserves more attention — not less

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and share your experiences with women’s health and perimenopause:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re unpacking people pleasing — what it actually is, why it’s so hard to let go of, and how it quietly impacts your mental health, relationships, and sense of self.

We talk about how people pleasing often gets mistaken for being kind, flexible, or “easygoing,” when in reality it’s rooted in fear, self-protection, and the need for approval. We break down what people pleasing really looks like day to day, the toll it takes over time, and why it keeps you disconnected from your own needs.

Most importantly, we talk about how to start challenging people pleasing — without swinging to the other extreme or feeling like you have to become someone you’re not. This is a compassionate, honest conversation about choosing authenticity over approval and learning to be okay with discomfort as you grow.

💬 In this episode:

• What people pleasing actually is (and what it isn’t)
• The emotional and relational cost of constantly accommodating others
• How people pleasing shows up in everyday decisions and conversations
• Why it’s so hard to stop — even when you’re aware of it
• Practical ways to challenge people pleasing patterns

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• A clearer understanding of your own people pleasing tendencies
• Permission to honor your needs without guilt
• Tools to practice boundaries and self-trust
• A reminder that being honest is not the same as being unkind

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us where you’re ready to stop people pleasing:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

It’s that time of year again — new calendars, big promises, and goals that sound good… but don’t always mean much.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re sharing our honest take on New Year’s resolutions — why so many of them feel arbitrary, rushed, or disconnected from real life, and why that’s exactly why they don’t stick.

We talk about the difference between setting goals out of pressure versus setting them with intention and awareness. If you’re going to create goals for the new year, they should actually matter to you — not just look good on January 1st.

We also dive into the myth that you have to wait for a new year (or a new week or a new Monday) to start, and why “failing” at a goal doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. Often, the answer isn’t quitting — it’s pivoting, adjusting, or scaling back so your goals fit your real life.

This episode is your permission slip to ditch the all-or-nothing mindset and approach growth in a way that’s sustainable, flexible, and meaningful.

💬 In this episode:

• Why most New Year’s resolutions don’t last
• The problem with setting goals without intention
• How to create goals that actually align with your values
• Why you don’t need a “fresh start” to begin
• What to do when a goal stops working
• The power of pivoting instead of quitting

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• A more realistic and grounded approach to goal-setting
• Permission to let go of arbitrary resolutions
• Tools to set intentions that evolve with you
• A reminder that progress isn’t linear — and that doesn’t mean you’re failing

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us: are you setting resolutions this year — or doing something different?

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

“Be the bigger person.” Sounds mature. Sounds evolved. Sounds… exhausting.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re unpacking why we actually don’t love the concept of being the bigger person — and how it often turns into code for swallowing your needs, silencing your truth, and keeping the peace at your own expense.

We talk about the pressure (especially on women) to stay calm, forgiving, and accommodating no matter what, and how that expectation can quietly lead to self-abandonment. We explore the difference between true emotional maturity and performative “niceness,” and why setting boundaries or speaking up doesn’t make you petty, dramatic, or immature.

This episode is part rant, part reframe, and a reminder that choosing yourself doesn’t mean you’re choosing conflict.

💬 In this episode:

• Why “being the bigger person” often benefits everyone but you
• How the concept can turn into people-pleasing in disguise
• The emotional cost of constantly putting yourself last
• The difference between growth and self-sacrifice
• When walking away is the mature choice

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to stop equating silence with strength
• Language to prioritize your needs without guilt
• A reframe of what emotional maturity actually looks like
• Validation that you don’t owe anyone your self-betrayal

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram — we want to know your hot take:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this week’s Girls With Opinions episode, we’re getting real about something every woman faces at some point: the version of you that emerges after life blindsides you.

We’re talking about identity shifts after hardship, heartbreak, grief, motherhood, career changes, health issues — the moments that force you to rebuild your sense of self in ways you didn’t expect (or ask for).

We share our own experiences with major life pivots, how adversity reshapes who you are, and the messy, nonlinear process of figuring yourself out again. This episode is honest, compassionate, vulnerable, and a reminder that losing yourself isn’t the end — it’s often the beginning of a version of you who’s braver, clearer, and more grounded than ever.

💬 In this episode:

• What it really looks like to lose your sense of self
• How adversity strips away old identities and forces new ones
• Why rediscovery feels exciting… and terrifying
• The pressure to “bounce back” vs. the reality of rebuilding
• The weird grief of outgrowing your old life
• Our personal stories of reinvention and finding ourselves again

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to evolve without apologizing
• A reminder that reconstruction is not failure — it’s transformation
• Insight into why you feel lost and why that feeling isn’t permanent
• Inspiration to reconnect with the parts of you that survived, softened, or strengthened after adversity
• Hope that who you’re becoming is someone worth meeting

📲 Come tell us about the version of you that emerged after your own plot twist:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this week’s episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re talking about something almost every woman knows all too well: guilt. Mom guilt, work guilt, partner guilt, friend guilt, self-care guilt — you name it, we’ve felt it.

We get into why guilt seems to show up everywhere, even when you’re doing your absolute best, and how society, expectations, and old conditioning convince us we’re “not enough” no matter what we do.

We also talk openly about mom guilt specifically — the pressure to be everything, do everything, and feel everything all at once — and how unrealistic expectations steal joy from motherhood (and womanhood). We share out own honest experiences, unpack where this guilt comes from, and break down how to tell the difference between true values-based guilt and the kind your brain just made up.

Of course, we add our signature GWO humor, honesty, and real-talk reminders that guilt doesn’t make you a better mom, partner, or human — awareness and intention do.

💬 In this episode:

• Why guilt is such a default emotion for women
• The difference between real guilt and “manufactured guilt”
• How mom guilt sneaks into even the smallest decisions
• Why guilt doesn’t equal love
• How childhood, culture, and pressure shape our guilt patterns
• Our personal stories (and rants) about guilt we’ve had to let go of

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to stop apologizing for being human
• A clearer lens on what guilt you should actually listen to
• Tools to shift from guilt-driven choices to values-driven choices
• A reminder that good moms (and good people) feel guilt because they care — not because they’re failing

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us the guilt you’re ready to drop:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit