This is the people-pleasing wake-up call that shows you exactly what saying yes is actually costing you. The moment when you stop thinking "just because I don't have plans doesn't mean I'm available" is just a nice idea and start understanding the real personal, professional, and emotional prices you pay when you can't say no.

Here's what nobody talks about when it comes to people pleasing:

1. The personal cost: time bankruptcy, physical exhaustion, and identity dilution from constantly prioritizing others
2. The professional cost: diminished work quality, reputation damage, and career stagnation from overcommitment
3. The emotional cost: resentment, validation addiction, and the depression that comes from living in an authenticity gap
4. Why saying no to others is actually saying yes to yourself and your priorities
5. Practical strategies: the pause technique, value alignment checks, and graceful ways to say no
6. How to reframe boundaries as necessary, not selfish

From the client whose people-pleasing contributed to depressive episodes to women who become their boyfriend's manager instead of pursuing their own careers, this episode exposes the hidden costs that no one talks about.

Because here's the truth: every time you betray yourself by saying yes when you want to say no, you're not just giving away time - you're giving away pieces of your life.

No is a complete sentence, but yes to yourself is a complete life.

🎧 Related Episode: Why Your Friend Group is Shrinking: The Burnout and Relationship Connection - Here's what nobody talks about when it comes to burnout - it's why your relationships suffer too. Three strategies for staying connected when you're barely surviving. 

Subscribe. Share. Remember that boundaries aren't selfish - they're necessary for sustainable relationships.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! 🌱

Join the conversation! What's the hidden cost of saying yes that you've experienced? DM me your stories on Instagram @YourCoachMari

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This is the self-love reality check for anyone who thinks it's "cliche" to talk about. The moment when you stop believing that harsh self-criticism equals motivation and start understanding why loving yourself is actually the hardest work you'll ever do. In this episode, I break down exactly why self-love feels impossible and give you practical tools to build self-compassion from the ground up.

We're getting real about:

1. Why cultural conditioning taught us that being hard on ourselves equals progress
2. How our brains are literally wired for negativity after years of self-criticism
3. The perfectionism trap that makes you believe worthiness must be earned through achievement
4. Why comparison culture and fear of complacency keep you stuck in self-attack mode
5. The discomfort with positive feelings that makes you push away joy
6. My practical strategies: self-compassion pause, reframing techniques, boundary setting, and mindfulness practices
7. How to implement these tools into morning and evening routines that actually stick

From writing affirmations on bathroom mirrors to asking "would I let someone talk to my friend this way?" - this episode covers the daily practices that slowly rewire decades of negative self-talk.

Because here's the truth: if you've been practicing negativity for years, your brain has gotten really good at it. But you can train it to be just as good at self-compassion.

Self-love isn't selfish - it's necessary.

Subscribe. Share. Challenge yourself to respond to your inner critic like you would defend a friend. You deserve that protection too.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! How has your inner critic been showing up lately? DM me your experiences on Instagram @YourCoachMari.

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This is the burnout reality check that explains why your relationships are suffering. The moment when you stop wondering why you can't show up for friends and start understanding how exhaustion actually works. In this episode, I break down the real connection between burnout and relationship breakdown - plus three practical ways to maintain connections when you're running on empty.

We're getting real about:

• Why burnout isn't just work stress (it's parenting, activism, economic hardship, and political chaos too)
• The signs you're burned out: exhaustion, irritability, apathy, and hopelessness
• How we're one system - you can't leave work stress at work
• Why your friend group keeps shrinking (hint: it might be burnout)
• The "three business months" response time we all joke about but actually experience
• How relationships provide the support, joy, and levity you desperately need right now
• And my three effective strategies for maintaining connections when you barely have energy to survive

I share my own burnout story from last year - how a minor podcast issue had me in tears because I was so maxed out, and share practical ways relationships actually support recovery - from emotional support to community financial help.

This isn't about forcing yourself to be social when you're depleted. This is about strategic connection that actually helps your recovery instead of draining you further.

Connection is the antidote to burnout.

Subscribe. Share. Show up for your people even when you don't feel like it. They need you and you need them.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! How has burnout affected your relationships? DM me your experiences on Instagram @YourCoachMari.

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→ Schedule your discovery call

→ 1:1 Life Coaching Coaching

→ The Transformation Program

→ The Evolution Program

This is the judgment-free midyear check-in you actually need. The moment when you stop beating yourself up about unmet goals and start making strategic moves for the rest of 2025. In this episode, I break down exactly how to assess your progress without the judgment and give you permission to pivot like the evolved human you are.

We're covering all the good stuff:

1. The judgment-free goal assessment that actually helps (no shame, just facts)
2. Why I'm 40% through my reading goal when we're 50% through the year (and why that's actually fine)
3. How to identify your real roadblocks vs the stories you tell yourself
4. The sunk cost fallacy trap that keeps you stuck in goals that no longer serve you
5. Why some goals deserve to be dropped and others just need better strategies
6. The art of recalibrating timelines without calling yourself a failure
7. And the radical permission to let priorities shift as you grow

This isn't about forcing yourself to stick with January's version of success. This is about honoring where you are now, working with your reality instead of against it, and making the second half of 2025 actually work for you.

Your goals should evolve as you do. Full stop.

Subscribe. Share. Give yourself permission to pivot. Growth isn't linear.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! 🌱

Join the conversation! How are your 2025 goals going? What's working and what needs to shift? DM me your midyear reflections on Instagram @YourCoachMari

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This is your pocket guide to healing in 2025. As we move through this year, I wanted to share some of the most powerful healing insights from our conversations this past year.

Think of this as your roadmap for putting yourself first when everything feels overwhelming.

In this special compilation episode, I'm pulling together the wisdom that's transformed my clients' lives and will transform yours too.

We're covering all the good stuff:

1. Why asking for help is actually the strongest thing you can do
2. The one-thing-at-a-time approach that prevents burnout and overwhelm
3. How to build habits that actually stick (without the all-or-nothing mentality)
4. Simple ways to nourish your soul when you're running on empty
5. Why movement is medicine for breaking negative thought cycles
6. How to protect your energy on social media without feeling guilty
7. The self-care you're already doing (but not giving yourself credit for)

This isn't just a tips episode. This is a love letter to every woman who's tired of people-pleasing, exhausted from putting everyone else first, and ready to remember that small steps create the biggest changes. These insights came from my lowest moments and biggest breakthroughs - the real stuff that actually works when you're struggling.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by self-improvement culture or think healing has to be this huge dramatic thing, this episode will shift everything for you.

Subscribe. Share. Take one small step today. Your healing matters.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

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We might just have the same taste in books. Check out my Book List.

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→ Schedule your discovery call

→ 1:1 Life Coaching Coaching

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This is the friendship reality check every woman needs to hear. The moment when you stop taking friendship changes personally and start understanding the beautiful evolution that happens when life shifts. In this conversation, Mitzy Diaz and I break down the truth about how motherhood transforms friendships – and why that's not always a bad thing.

We're covering all the good stuff:

1. Why becoming a mom during COVID created the perfect storm for friendship challenges
2. How postpartum depression complicated communication in ways no one talks about
3. The difference between friendships with strong foundations and those built on convenience
4. Why some friends will consistently invite you despite schedule changes (and others won't)
5. How to navigate the guilt of not being the "available" friend anymore
6. The wisdom in accepting that some friendships serve specific seasons of life
7. And the beautiful examples of friends who love you through every life transition

This isn't about mourning lost friendships. This is about recognizing which relationships have the foundation to grow stronger, learning to communicate your needs without shame, and understanding that priorities shifting doesn't mean love decreasing.

Mitzy's vulnerability about struggling as an introvert new mom while dealing with friendship changes will validate every feeling you've had about this transition.

Meet Mitzy: Maritza Alarcon Diaz is a 35-year-old Latina living in Southern California. She is a mom, wife, traveler, and a professional in the tech industry. While her favorite role is being a mother, her journey to motherhood wasn't easy. To share her experiences, she launched her blog, MitzyDays.com, which focuses on lifestyle, travel, mental health, and motherhood.

Connect with Mitzy:

Website

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube 

Blog

Subscribe. Share. Choose friendships that choose you back. You deserve relationships that evolve with you.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

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This is the book that will shatter everything you thought you knew about love. The moment when a 160-page book from 1999 becomes your roadmap for understanding why dating feels impossible and society feels broken in 2025. In this soul-stirring episode, I break down bell hooks' prophetic "All About Love" and show you how her warnings became our reality.

We're covering all the good stuff:

• Why hooks predicted today's dating app hellscape with terrifying accuracy
• The real definition of love (spoiler: it's not just feelings)
• How patriarchy created the toxic dynamic where women give love and men take it
• Why the loneliness epidemic is actually a "lovelessness epidemic"
• What "soul murder" means and how it explains online cruelty
• Why "focus only on yourself" wellness culture is missing the point
• And how community healing trumps individual healing every single time

This isn't just a book review. This is a mirror for everything broken in our society and a blueprint for healing it. hooks was observing in the 90s what we're living through now – the cynicism, the fear of emotional investment, the epidemic of people seeking intimacy without risk.

Reading this book healed something in me, and I know it will for you too.

Subscribe. Share. Choose love over lovelessness. The world depends on it.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Book referenced in this episode: All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks

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This is the long-distance friendship survival guide you desperately needed. The moment when you stop letting miles dictate the depth of your connections and start building bonds that transcend geography. In this heartfelt episode, I share the exact strategies that have kept my closest friendships alive across oceans, time zones, and life changes.

We're covering all the good stuff:

• Why long-distance friendships are more common than ever (and why that's actually beautiful)
• The real challenges beyond just missing coffee dates – emotional distance, time zones, and feeling one step behind
• My multi-platform communication strategy that keeps connections alive without pressure
• How to stay emotionally invested when you can't just show up with wine and a hug
• The vulnerable conversations about money that actually strengthen your bond
• Creative ways to hang out virtually that don't feel forced or awkward
• And why that misconception about distance dooming friendships is complete BS

This isn't about settling for less meaningful connections because of miles. This is about proving that love transcends geography when you're willing to show up consistently, vulnerably, and creatively. Every strategy comes from my real experience maintaining deep friendships across continents.

Your people are your people, no matter where they live.

Subscribe. Share. Show up. Distance is just a number.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

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Send in questions: [email protected]

We might just have the same taste in books. Check out my Book List.

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🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER

→ Schedule your discovery call

→ 1:1 Life Coaching Coaching

→ The Transformation Program

→ The Evolution Program

This is the friendship roadmap you've been desperately searching for. The moment when you stop scrolling through social media feeling lonely and start building the community you deserve. In this soul-shifting episode, I break down the harsh truth about adult friendship and give you the exact blueprint to create meaningful connections that actually last.

Let's break down:

• Why American individualism has made us lonelier than ever (and it's not your fault)
• The simple group activity strategy that transforms strangers into genuine friends
• How to master the follow-up without overthinking every text message
• Why consistency trumps chemistry when it comes to building lasting bonds
• The power of third spaces and why your gym might not be the answer
• And the mindset shifts that turn awkward small talk into authentic connection

This isn't just another "put yourself out there" pep talk. This is a practical system for creating the friendships that will support you through life's highs and lows. Every strategy I share comes from real experience – both my own journey and what I've seen work for my clients.

Stop accepting loneliness as inevitable. Your people are out there waiting to meet you.

Subscribe. Share. Show up. Your future friendships depend on it.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

** Recording note: You'll hear my dog Mochi making guest appearances throughout this episode - apparently they had some strong opinions about today's topic!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

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Growing with Sol Podcast

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Send in questions: [email protected]

We might just have the same taste in books. Check out my Book List.

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🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER

→ Schedule your discovery call

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This is the character development deep dive you didn't know you needed. The moment when fictional growth becomes your personal roadmap. In this episode of the Growing with Sol podcast, Priscilla and I deliver a breakdown of Queen of Shadows Part 2, where the men's journeys mirror your own struggles with change, trauma, and stepping into your power.

We dive deep into:

1. Why Chaol's stubborn resistance to change reflects your own fear of the unknown
2. How Dorian's fight to maintain his identity while under attack shows you what real resilience looks like
3. What self-inflicted loneliness teaches you about self-punishment and healing
4. The toxic dynamics that keep you stuck and how to break free from them
5. Why showing up for community requires you to face your own triggers
6. And the heartbreaking beauty of characters who choose growth even when it's inconvenient
7. 
   

This isn't just book talk. It's a mirror for your own transformation journey. Every character struggle, every moment of growth, every painful lesson – it's all here to guide you toward your own evolution.

🚨 SPOILER WARNING 🚨

I'm covering the entire Throne of Glass series with no holds barred.

Subscribe. Share. Step into your power. These stories are waiting to shape you.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

About my bestie Priscilla:

Priscilla De Lara is originally from California now living in Milan, Italy working in international education. She is a lover of food, traveling, and reading! Fun fact: Priscilla was a college radio DJ.

Connect with Priscilla on TikTok @priscillainitaly

➡️ TikTok video by @V discussing the Chaol and Aelin dynamic as mirrors for each other

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

My Insta

My TikTok

Growing with Sol Podcast

Buy Me a Cafecito

Send in questions: [email protected]

We might just have the same taste in books. Check out my Book List.

(Bookshop affiliate)

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER

→ Schedule your discovery call

→ 1:1 Life Coaching Coaching

→ The Transformation Program

→ The Evolution Program