TW: Suicide, drug overdose 

Episode 245: This week, Natalie is joined on the mic by mental health and self-care advocate Tay Lautner to discuss the importance of prioritizing your well-being. Tay shares the challenges she faced as a Covid nurse, the symptoms she experienced that set alarm bells ringing, and what led her to share her story online. Tay and Natalie discuss their personal experience with therapy and how you don’t have to be at a low point to talk to someone. They also talk about preventative steps you can take to care for your mental health and how self-care is never selfish. Tune in for a relatable, compassionate conversation that will hopefully serve as a reminder that you are not alone in your healing journey.  
  
Today’s episode dives into:  
  

Tay’s backstory and why she became a mental health advocate   

How to show up for a partner when they are struggling with their mental health   

How Tay and her fiancé Taylor work through disagreements  

Tay’s self-care practice and her favorite products to unwind with  

 
 
Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Tay @taydome and Lemons by tay @lemonsbytay Check out her website at lemonsbytay.com. 
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ICYMI: Advocating for Mental Health & Self-care with Tay Lautner

Let’s face it, we are all living in a digital age where we're constantly bombarded with comparisons and perfect highlight reels. Enter the Real Reel Podcast—a one-stop shop for some genuine, unfiltered realness. Join your host, influencer, YouTuber, and entrepreneur, Natalie Barbu, as she dives headfirst into the raw reality of adulthood. No more filters; Natalie’s on a mission to uncover the real struggles and triumphs that come with navigating the dating scene, relationships, friendships, finances, business, and everything in between. Tune in for some Reel talk every Monday as Natalie engages in raw and authentic conversations with Real people, including entrepreneurs, reality stars, content creators, and anyone who fits the "real deal" bill. Say goodbye to the Instagram facade, and let's embrace the beautiful (and almost always messy) journey of adulthood and growth together because, let’s be real, nobody really knows what they’re doing.

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Self-Improvement

Episode 263: Are you ready to level up your productivity? In previous episodes, Nat has touched on her motivations, her business goals, and where she wants to be, and now she’s diving into how she makes it happen! Nat discusses her 10-step approach and how she’s customized helpful tips from several different inspiring people’s routines, including Amanda Goetz and Grace Beverley. Whether it’s emphasizing the importance of prioritizing tasks that truly move the needle forward, simplifying your daily decisions, or blocking off time for yourself to focus on something important, Nat shares lots of relatable examples from her own successful routine. If you’re looking for some great strategies to boost your productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance, this episode is for you! 
 
Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.   
 
Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you:   
OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. 
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How to NOT Procrastinate & Get Stuff Done!

Episode 262: This episode is for the Swifties! Tune in as Natalie discusses how Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" has inspired her to reflect on the aftermath of her four-year relationship and the painful reality of situationships, which can honestly sting more than actual relationships. Nat opens up about her journey of emotional healing offering advice on moving forward and staying positive while you process, highlighting the importance of feeling your emotions and tips for staying busy. Whether you're going through a break up, are navigating a situationship or have experienced all of the above, this episode is packed with insights and relatability. 
 
Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.   
 
Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you:   
OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. 
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TTPD, Situationships and How to Move On!

Episode 261: Nat's turning 28!! On this special birthday episode, Nat reflects on turning 28 and shares 28 life lessons she's learned along the way. She gets candid about everything, from the importance of female friendships to the impact of faith and embracing independence. Nat also touches on personal growth, overcoming challenges, the power of contentment, and so much more. This episode is an emotional and grateful look at her journey so far and the blessings that come with growing older! 

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.  

Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you:  
OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. 
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A Real (Reel) Birthday Special: 28 Lessons from 28 Years

Episode 260: This week, Nat sits down with Rella’s co-founder and developer, Connor Boyce! Nat and Connor dig deep into Connor’s background, talking about how he went from graduating with an electrical engineering degree to becoming a self-taught software engineer. Connor explains how he never really saw himself working in electrical engineering and instead decided to start his own software consulting company. This decision led him to meet Natalie and start Rella, and, well, the rest is history! Connor walks us through the first step to learning a new skill and how reaching out and talking to people you admire who are already in the field is ultimately more valuable than just about anything. Oh, and Connor’s words of wisdom when learning a new skill? Fake it ‘til you make it, and confidence is key! Nat asks Connor for tips and tricks on how to create a work-life balance and how nurturing a working relationship is pretty similar to nurturing a real-life human relationship. Finally, Connor discusses what he thinks he’d be doing if he never met Nat and began his journey with Rella (and trust me, it is not what you think he’d be doing). If you’ve been considering a new skill but don’t know where to start, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.  
  
Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you:  

OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. 

Use code CONNOR at getrella.com for 51% off an annual plan!
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Fake it 'til You Make it with Rella Co-Founder Connor Boyce

Episode 259: This week, Nat is back with another solo episode! She starts the pod off with the realization that she’s been in Miami for (almost) the entire month of March, which is the longest stretch she has been home in months. Then, she dives right into the topic for today: staying motivated! We’ve all been there, and it’s totally normal to have periods of your life where you are not motivated. Luckily, Nat walks us through tips and tricks she uses to stay motivated, such as consuming content, recognizing things that make her excited on a daily basis, and the importance of taking time to step away from work (because rest is important!). Nat talks about how she and her friends keep each other motivated and inspired and how surrounding yourself with like-minded people provides validation, motivation, and encouragement to continue pursuing your goals. Finally, Nat talks about “reverse engineering” to accomplish your goals, how to take that first step, and the importance of “finding your why.” If you’ve been struggling with staying motivated or just need a few extra tips to keep in your back pocket, today’s episode is for you!

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.  
  
Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you:  

OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICYMI: Advocating for Mental Health & Self-care with Tay Lautner

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