This episode is not about a breakthrough.
 It’s about a breath.

It’s about the quiet, often invisible moments where we try to meet ourselves with softness.
 Not because we’ve mastered self-love — but because we’re still learning not to flinch when we fail.

These are the small victories that no one sees:
 Forgiving yourself for missing a message.
 Pausing instead of spiraling.
 Letting rest count, even when it feels unearned.

“Self-compassion isn’t enlightenment.
 It’s messy, repetitive, and absolutely sacred.”

—

🎧 After the Light is a journal-style night podcast.
New episodes every week. Always at night.

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.

In this second chapter of Nook Study, I explore the guilt that shows up when I speak honestly—and the deep, quiet work of unlearning the need to over-explain.

I share what it feels like in my body when I say no, the patterns I’ve noticed in my silence, and what it means to speak up without asking for permission first.

If you’ve ever swallowed your truth to keep the peace, this episode is for you.

✸ Mantra: My voice doesn’t need permission to be true.
📖 From: Too Much by Terri Cole
🎧 You don’t need to read the book to listen—just bring yourself.

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.

There’s a version of me I carried for years.
 She was sharp, responsive, useful. She kept me safe.
 But she was built for survival — not softness.
 And she’s so tired.

This is a voice memo I recorded on the night I realized I didn’t need to carry her anymore.
It’s not rejection. It’s reverence.
A slow goodbye. A soft honoring. A release.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn rest, or prove your worth through pain — this one’s for you.

“I don’t let go because I stopped loving her.
 I let go because I finally do.”

—

New episodes every week — always at night.

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.

In this first episode of Nook Study, I reflect on the opening chapters of Too Much by Terri Cole—and how they quietly unraveled my beliefs about codependency, boundaries, and emotional labor.

I used to think I wasn’t codependent. I was just “capable.” But somewhere along the way, I realized I was silently drowning.

This is a soft journal on what it means to be everything for everyone… and the quiet rebellion of coming back to yourself.

Featuring quotes from the book, personal reflections, and a mantra to carry with you.

✸ Mantra: “Just because I can carry it all doesn’t mean I should.”

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.

I didn’t expect to say it out loud. But tonight, in the stillness, it surfaced:

“I don’t know who I am without the pain.”

This episode is a voice memo from the middle of the unraveling. A soft, honest reflection on survival mode, over-functioning, and how we perform “capable” while quietly falling apart.

I’m learning that pain isn’t proof of worth. And maybe softness… is who I’ve been all along.

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.

Before we begin, a moment to breathe. This is a quiet welcome — a voice in the dark, a permission slip, a soft rebellion. 

Here’s what to expect from After the Light, and why I made it.

If this episode softened something in you… you can stay close on Instagram @emotionalnook or visit the link in bio for more quiet rituals, reflections, and Nook Notes.

Thanks for being here — in the dark, in the mess, in the becoming.

This is After the Light.