It's Not That Serious (Even When it Is)

Three years, three Costa Rica retreats, and one pretty big realization: I don't need to escape my life to keep growing.

In this episode, I'm reflecting on how much has changed in the way I trust myself, listen to my intuition, navigate relationships, and show up at work—even though my life doesn't look all that different on the outside.

We're talking about recognizing the growth you might be overlooking, finding happiness in the life you're already living, and realizing that personal development doesn't always require another retreat, another big life change, or another thing to work toward.

Oh, and I also dressed up as a man named Ricky on a catamaran. So there's that.

Consider this your reminder to look back and celebrate how far you've come, not just how far you still want to go.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

What if the answer to perfectionism isn’t getting rid of it—but redefining what “perfect” actually means?

This week, I’m talking about my lifelong battle with perfectionism, the Human Design pieces that have helped me understand it, and the realization that completely changed the way I see myself, my body, my business, and the things I’m creating.

Maybe you don’t need to be better before you begin. Maybe you’re already good exactly where you are—and you get to grow from there.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

What happens when you know something is going to happen… and then it doesn’t?

In this episode, I’m talking about what I call “God moving the goalpost”—those moments when the timeline changes, the plan shifts, or the thing you were so sure would happen hasn’t happened yet.

We’re talking about trusting yourself when the timeline moves, letting your goals change you instead of waiting for them to make you happy, and learning to actually enjoy your life in the space between where you are and where you’re going.

Because a moving goalpost isn’t always evidence that you failed. Sometimes, you’re just not done learning yet.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

What if the time you think you wasted wasn’t actually wasted?

This week, I’m continuing the conversation around grief—but this time, we’re talking about grieving old versions of ourselves, the paths we didn’t take, and the things we wish we’d started sooner.

I’m also sharing a few recent conversations where Human Design helped bring clarity to career decisions, business, self-trust, and moving forward.

Sometimes growth looks like grieving what could have been, trusting who you are now, and taking the next step anyway.

Want to explore your own Human Design? Book a 30-minute Human Design Chat with me through the link in the show notes.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

Sometimes the hardest part of grief isn’t the grief itself—it’s how badly we want to hurry up and feel better.

In this episode, I’m talking about what this summer has taught me about actually letting ourselves feel the hard stuff instead of trying to fix it, move through it, or make our sadness more comfortable for everyone else.

We’re talking about grief, giving yourself permission to cry when you need to cry, being present with the people you love, and how allowing myself to experience the depths of sadness has also opened me up to a deeper experience of joy.

If you’re in a hard season—or love someone who is—this one’s for you.

Sometimes you just have to feel the damn thing.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

Have you ever finally gotten the thing you've been working toward... only to immediately question it?

In this episode, I'm talking about the anxiety that can show up after your manifestations, goals, and dreams finally become reality. That feeling doesn't always mean you've made the wrong decision. Sometimes it's simply your nervous system adjusting to a life it's never experienced before.

I also share a few personal updates—including my recent retreat, my birthday weekend, and a brand-new way to work with me through Human Design Chats.

If you've been wondering whether your fear is intuition or just unfamiliarity, this episode is for you.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

Some seasons of life make it feel like your mind just won't stop.

This week, I'm sharing what happened when I caught myself spiraling after a season of grief, big decisions, and trying to control everything around me.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why we spiral when life feels uncertain
• How grief and anxiety can show up as perfectionism and control
• Why you shouldn't make big decisions in the middle of overwhelm
• Four simple ways to calm your nervous system and come back to the present
• What it means when the spiral is unexpected aka after you've manifested that thing you've been wanting.

If you've been overthinking, carrying too much, or trying to figure out your entire future today, this episode is your reminder to pause, breathe, and trust that clarity comes after regulation—not before.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

If you've ever felt like you're waiting to become a better, more healed, more confident version of yourself before you finally start living your life, this episode is for you.

This week, I'm sharing the heartbreak of losing my dog, Teetee, and the unexpected lesson grief has taught me: life isn't waiting for you to feel ready.

We talk about perfectionism, the trap of endless self-improvement, why so many people stay stuck despite doing "all the work," and what it actually takes to move your life forward.

This is the work I do with my coaching clients every day—not giving you more information, but helping you stop second-guessing yourself, take meaningful action, and build a life that feels deeply authentic to you.

If you're tired of waiting for the right moment, this episode is your invitation to start living now.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

We spend so much time trying to control, avoid, or hide our emotions that we never actually let ourselves feel them. In this episode, we're talking about why processing your emotions matters, how to stop carrying what no longer serves you, and why feeling deeply might be the key to moving forward.

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

This episode started with a weird pain in my chest, a conversation with my mentor, and me saying, "Seriously? More grief?"

It ended with me crying over a Pixar movie, writing a letter from my future self, and realizing something I think we all need to hear:

The version of you who already has the thing you're dreaming about? They're rooting for you right now.

In this episode, I'm sharing a very personal story about grief, hope, fertility, healing, and a journaling exercise that completely changed the way I look at my own journey.

If you've ever felt tired of waiting, tired of growing, or tired of hearing that "it's about the journey," this one's for you.

(And sorry in advance, there are multiple interruptions from my dogs. They're basically co-hosts at this point.) 🐶❤️

And shoutout to my mentor and dear friend Deanna Merlino. You can find her on Instagram at @thedeannamerlino

Let's Connect! 

To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram. You can also DM me on Instagram for questions about coaching.

@marycatemcdonald

Human Design Chats - 30 Minutes to talk about your life through the lens of your Human Design. Book here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/30humandesignchat

Current Workshops:

Human Design 101 Workshop

For 1:1 Coaching Options:

https://marycatemcdonald.com/coaching2026

Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here:

https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter

Show Support: 

If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials. 

Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!