We live in a world that celebrates hustle – where being busy is often mistaken for being worthy. But what happens when your body, your mind, or your spirit asks you to slow down?

If your energy isn’t what it used to be, or if your to-do list feels more like pressure than purpose, that’s not failure.

It’s feedback.

This short reflection is a gentle reminder that rest counts. Presence counts. You don’t have to produce to prove your value. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stop and breathe.

You’re allowed to be.

That’s enough.

Healing isn’t linear. Just when you think you’ve moved on – from heartbreak, betrayal, or someone who broke your trust – something small can bring it all back. A song, a post, a memory. And suddenly you're asking yourself, “Why does this still hurt?”

That doesn't mean you’re broken.

It means you cared.

It means you trusted.

And it hurt.

This short reflection reminds us that healing has no perfect timeline. Even if it’s been months or years, it’s okay if the sting still shows up. It doesn’t mean you’re stuck – it means you’re still healing.

If an old wound is still lingering, this is your permission slip to feel it without shame, to honor the ache without rushing it away.

Sometimes, the life you built no longer fits who you are becoming. The old habits, the roles you played, the way you showed up in the world – it might feel familiar, but also a little tight, a little scratchy, like a favorite sweatshirt that doesn't quite belong to you anymore.

That’s not failure. That’s growth.

This short reflection explores what it means to feel the tension between who you were and who you're becoming. It's a quiet invitation to honor your past self – the version of you that got you this far – and gently let them go.

If you’ve been feeling the itch to evolve, the tug to shift, this is your permission slip to keep growing. You don’t have to stay the same to prove your worth.

Starting over is never easy. Whether you're in a new job, a new city, a new relationship, or simply facing a new season of life, there's a part of us that resists feeling new.

It whispers things like, "I should have figured this out by now," or "I shouldn't feel this lost."

But feeling like a beginner isn't failure – it's growth in disguise.

This short reflection offers a gentle reminder that the discomfort of starting over is also an invitation:

If you're fumbling your way through something unfamiliar right now, you're not alone. You don't have to have it all figured out. It's okay to be new at this.

Grief doesn’t follow neat timelines – and it doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you if it still shows up years later.

Whether it’s been a decade or just a season, grief can return in a song, a memory, a smell, or even a YouTube clip that catches you off guard. That ache isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of what mattered.

In this short reflection, we explore why grief that lingers is part of love that lasts. You’ll hear a gentle reminder that:

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be over this by now,” this is your permission slip to stop trying to fix it.

It’s okay if it still aches.

It’s okay if you’re still carrying it.

I’ve spent the last few years hosting The Life Shift Podcast, having deep conversations about the moments that change us.

But sometimes, we don’t need a full conversation. We just need a moment.

That’s what It’s Okay If… is for.

Each week, I’ll share a short reflection, usually under 3 minutes, as a kind of permission slip.

• To feel what you feel.
• To let something go.
• To remember that being human is hard and beautiful and worth slowing down for.

I made It’s Okay If… for me.

I was grieving. I needed quiet. I needed space to feel what I’d been avoiding. And in that space, this idea showed up.

What if I could record small, honest reminders that it’s okay to be human?

So I did. I wrote and recorded 54 short episodes – each one under 3 minutes – as part of my healing journey.

And now, I want to share them with you.

New episodes drop every Wednesday at noon.

I hope they meet you where you are, like they met me where I was.

Matt

Follow the show to catch the first three episodes when they go live.

💻 https://feeds.captivate.fm/its-okay-if/