What happens when two childhood friends sit down and start reminiscing? 😂

In this episode of My Planet Self, I’m joined by my childhood friend Richard Bonsu as we take a trip down memory lane and talk about what it was like growing up in Ghana together.

We revisit childhood memories, school days, the things we used to do for fun, the people we grew up around, and some of the moments we haven’t thought about in years. We also compare what we remember now as adults and laugh about the experiences that felt completely normal to us as kids.

It’s a nostalgic, funny, and honest conversation about childhood friendship, growing up Ghanaian, and looking back at the memories that made us who we are.

If you grew up in Ghana—or just love reminiscing about the chaos, friendships, and random memories of childhood—this episode will probably have you thinking about your own childhood too.

🎙️ Featuring Richard Bonsu

Follow My Planet Self for new episodes every other week.

I start medical school TOMORROW—and after years of figuring out how to get into medical school, now I have to figure out how to actually study in it. 😭

In this episode of My Planet Self, I’m sharing my M1 study plan before I’ve even stepped into my first official class. From Anki and practice questions to Pathoma, lectures, active recall, and my goal of finishing my studying by 6 PM, I’m breaking down exactly how I plan to approach my first year of medical school.

This isn’t a “how to succeed in medical school” guide—I haven’t earned that authority yet 😂. This is my starting point. I’m talking about avoiding resource overload, using the 80/20 rule, figuring out whether live or asynchronous lectures work best for me, protecting my life outside of medicine, and learning when studying more starts giving diminishing returns.

Will this strategy actually survive M1? We’ll find out.

I plan to come back later and compare what I thought medical school studying would look like with what actually worked.

If you’re starting medical school, preparing for M1, or just curious about how a first-year medical student plans to tackle the workload, this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe to My Planet Self for new episodes every other Sunday.

What happens when you finally get the life you prayed for… and realize that it’s still hard?

In this episode, “Nobody Prepares You for the Life You Prayed For,” I’m talking about the emotional side of achieving your dreams, entering new seasons of life, and realizing that answered prayers can still come with pressure, fear, uncertainty, and responsibility.

For years, one of my biggest goals was getting into medical school. But once the dream becomes your real life, the question changes from “Can I get there?” to “Can I actually handle being here?”

We talk about medical school, imposter syndrome, navigating your 20s, ambition, burnout, personal growth, gratitude, comparison, adulthood, and redefining success. I also reflect on the guilt that can come with struggling through something you once desperately wanted.

Because being grateful doesn’t mean everything has to feel easy.

You can love the direction your life is going and still feel overwhelmed. You can be proud of yourself and still experience self-doubt. You can accomplish something major and still feel like a beginner.

This episode is also about learning not to constantly move the finish line. It’s easy to tell yourself you’ll finally relax after the next exam, degree, job, relationship, financial goal, or milestone. But eventually, you have to realize that your life isn’t waiting for you at the finish line.

This is your life right now.

If you’re a medical student, premed, young professional, ambitious twenty-something, or simply someone entering a new chapter you once prayed for, this episode is for you.

We’re talking about:

• Achieving your dreams and adjusting to success
• Medical school and imposter syndrome
• Navigating your twenties
• Feeling overwhelmed by an answered prayer
• Ambition, burnout, and comparison
• Becoming a beginner again
• Separating your identity from your accomplishments
• Learning to enjoy the present
• Redefining what success means to you
• Growing into the person capable of carrying the life you asked for

Maybe nobody prepares you for the life you prayed for because becoming the person who can live that life is part of the journey.

Don’t become so focused on your next prayer that you forget you’re already standing inside an old one.

Keywords: personal growth, navigating your 20s, medical school journey, medical student life, premed podcast, medical school podcast, imposter syndrome, achieving your dreams, answered prayers, ambition and burnout, high achiever burnout, self-doubt, adulthood, quarter-life crisis, redefining success, medical student motivation, life transitions, comparison, gratitude, work-life balance, personal development, and learning to enjoy the present.

Applying to medical school this cycle? Your secondary essays could be the deciding factor between receiving an interview invitation and getting lost in the applicant pool. In this episode, I break down everything I learned throughout the medical school application process and share the exact strategies that helped me approach my medical school secondary essays with confidence, authenticity, and purpose.

If you’ve been staring at a blank screen wondering how to answer prompts like “Why Our School?”, “Tell us about a challenge you’ve overcome,” or “How will you contribute to our community?”, this episode is for you. Secondary applications often arrive quickly, come with tight deadlines, and require you to tell your story in different ways without sounding repetitive. That’s why having a strategy matters.

Throughout this episode, I walk you through how to approach every secondary essay with intention instead of panic. We discuss how admissions committees actually evaluate applications, what they’re looking for beyond GPA and MCAT scores, and how you can write essays that genuinely reflect who you are while remaining memorable. Whether you’re applying through AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS, these principles can help you create stronger applications.

You’ll learn why authenticity is your greatest advantage, how to brainstorm meaningful experiences that demonstrate resilience, leadership, compassion, service, curiosity, and growth, and how to avoid common mistakes that weaken otherwise competitive applications. I also share practical systems for organizing your secondary essays, creating reusable themes without copying yourself, managing deadlines, and editing your essays efficiently.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why secondary essays matter so much in the medical school admissions process

• What admissions committees are actually evaluating

• The biggest mistakes applicants make when writing secondaries

• How to answer the “Why This Medical School?” essay

• How to write compelling diversity, adversity, and challenge essays

• Creating a cohesive application narrative

• Writing about leadership, clinical experiences, volunteering, and research

• Demonstrating reflection instead of simply listing accomplishments

• Avoiding clichés and generic responses

• Managing dozens of secondary essays without burning out

• How to pre-write secondary essays before applications arrive

• Editing tips that make your essays stronger

• Standing out without trying to sound “perfect”

Whether you’re a first-time applicant, taking a gap year, or reapplying, this episode will help you approach your secondary applications with a clearer strategy and greater confidence. My hope is that after listening, you’ll stop overthinking every prompt and start writing essays that genuinely represent the future physician you’re becoming.

If this episode helps you, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another premed student preparing for the medical school application cycle. Your support helps this podcast reach more aspiring physicians navigating the same journey.

I’d also love to hear from you!

Connect with me on social media

Thank you for listening, and remember: your application is more than a collection of grades and test scores. It’s your story. Make it one only you can tell.

Keywords: medical school secondary essays, secondary essays, medical school application, medical school admissions, AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, premed, premed podcast, premed advice, how to write secondary essays, medical school essay tips, medical school application tips, accepted medical student, future doctor, physician journey, medical school interviews, diversity essay, adversity essay, why our school essay, personal statement, medical school admissions committee, pre-writing secondaries, gap year applicant, reapplicant, medical student, pre-health, healthcare careers, becoming a doctor, medical school success.

What does it really take to overcome adversity and keep moving forward?

In this powerful episode of the My Planet Self Podcast, I sit down with Kofi Adom for an honest and vulnerable conversation about resilience, personal growth, purpose, and overcoming life’s toughest challenges. Together, we share our personal journeys, the obstacles we’ve faced, and the lessons that shaped who we are today.

Whether you’re navigating setbacks, chasing your dreams, or searching for motivation to keep going, this episode offers real-life stories, practical wisdom, and encouragement to remind you that your struggles don’t have to define your future.

If you’ve ever felt like giving up, this conversation is for you.

✨ In this episode, we discuss:

• Building resilience through adversity
• Turning pain into purpose
• Personal growth and self-discovery
• Life lessons from difficult experiences
• Finding strength during challenging seasons
• Why your story matters

If this conversation resonates with you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that resilience can transform lives.

🎙️ Connect with me:
Instagram: @abbbennie
TikTok: @abbbennie
YouTube: @abbbennie

#Resilience #PersonalGrowth #OvercomingAdversity #Purpose #Motivation #Inspiration #MentalStrength #SelfGrowth #Podcast #LifeLessons #KofiAdom #Storytelling #Mindset #SuccessJourney #ABPodcast

This World Cup has had me thinking about so much more than football. Watching teams overcome setbacks, prove doubters wrong, and fight until the very last whistle reminded me of something I’ve been learning in my own life: it’s not how you start—it’s how you finish.

As someone who’s navigated setbacks, chased big dreams, and often wondered if I was “behind,” this tournament couldn’t have come at a better time. It reminded me that one bad performance, one rejection, one failure, or one detour doesn’t define your future. Whether it’s applying to medical school, building a business, creating content, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, success is rarely a straight line.

In this episode, I’m sharing the biggest life lessons the World Cup has taught me about resilience, perseverance, growth, discipline, and trusting the process. We’ll talk about why you shouldn’t quit after your first setback, why comparison can steal your joy, and why the people who finish strong aren’t always the ones who started the strongest.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged, wondering if your hard work will ever pay off, or questioning whether you’re on the right path, I hope this conversation reminds you to keep going. Your current chapter is not your final chapter, and your current score is not your final result.

Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, content creator, athlete, or simply someone working toward a dream, this episode will encourage you to embrace the journey, stay consistent, and believe that your breakthrough could be closer than you think.

Keywords: World Cup, World Cup 2026, life lessons, motivation, resilience, perseverance, personal growth, mindset, success, self-improvement, discipline, consistency, overcoming setbacks, trusting the process, finish strong, productivity, inspiration, chasing your dreams, podcast, motivational podcast, Lionel Messi, Argentina, FIFA World Cup corruption

Want to know how to attend conferences for free or on a budget? In this episode, I share the best conference travel tips, budget travel strategies, and networking hacks to help students, entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals attend more conferences without overspending.

Whether you’re trying to save money on conference registration, find conference scholarships, earn media or podcast passes, volunteer for free admission, or use travel rewards and hotel points to cut costs, this episode walks you through the exact strategies that can make attending conferences affordable.

You’ll learn:

• How to attend conferences for free
• How to find conference scholarships and travel grants
• How to get media, speaker, and volunteer conference passes
• Budget travel tips for conferences
• How to save money on flights and hotels using travel rewards
• Networking strategies to maximize every conference experience
• How to turn conference attendance into career and business opportunities

If you’re looking for conference tips, affordable business travel, professional development advice, travel hacking strategies, or networking opportunities, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you attend more events while spending less.

Keywords: how to attend conferences for free, conference tips, conference travel, budget travel, conference scholarships, travel rewards, networking tips, business conferences, professional development, student conferences, podcasting, entrepreneurship, career growth, travel hacks, affordable travel.

medical school in August while making the most of my time by traveling across Europe, Africa, and beyond. From the medical school application journey and getting accepted, to planning international adventures before classes begin, I’m taking you behind the scenes of this exciting transition.

We’ll talk about:

✈️ My recent and upcoming travels

🏥 Preparing for medical school orientation and onboarding

📚 The transition from MPH student to future medical student

🌍 Why I chose to travel before starting med school

💰 Travel budgeting, points, miles, and planning

🎥 Content creation, YouTube, and documenting the journey

💭 Reflections on growth, goals, and what’s next

Whether you’re a premed student, future medical student, traveler, or someone navigating a major life transition, I hope this episode gives you inspiration and insight into this exciting chapter.

Keywords: medical school journey, starting medical school, med school vlog, premed life, future doctor, medical student life, travel vlog, solo travel, Europe travel, gap year travel, life update podcast, public health student, MPH to MD, study abroad, travel content creator, productivity, personal growth.

#MedicalSchool #Premed #FutureDoctor #TravelVlog #LifeUpdate #MedicalStudent #TravelPodcast #StudyAbroad #MedSchoolJourney #TravelCreator #PersonalGrowth #PodcastEpisode

In this episode, I break down The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson — so you don’t have to read it yourself.

This isn’t your typical self-help book. Instead of telling you to “think positive,” this book challenges everything we’ve been taught about happiness, success, and caring too much. I walk through the key lessons, biggest takeaways, and real-life applications of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, and explain what actually matters — and what doesn’t.

If you’re overwhelmed, burned out, tired of toxic positivity, or just curious why this book went viral, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• The core message behind The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*

• Why caring less can actually improve your mental health

• What Mark Manson gets right (and what’s overrated)

• How to choose what deserves your energy

• Who this book is actually for — and who can skip it

This is an honest book review and summary, designed to help you decide if this book is worth your time — without the fluff.

Perfect for fans of:

• Self-help book summaries

• Personal growth and mindset shifts

• Mental health and self-improvement

• Book review podcasts

• “I read this book so you don’t have to” content

And that’s the breakdown. I read the book so you didn’t have to, but now I want to hear from you: What is one thing you’re officially choosing to stop giving a f*ck about this week? > Drop your answer in the comments—I’ll be jumping in to reply to as many as I can. If this deep dive saved you some time or gave you a new perspective, do me a huge favor: hit that subscribe button and tap the notification bell. It’s the best way to support the show so I can keep doing the reading for you.

🎧 Listen now for a clear, realistic take on one of the most talked-about self-help books of all time.

Catch you in the next one

SEO Tags

Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Book Review, Podcast, Self Improvement 2026, Personal Development, Book Summary, Life Advice, Mental Health, Motivation, Choosing Your Struggles, How to be Happy, Productivity.

Getting into medical school is often reduced to one thing: the MCAT. But the truth is, that’s not what got me accepted.

In this episode, I break down what actually got me into medical school and why my MCAT score was not the deciding factor. I walk through the real components of a successful medical school application — including GPA, extracurriculars, clinical experience, leadership, research, and personal narrative — and explain how admissions committees evaluate applicants holistically.

I talk honestly about my GPA, my MCAT journey, and the medical school requirements many pre-med students stress about, including whether you need a bachelor’s degree, how much grades really matter, and what schools are actuallylooking for beyond numbers. I also read a paragraph directly from my own medical school application essay, breaking down why storytelling, reflection, and authenticity can matter more than a perfect score.

If you’re a pre-med student, MPH student, career changer, or someone feeling discouraged by MCAT pressure, this episode is for you. Whether your MCAT didn’t go as planned, your GPA isn’t “perfect,” or you’re wondering if medical school is still possible — this conversation is meant to give clarity, reassurance, and real insight into the admissions process.

🎙️ In this episode, we cover:

• What really matters in medical school admissions

• The role of MCAT vs GPA in acceptance decisions

• Whether you need a bachelor’s degree to apply to medical school

• How personal statements and essays influence admissions outcomes

• Why clinical experience, leadership, service, and growth matter

• What I included in my application that strengthened it beyond stats

• Advice for students who feel “behind” or overlooked in the pre-med process

This is a transparent look at how I got into medical school without the MCAT being my strongest stat, and what I wish I knew earlier as a pre-med navigating requirements, expectations, and self-doubt.

notes

medical school admissions, MCAT, GPA, premed, getting into medical school, medical school requirements, personal statement, med school essay, MPH to MD, holistic admissions, premed advice, med school journey