On this week's podcast, we talk about awareness, advocacy, and action. After partaking in an MLK March last Monday, I figured it would be fitting discuss the important of these three words as it pertains to societal issues, global affairs, or anything, really. These three words go hand in hand to ultimately help us "be the change we wish to see in the world," even if that quote is so commonly expressed. 

On this week's podcast, we talk about doing things in the spur of the moment. Surely, there are pros and cons to doing things spontaneously, but also planning things out. It's totally okay to do either/or as long as they both aid and hinder us in going about life in the best way. Ultimately, it helps us grow into better people as we step out of our comfort zones and try something new by doing it in the spur of the moment or planning it out. 

On this week's podcast, we talk about best friends, which according to Google, are a person's closest friends. We explore three different ways of having friends: being a one-friend person, having a variety of friends, or being a floater amongst a bunch of friend groups. There's no one true way to have a best friend nor one specific way to be friends with someone. As different situations require different reactions, it's up to you to be you for long-lasting friendships. 

On this week's podcast, we wrap up 2021 by thinking about all the lessons we've learned from all our experiences in the last year. Everyday is new, a new opportunity to learn something to take with us into the future and live the life we've always wanted to. In each day, we can make mistakes and choose to repeat them or choose to apply the lessons we've learned in the past to make a better you, a better life, in 2022. 

On this week's podcast, we talk about making decisions by either thinking with our head, heart, or gut. Each option comes with their own advantages and disadvantages that can influence the decision you're making. Also, decisions can fall into being submissive or impulsive, changing its purpose to be made for you, by you, in the best way. 

On this week's podcast, we analyze a poem that has meant a lot to me for the last few years - "Our lives are one big puzzle" by Erin Hanson. This poem compares our lives to puzzles and how each piece represents an increment of time - whether it's a memory, day, month or year - that we learn from. Most importantly, it's crucial to take care of our role in other people's puzzles and understand that sometimes, we're just not meant to fit in theirs and we should focus on our own puzzle we're building. 

On this week's podcast, we continue a segment called Friday Phrases - a series where I talk about underrated words or phrases with deeper meanings tied to personal memories. In this episode, we talk about a phrase that is near and dear to my heart since it was introduced to me in middle school - "it's small things that matter most." From the butterfly effect to realizing we are a mosaic of all the people who have been in our lives, the little things play such a large role in our lives to become the big things, and we should learn to appreciate them as we live in the moment.

On this week's podcast, we talk about the social identity theory of in-groups and out-groups. In certain situations, we end up having in-group bias to the point of discriminating against, and downplaying the importance of out-groups or groups of people who we don't identify with. Whether we're part of many in-groups or in someone's out-group, in-group bias can be reduced to begin a chain reaction of understanding how it feels to identify with many different groups. 

On this week’s podcast, we talk about being stuck in the middle - stuck in the middle of two paths in your mind as you attempt to sway yourself one way or another. We talk about being stuck in the middle in two different ways: in relationships and as an individual. There are many signs that can aid us in finding out whether we should stay or let go of relationships. Along with that, we discuss 5 steps to change our mindset about our growth as a human being to get out of being stuck in the middle.

On this week's podcast, we continue a segment called Friday Phrases - a series where I talk about underrated words or phrases with deeper meanings tied to personal memories. We talk about the phrase, "you get out what you put in" and apply it to all contexts of life from school, work, relationships and life as a whole. We discuss the traditional and nontraditional views of this phrase and the importance of not expecting anything in return when giving something. Ultimately, it's about creating value for yourself and what you're putting effort into, even if the reward may not seem fair.