I will turn 27 in four months, and I don’t want to turn one more year older without doing some of the things I’ve always assumed I’ll just get around to eventually. So I’m focusing hard and committing to making some serious lifestyle changes between now and 27, and I’m bringing you along for every step of the way.

EDIT: there appears to be a a gap of about 10 seconds of silence towards the end of the episode - not sure how that got there, but it doesn't appear to have affected the rest of the ep <3

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The spring equinox marks the pivot from the dark to the light half of the year. March means Daylight Saving’s Time, cherry blossoms, more plans with friends, new inspiration at work, and an increase in energy as our bodies naturally align with the rhythm of the seasons. If nature waits until the spring equinox to start waking up and taking action, I think we should too. That’s why I planned my 2025 goals to kick in only after a cozy, slow start to the year. It simply feels more natural to increase productivity only after the natural world does.

This episode is sponsored by LMNT.

DrinkLMNT.com/MarySkinner

I don't think I've ever been this excited for spring. It's just me and my antihistamines against the world right now.

Anti-algorithmic fashion, flip flops, pistachio green, and CBK - welcome to a round-up of all the predicted trends for S/S 25, as told by the hours of fashion articles, videos, and pinterest scrolls that I consumed so you don't have to. Are you interested in any of the trends or are you skipping out this season?

Another new (old) (renamed) series! Welcome to Dialogues, the segment where you send in your queries, questions, and scenarios, and I respond with my personal, and sometimes dubious, advice.

The name Dialogues was a collaborative effort between the Prologues instagram community, with listener Emily Searth suggesting the name, and the community as a whole voting for it (the other option was Letter to the Editor, which I fear is too good to not use for something....need a segment for that).

xx

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Introducing a new segment on Prologues: the Freewrite. We love book/writing-related puns around here. Freewriting is a writing technique that calls for stream-of-consciousness-style writing for a predetermined amount of pages or time. The goal is to kickstart your brain's creative juices by demanding that it produce words - any words, even nonsensical words, just as long as you don't stop physically writing until you hit the goal. Freewriting is effective because it helps you bypass your mental blocks and tap into deeper ideas.

Sometimes, I have several episode ideas rolling around in my head, but I can't record them because I have a block. I have something else occupying space in my head and I can't talk about anything else until I talk about That Thing. Freewrite episodes are brain dumps of anything and everything that is taking up space in my head, so that I can get it out of the way and keep moving forward.

This is the first of what I'm sure will be a frequent series on the podcast.

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This week on Prologues, my friend Sierra is here to share her experience getting re-diagnosed as an adult and the importance of staying open in your healing journey. We also dug into our childhoods to reflect on the experience of growing up mentally ill, and what that means for the rest of our lives still to come. Honest conversations like this one help us all feel less alone in our own journeys - thank you, Sierra, for your vulnerability!

FIND SIERRA:

https://www.instagram.com/sierrainphotos?igsh=MXg2aGlmZG1ncG1lNg==

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/sierra-brittany-boudreaux9

https://www.tiktok.com/@averagesisi?_t=ZT-8uAs3P42CLL&_r=1

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One of the keys to romanticizing your life, in my view, is developing an appreciation for everyday moments that make life more special. Although I love the big luxuries, it's the small ones that give me moments to look forward to each day

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Say it with me: the only way out is through. This is one of my favorite sayings, because it serves as a reminder to me that if I want to truly process and move on from a difficult feeling, I have to actually.....feel it. So whether you struggle with "feeling your feelings," or you've just been told you're too self aware to benefit from talking about them, this episode is for you.

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Long distance daughters, self-employed or small business owners, and anyone feeling stuck - this episode is for you. My friend Gabby from @scotlandmagic sat down with me to discuss her incredible journey moving 10,000 miles across the world and the self-reinvention and courage necessary to change your entire life. Gabby has dedicated her career and businesses to helping women find community, feel empowered, and reconnect with their childlike whimsy, and her story of risking it all to take the ultimate chance on herself is personally inspiring to me.

This episode is sponsored by LMNT. Get a free sample pack of LMNT with the purchase of a drink mix powder only at DrinkLMNT.com/MarySkinner

FIND GABBY:

Instagram: @scotlandmagic @mccscotland

Tiktok: @scotlandmagic

Website and photography: www.scotlandmagic.uk

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